Writing a professional CV is one of the most important steps in your job search. It’s your first impression and your only chance to show your employers who you are and what you can do and what you did before , what you’ve done is really helped you at this time the time you waste on courses the time you waste on improving all your skill will pay you know, and also on this document you show them why you’re the right person for the job. remember In Ethiopia’s competitive job market, a only well written CV can make a huge difference.

Whether you’re a fresh graduate or an experienced professional, this guide will help you prepare a strong CV that will help your future and what you make you feel better is we have already included a free template to get you started so don’t worry

What is a CV?

First of all its better to make you know what really CV means A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a document that represent you and who you are it just summarizes your education, work experience , skills you improved , and any different achievements .and one thing i want clarify is In Ethiopia, most employers expect a CV rather than a resume. But know both CV and resume are similar, but CV a likely more detailed.i will write about those in a detailed in another post

Key Sections of a Professional CV

Here’s what all CV have to include:

1. Personal detail Info

At the top of your CV, you have to include:

• Full name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Location (better to include city)
• LinkedIn profile or portfolio or online work platforms but if you have its just optional, but highly recommend it

And know there are infos you have to not include: they don’t expect you to include age, gender, religion, or a photo unless the job specifically asks for it.

2. Professional Summary

They need from you a professional summary so Write a short paragraph that summarizes your background, your career goals, and what you bring to the table.

Let me give an example -let us assume you are an accountant :
“Motivated accounting graduate with internship experience in financial reporting. Skilled in Excel , QuickBooks and interacting with computer different tasks. Eager to support organizations with strong analytical and also i have good communication skills.”

3. Work Experience

List all your jobs: i recommend you to list them starting with the most recent one. For each position, you have to include:

• Job title
• Company name
• Dates you worked -include month and year
• A few bullet points describing what you did and accomplished

Example:
Junior Accountant – ABC Trading,at Asosa
Jan 2021 – Dec 2023

• Prepared monthly financial reports
• Assisted with payroll processing
• Handled data entry and invoice tracking

If you don’t have much work experience, you can include internships, volunteering, or freelance projects. And that is why you need internships,on my previous post i write in detail why we need internship

4. Education

List your education in reverse order (most recent first). Include:

• Degree or certificate
• Name of the institution
• Graduation year

Example:
BA in Accounting
Addis Ababa University, 2022

5. Skills

Mention technical skills and soft skills relevant to the job. Don’t list everything — focus on what the employer is likely to care about.

Examples:

• Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Report writing
• Customer service
• Communication
• Teamwork

6. Languages

List the languages you speak and your level (basic, intermediate, fluent).

7. Certifications or Trainings (optional)

If you’ve completed any special courses or certificates, include them here.

Tips for a Strong CV

• Keep it short and more clear: 1–2 pages is enough for many people.
• Use simple formatting: Choose a clean font like Arial or Calibri, and use headings and bullet points.but don’t worry apps loke word will fix it for you
• Tailor it to the job:don’t stack only on one document you have to Update your CV for each job you apply for — highlight the experience and skills that match the position.
• Avoid spelling mistakes Always proofread or ask someone else maybe your friends to review your CV before sending it.
• Save as PDF This keeps your formatting intact when employers open your CV.

Free CV Template- i mean a Simple Format

Here’s a free structure you can follow:

[Full Name]
[Phone Number] | [Email Address] | [Location]
LinkedIn: [optional]

Professional Summary

[Write 3 up to 5 lines about your experience, skills, and goals.]

Work Experience

Job Title – Company Name
[Month Year] – [include Month Year]

• [Responsibility or achievement 1]
• [Responsibility or achievement 2]

Education

Degree _Institution Name
[Graduation Year]

Skills- list all your skils

• Skill 1
• Skill 2
• Skill 3

Languages

• Language 1 –tell the Leve, like intermediate beginner
• Language 2 – Level

Certifications & Trainings (if any)

• Course or Certificate – Year

Finally

Your CV is your personal powerful marketing tool — make it count! With a clean format, relevant information, and a confident tone, you’ll stand out in Ethiopia job market. Keep it updated, honest, and always customized for the role you’re applying for.

If you’d like the free CV template as a downloadable Word or PDF file, on next post i will help you in detail for now it enough to know the main points and basics