CV Filling Rules — I'm writing as if explaining to a complete beginner
Last week, my brother's friend texted me: "Dude, I need to fill out a CV, but honestly, I don't know anything, how do I fill out each field?" 19 He's [age] years old, hasn't worked before, he's looking at a blank template, he's looking at me. So I started recording voice notes, then I thought — I'll compile this answer in one place, so I don't have to explain the same thing every time. This post is that answer.
Let me tell you. Filling out a CV for the first time seems daunting. I myself opened Word in front of an office computer at the age of 18, and a blank page stared at me. I couldn't write anything for half an hour. Honestly. Later, I realized the problem wasn't that I didn't know — the problem was that no one explained to me in simple terms what each field was asking for. Now I'll explain it to you. Field by field. Without rushing.
First, accept this — a CV should not be long
The first mistake everyone makes: "If I write a lot, it will seem like I know a lot." Nooo. Quite the opposite. An HR person opens 80-100 CVs a day, looking at each for about 7-10 seconds. 7. Seconds. By the time you start your novel, they've already moved on to the next CV. One page. Maximum. Two if you're experienced. An HR person told me this to my face in 2024, and they were right.
Anyway. Let's move on to the fields.
Name and Contact — that is, the "how to find you" section
Write your name correctly. As it is in your passport. "Turk" not "Tural", "Lala" not "Leyla" — write it exactly as it is on your ID card. If there's a discrepancy later when the HR person signs the contract, it causes problems.
Phone — one number is enough, not three. Write the one you use most often. I once put two numbers, one was on WhatsApp, the other — I didn't have it, the HR person messaged me, I didn't reply because I was on the other phone, they marked me as "doesn't reply". Ugh. One.
Email — I'm writing this specifically because half the people mess this up. princess_baki_2005@mail.ru, cool_boy_007, aslan_qaqas_94 — pff, avoid these. The HR person forms an opinion about you before even looking at your CV, based on that email. Open a new email. It takes 3 minutes on Gmail: ad.soyad@gmail.com. If not, use your name-surname-number. That's it.
City — write it. "Baku, Nasimi district" is enough. Full address, street, building number — no. Writing your home address on a CV is outdated, from 2008. No one is going to come to your house now.
Date of birth and marital status? No. Remove them. Let me tell you — some old templates still ask for these fields. Leave them blank or remove them. The employer has no right to know when you were born or if you are married before inviting you for an interview. These fields are no longer present in European templates.
Short profile — introduce yourself in 3 sentences
Look, most people mess this up. The template has a "About Yourself" field, and people start writing: "I am a responsible, hardworking, disciplined young person who can work in a team, quickly solve problems, and remain calm under stress."
Let me tell you. Nobody. Reads. This. Because everyone writes the same thing. In my first CV, I wrote these words myself — 6 I didn't get any response. Honestly, I'm embarrassed to remember it now. Then I changed it, and started getting responses.
What to write instead? 3 A concrete sentence: who you are, what experience or education you have, what you are looking for. Example:
"I am 21 years old, a 4-year student at the marketing faculty of BSU. I have been involved in creating social media content for 2 year(s), and for the last 8 months, I managed Instagram for a barbershop. I am looking for my first full-time position in marketing."
See what I didn't write — the word "responsible". Because you can't become a person just by saying words. If you write about real work, real numbers, real desires, the reader immediately understands, "Ah, this person really knows what they're talking about."
Work experience — even if you don't have any, there's something to write
Now we come to this part. "It's my first CV, I haven't worked, what should I write?" — I've been asked this question at least 30 times in my life. Answer: Even if it wasn't official work, everything you've done can be written down. Just with the right title.
- If you worked at your uncle's shop in the summer — "Sales Assistant, [Shop Name], June-August 2024. Customer service, inventory management, cashier."
- If you organized an event at university — "Volunteer Organizer, [University] Student Club, 2023. Participated in the logistics of an event for 200 people."
- If you tutored your younger sibling, yes — it's still experience. Write it down.
- If you managed your own business on Instagram — it doesn't matter if the business was big or small, write it.
The formula for every job is the same: Position, place, date, 2-3 lines of what you did. List them from newest to oldest — the most recent job at the top, the oldest at the bottom. This is standard, don't change it.
In those 2-3 lines, if possible, include a number. Instead of "Made sales" — "Served 40-50 customers per month". Instead of "Managed social media" — "Increased Instagram followers from 800 to 3500". When there are numbers, the CV becomes more believable because numbers are not easy to fabricate.
