CV Writing & Job Interviews
A practical English-language career guide for international applications: evidence-based CV writing, achievement statements, ATS-aware structure, interview preparation and high-level answer strategy.
Detailed career guides
Complete CV Writing Guide
Detailed structure, professional profiles, achievement bullets, tailoring, ATS awareness and editing.
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Complete Interview Guide
Evidence banks, STAR, difficult questions, strengths, weaknesses, online interviews and final preparation.
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1. Build a strong English CV
Use evidence
Replace responsibilities with outcomes where possible: what changed because of your work?
Match the role
Mirror relevant terminology from the job description naturally, without copying entire phrases or keyword stuffing.
Make it scannable
Clear headings, reverse chronology, consistent dates, concise bullets and strong verbs improve recruiter readability.
Be precise
Avoid unsupported adjectives such as “excellent” or “dynamic”. Demonstrate the quality through evidence.
Recommended structure
| Section | Purpose | Guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Identity and contact | Name, professional email, phone, city/country, LinkedIn where relevant. Do not add unnecessary personal data. |
| Professional profile | Position your candidacy | 3–5 lines: professional identity + years/area of experience + strongest relevant capabilities + target/value. |
| Experience | Prove relevance | Reverse chronological order. Use 3–6 bullets per relevant role, prioritising achievements and scope. |
| Education | Show qualifications | Degree, institution, dates, relevant distinction/modules only when useful. |
| Skills | Support fit | Languages, software, methods, certifications. Avoid vague soft-skill lists unless evidenced. |
Achievement bullet formula
Use Action + task/scope + result/impact + evidence where available.
High-value CV verbs
Leadership: led, coordinated, directed, mentored, implemented, prioritised. Analysis: analysed, evaluated, identified, interpreted, forecast. Commercial: negotiated, retained, expanded, generated, converted. Operations: streamlined, delivered, monitored, resolved, standardised.
Choose the verb that truthfully describes the action. Do not inflate responsibility.
ATS-aware writing without making the CV robotic
- Use standard section names such as Experience, Education, Skills.
- Include role-relevant terms that genuinely match your experience.
- Avoid placing essential information only inside graphics, icons or complex tables.
- Use a conventional file name: Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf.
- Proofread for spelling consistency, dates and tense.
2. Professional profile clinic
Example
“Learning and development professional with a background in psychology, adult education and international client-facing roles. Experienced in designing tailored training, facilitating professional communication programmes and supporting learners from B1 to C2. Combines evidence-based teaching with strong commercial awareness and cross-cultural communication.”
3. Interview preparation system
Research
Role requirements, company direction, products/services, recent developments and interview format.
Evidence bank
Prepare 6–8 stories showing achievement, challenge, conflict, leadership, failure/learning, initiative and teamwork.
Message discipline
Know the 3 reasons you fit the role. Your examples should repeatedly support those themes.
Practice aloud
Do not memorise scripts. Rehearse structure, key evidence and concise endings.
STAR — use it without sounding mechanical
| Stage | What to include |
|---|---|
| Situation | Only enough context to understand the challenge. |
| Task | Your responsibility or objective. |
| Action | The largest section. Explain what you did, decisions made and why. |
| Result | Outcome, evidence, learning and—if useful—what you would do differently. |
Strong answer shape
Give a concrete disagreement, explain what the other person valued, show how you adapted the argument, describe the result, then finish with what you learned about influence.
“Tell me about yourself” — 90-second framework
Present: who you are professionally now. Past: 1–2 relevant threads from your experience. Future: why this role is the logical next step.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strength: choose one relevant strength, prove it with evidence, explain value. Development area: choose something genuine but manageable, show awareness and a concrete improvement strategy.
Avoid clichés such as “I’m a perfectionist” unless you can discuss a real behavioural pattern and its management.
Difficult questions
- Why are you leaving? Stay forward-looking; do not attack a former employer.
- Why should we hire you? Match 2–3 job needs to evidence.
- Salary? Know the market range and discuss total role value professionally.
- Failure? Choose a real example with ownership, learning and changed behaviour.
- Gap? Be concise, factual and confident; then redirect to readiness for the role.
4. High-level interview language
| Purpose | Useful language |
|---|---|
| Buy thinking time | “That’s a useful question. The example that best illustrates it is…” |
| Clarify | “Would you like me to focus on the technical side or the stakeholder-management aspect?” |
| Show reflection | “What I learned from that was…” / “With hindsight, I would…” |
| Quantify carefully | “Approximately…” / “The figure was in the region of…” |
| Close an answer | “That experience is relevant here because…” |
5. Your interview preparation worksheet
1) Three reasons you fit the role.
2) Six STAR examples.
3) Two likely technical/role-specific questions.
4) Three questions you will ask the interviewer.
5) One concise explanation of why you want this organisation specifically.
References and further guidance
This guide is original Corrigan School material informed by widely used career-services guidance. Useful references include Harvard FAS Career Services: resumes/CVs, Europass CV guidance, and the UK National Careers Service interview advice. Always adapt conventions to the country, industry and role.
Image credit: Resume Genius / Unsplash.