In an increasingly competitive professional world, where every opportunity attracts dozens or even hundreds of applications, getting your CV right is not just an administrative step: itʼs a differentiation strategy.

The CV is much more than a list of past experiences: itʼs the first demonstration of your ability to structure information, stand out and capture a recruiterʼs attention in a matter of seconds.

A good CV opens a door. An excellent CV creates an opportunity and triggers the desire to meet you without delay.

Structuring your CV: the invisible backbone of success

On average, a recruiter takes between 6 and 10 seconds to decide whether a profile is worth reading in depth. So the structure of your CV should not be left to chance: it embodies your rigor, your clarity and your sense of hierarchy of information.

A high-performance CV is logically and intuitively organized:

Lʼen-tête with your essential contact information (name, phone, e-mail, LinkedIn link).
A punchy, carefully-written teaser to set the scene and arouse peopleʼ interest.
Lʼexpérience professionnelle, in antichronological order, with a focus on results achieved, missions carried out and customer environments.
Skills, both technical (hard skills) and behavioral (soft skills).
Recent training courses, especially those most strategic to the job in question.
Personal projects or certifications. Each block must be visually legible and distinct.

Rule dʼor: readability is king. Put yourself in the shoes of a recruiter who doesnʼt know you and needs to understand who you are, in just a few lines.

How long is the ideal CV?

The question of length often comes up, and with good reason: a CV that's too short can seem superficial, and one that's too long can be discouraging.

Less than 5 years experience: 1 page. Lʼobjectif est dʼaller droit au but, sans fioriture.
5 to 15 years dʼexperience: 2 well-balanced pages. Show your rise in skills, the diversity of your environments and your results.
Over 15 or expert profile: up to 3 pages if - and only if - each piece of information provides real value.

The trap: wanting to say everything or, on the contrary, wanting to compress everything. A good CV is one that makes the right choices.

What information is essential to remember?

Certain oversights can ruin the efforts of good content. Here are the must-haves:

An active, up-to-date LinkedIn link is essential. It must coherently reflect your entire career path, your skills, and the experiences mentioned in your CV. A recruiter visiting your profile should find there a direct echo of what heʼs read on paper, with the added bonus of recommendations, shared projects, and possibly professional content that reinforces your credibility.

Stand out

Whatever the case, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

Concrete, quantified professional achievements are another fundamental pillar. It is not simply a matter of listing the tasks performed, but of demonstrating a measurable impact. For example, "jʼai permis à lʼentreprise X dʼaugmenter de 25 % son trafic web en six mois", or "jʼai automatisé un processus qui a réduit le temps de traitement de 40 %". This type of wording shows not only what you have done, but also what you can contribute.

Ongoing training courses, especially those completed recently, showcase your ability to learn and adapt. They show that you stay up-to-date in your field and are proactive in your professional development. A certification in cloud computing, a course in UX design or agile training are all positive signals to a recruiter.

Language skills should also be specified with standardized levels, ideally according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). An indication of "English C1 - professional fluency" or "Spanish B2 - fluent conversation" is much clearer than vague statements such as "good level".

Finally, the human qualities you bring to a team have their rightful place. Leadership, rigor, a sense of collaboration, the ability to listen or the capacity to analyze must be highlighted through concrete examples or past missions. It is often these qualities, far more than technical skills, that will make the difference between candidates with equal profiles.

All this should enrich your application without weighing it down.

Personal profile: a teaser that guides the reader

The "personalˮ profile is today indispensable, provided thatʼit is clear, useful and punchy. This introduction gives direction to the reading and can make the difference:

It begins by contextualizing your career path, by briefly recalling who you are, where you come from, and the broad outlines of your professional trajectory. This contextualization helps the recruiter to better understand the logic of your career path, the transitions between your experiences, and the progression of your responsibilities or expertise.

Next, it clearly states your current ambition or career goal. It is not simply a question of saying what you are looking for, but of showing that you have a vision: what type of position you are heading for, in what type of environment you wish to evolve, and why. This allows the recruiter to immediately identify whether your aspirations are aligned with the position on offer.

Finally, the lʼaccroche highlights the key skills you master that echo the requirements of your target position. Rather than enumerating a list, it links these skills to your experience, to give them depth and credibility. This can include technical know-how, distinctive soft skills or particular sector expertise.

A well-formulated profile arouses curiosity. A generic, empty or overly conventional profile ("motivated and dynamicˮ) will have the opposite effect.

Photo: opportunity or risk?

Adding a photo to your CV is a decision to be considered with care, as it can have both a positive and negative impact on the recruiter's perception.

On the plus side, a well-chosen photo adds a human dimension to your application. It creates a first visual contact and makes it easier to register you in the recruiter's memory. If it is professional - cʼest-à-dire-directed with good lighting, a neutral background, appropriate attire and a comely expression - it can convey positive signals about your posture, professionalism and presence.

However, that same photo can also be a source of unintentional interpretations. It can induce cognitive biases, whether conscious or not, on criteria that have nothing to do with your skills or potential. Physical appearance, age, gender, perceived origin or even style of dress can unintentionally influence a recruiterʼs decision, even if it goes against the principles of objectivity.

What is more, in some countries or sectors, the use of photos is strongly discouraged, or even outlawed, to avoid any risk of discrimination. This is particularly the case in several Anglo-Saxon countries, where HR practices favor anonymized CVs to focus exclusively on skills.

Thus, the best approach is to assess the relevance of adding a photo on a case-by-case basis, depending on the position targeted, the cultural context and the quality of the photo in question. If you choose to include one, it must imperatively serve your professional message and reinforce your impact, without exposing you unnecessarily to outside judgments.