No experience? Keep this section brief and put more energy into the following sections. There's no shame in that. Everyone starts somewhere.
Education — it's simple, but there are a couple of rules
University name, faculty, years. If you haven't graduated yet, write "2022 — ongoing". Also write your year if you are a student: "4-year student".
Only write your GPA if it's higher than 3.5. If it's lower, don't write it — you'll hurt your chances. No one will ask if you don't write it, but if you write "GPA: 2.4", they'll look at that first before the rest.
Write your high school only if you are not a university graduate. After getting your bachelor's degree, the high school name takes up space and is unnecessary.
Courses, certificates — if you have any, write them in a separate small section. Coursera, Udemy, local courses — it doesn't matter. If you have a certificate, write it.
Skills — don't write "I know computers", honestly
Uff, this section is where everyone fails. "I'm good with computers", "I have good communication skills", "I learn quickly" — pff. What does this mean to an HR person? Nothing. Because they can't measure it.
Be specific. Which program, what level:
- Microsoft Excel — formulas, pivot tables
- 1C Accounting — intermediate level
- Photoshop — basic editing
- Python — Pandas, small scripts
- Canva — template editing
When you write like this, the HR person looks and understands what you know. When you write "I know", they know, you know, nobody knows.
Use the CEFR system for languages. A1-A2 beginner, B1-B2 intermediate, C1-C2 advanced. Don't say "I know well". What is "well"? My "well" might be different from yours. "English — B2 (TOEFL 92, 2024)" — that's specific, that's convincing.
Photo and final touches
Should there be a photo or not? Honestly, in Azerbaijan, they still put them, but in international standards, they don't. My choice: either a formal photo on a white background with a neutral expression, or no photo at all. Beach photos, party photos, photos of smiling with coffee at a cafe — nooo. Photos with Instagram filters — honestly, no. Stand straight, smile at the camera, that's it.
Finally, one thing — before sending, give it to a friend to read. At least one person. People don't see the typos in their own CV; the brain switches to remembering instead of reading. If someone else looks, they will find 2 mistakes in 3 minutes, honestly. I do this every time, and I still do.
Format — PDF, always PDF
Don't send a Word (.docx) file. Why? Because when the other party opens it with a different version of Word, the formatting gets messed up. I once sent a Word file, and when the HR person opened it, the fonts changed, lines broke, and it became a mess. I wasn't called for an interview. There are no such problems with PDF — it looks the same on your end as it does on the HR person's end.
Name the file correctly too. Not "cv.pdf". "Tural_Mammadov_CV.pdf" — that's better. The HR person downloads 50 CVs, if they are all named "cv.pdf", they can't find yours.
Finally — where are you filling it out?
If you're starting from scratch, I recommend trying the BakuJobs CV Create tool. It's free, works on phones, and the templates are designed for the Azerbaijani market. You fill it out, download the PDF, and you can even send it directly to vacancies on the same site. I'm not advertising — I just couldn't think of another tool specific to AZ while writing this post. Canva is nice, but ATS sometimes has problems with it. cv.dma.gov.az is a government site, the design is stuck in 2008. Let everyone make their own choice.
Anyway. Filling out a CV is not the hardest thing in the world, it's just confusing the first time because no one explains it to you in simple terms. Now I've explained it. Go sit down and start. You'll finish in an hour or two. Then send it, then forget about it for a bit, then move on to the next ad. They'll call, they'll call — it's just a matter of time.
FAQ
How many pages should a CV be?
One page. Two if you have a lot of experience. Nobody reads a three-page CV, honestly. Cut it, shorten it, fit it.
I have no experience, what should I write in the work experience section?
Write down informal experiences: volunteer work, summer jobs, university events, tutoring, your own small business. If you have none, keep the section brief and focus more on skills and education. Everyone starts somewhere.
Is a photo mandatory?
Not mandatory. In Azerbaijan, they still put them, but in international standards, they no longer do. If you do put one, make sure it's a formal photo on a white background with a neutral expression. No beach, party, or filtered photos.
In what format should I send my CV?
PDF. Always PDF. Don't send Word — the formatting can get messed up on the recipient's end. Also, name the file as "Name_Surname_CV.pdf", not just "cv.pdf".
In which language should I write my CV?
In the language the vacancy is written in. English ad — English CV. Azerbaijani ad — Azerbaijani CV. Sometimes I keep two versions because a few companies ask for both.