Leisure: humanizing without trivializing

The "Hobbiesˮ section can be a subtle but powerful lever for enriching the image you give of yourself. When it is well thought out and formulated with relevance, it reveals elements of personality that the rest of the CV does not always bring out. It should not be seen as a simple list of hobbies, but as a complementary space where you show cross-disciplinary skills and human values.

For example, indicating that you practice lʼescalade regularly doesnʼt just say that you love the sport: it suggests an ability to manage risk, stay focused under pressure, and keep your cool in the face of difficulty. Itʼs a credible and implicit metaphor for project management or lʼadaptability in an uncertain environment.

Similarly, a passion for photography is not trivial: it can reflect an aesthetic sensitivity, an attention to detail, but also an ability to tell a story through an image, to capture the moment. In professions linked to communication, creation or even data visualization, cʼis a precious quality.

Volunteering, for example in teaching or in an association, speaks volumes about your commitment, your pedagogy and your ability to work as part of a team with a variety of audiences. Itʼs also a sign of your sense of lʼaltruism and transmission, values that are particularly appreciated in collaborative environments.

On the other hand, a "Leisureˮ section that merely mentions "music, films, travel" without any further detail loses all interest. It seems banal, impersonal, even sloppy. It is better to write nothing than to add a bland list that weakens the whole of your presentation.

To make the most of this section, always start with this question: what does this hobby say about me that could be useful in the position I am aiming for? Itʼs this resonance between your personality and the challenges of the position that will make the difference.

Europass and other European tools: pitfalls and best practices

LʼEuropass is a standardized CV format set up by the European Union to facilitate professional mobility within member countries. It is aimed primarily at people wishing to apply for European programs (such as Erasmus+), public competitions, or international calls for projects where a common format is required. Lʼobjectif de ce format est de garantir une lecture homogène des parcours professionnels, quelle que soit la nationalité du candidat.

This template has the advantage of being structured, clear and compliant with European institutional standards. It also enables automatic translation of the CV into different languages via the Europass platform, which is useful in a multilingual context or for international applications.

However, in the private sector, this format quickly shows its limits. Its rigidity, highly formal presentation and lʼabsence of personalization hinder profile differentiation. In competitive environments such as digital, communications or tech, it gives an impression of neutrality that does not allow you to highlight your uniqueness or professional style.

The Europass format is particularly recommended for institutional markets, such as public agencies, European institutions and certain NGOs, which expressly request this type of document. In this context, it guarantees compliance with expected standards.

For private companies, on the other hand, it is far preferable to use modern, personalized and even creative formats. These allow you to better highlight your distinctive skills, prioritize the information to your advantage, and introduce a storytelling that reflects your personality. For example, a graphic designer would be well advised to design a bespoke visual CV, while a project manager might opt for a clear but impactful version, supported by quantified results and relevant keywords.

Substance remains the priority, but form plays a crucial role in memorization and first impressions. In the private sector, fitting into the mold can be a handicap: you have to make an impression.

**Stand out from the crowd!**

Whatever the case, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

PDF, website, video CV: which medium for which impact?

Today, the PDF format remains the standard for the majority of job applications, particularly for traditional email submissions or via recruitment platforms. It is universally readable on all operating systems, retains the layout perfectly and conveys an image of rigor and professionalism. Itʼis the reference format to guarantee that the recruiter will see your CV exactly as you designed it, with no display surprises.

A personal website or portfolio, meanwhile, is an excellent lever for standing out from the crowd, particularly in creative sectors (design, copywriting, communications), technical sectors (web development) or for freelancers who want to showcase the diversity of their assignments. It allows you to present concrete projects, customer cases, visual or technical achievements, and dʼancrer your profile in a logic of proof by example. In addition, it strengthens your professional digital presence.

The video CV, finally, is aimed at profiles that rely heavily on their ability to convince lʼoral, transmit energy or create a direct relationship. Itʼs particularly well-suited to jobs in marketing, sales, events or the audiovisual industry. Well executed, it can create a "coup de coeurˮ effect, but it requires good equipment, a confident posture and real control of one's speech. Poorly executed, it can quickly backfire on the candidate.

Bonus tip: in your PDF, add a discreet line with links to your social profiles or portfolio.

Conclusion: A CV is a living tool

Your CV needs to live, evolve and sʼadapt. With each new assignment, each new skill acquired, it must reflect your transformation.

A good CV tells what you've done.

An excellent CV tells what you can do tomorrow, for the company that will read it.

*Venthone - a 100% human and digital solution.*

Lʼapproche Venthone: developing talent beyond the CV

At Venthone, we are convinced that recruitment is more than just the administrative processing of applications. Every CV is a story, every profile a potential, and our role is to dʼaccompany companies and consultants alike to reveal and activate this value.

Thatʼs why we put people and readability at the heart of our processes. We help consultants structure their career path, bring out their uniqueness and clearly articulate what they can bring to an assignment. A good CV, for us, is not just a document: itʼs a tool of opportunity, a springboard to long-term collaborations.

On the company side, our promise is based on a strong principle: to facilitate the meeting between clearly expressed needs and consultants who choose to position themselves. At Venthone, we don't place profiles. It's the talents who, thanks to their CVs, their posture and their career plans, propose themselves to current opportunities. Our role is to make these encounters as fluid, relevant and efficient as possible.

*Your CV, the tool that prepares you for interviews.*

We work to create the conditions for quality matching: helping our consultants to value what they really bring to the table. A successful assignment is based on much more than just a technical fit: it is built on mutual understanding, transparency and a shared commitment.

Because a good CV can open doors, but only a relationship based on clarity, trust and mutual understanding can make the collaboration last.

Making the right CV: The art of making yourself unforgettable