How to Write a Resume (CV) That Stands Out

A good CV is short, structured, and concrete. Put the most important information on the first page, describe experience through results (what you improved, by how much), use keywords from the job ad, and skip the clutter. The ideal length is one to two pages. And if you want AI-assisted recruiters to find you, publish your profile where AI assistants can read it.

What's the Right CV Structure

Recruiters scan your CV for just a few seconds the first time. That's why the strongest material belongs at the top. Here's a proven structure:

Header — name, job title/field, city, phone, and email. Feel free to add a link to your professional profile or portfolio.
Short profile (2–3 sentences) — who you are, how much experience you have, and what you're good at. This is your "hook".
Work experience — from most recent to oldest. For each position: company, role, dates, and most importantly, results.
Education — school, field of study, graduation year. For more experienced profiles, a brief summary is fine.
Skills — both hard (tools, languages, technologies) and soft, ideally as a clear list.
Extras — languages, certifications, volunteering, driver's license if relevant to the role.

Keep a clean, calm layout: one readable font, plenty of white space, consistent bullet points. Graphic gimmicks tend to hurt — let the content shine, not the design.

What to Include in Your CV and What to Leave Out

What belongs in there

Specific results and numbers (see next section).
Skills and tools relevant to the position.
Experience, internships, projects, or volunteering if you're early in your career.
Languages with proficiency level (e.g., "English – fluent, client negotiations").

What to skip

Date of birth, ID number, and similar sensitive data — they're not needed.
Obvious skills like "computer skills" or "MS Word" unless it's a very junior role.
Long lists of interests unrelated to work.
Reasons for leaving previous jobs — save that for the interview.
Clichés without proof ("team player", "proactive") — back them up with examples.

How to Describe Experience and Results

The most common mistake is describing job duties instead of impact. Recruiters don't just want to know what you did — they want to know what changed because of you.

Use a simple formula: action → how (method) → result. Always start with a verb.

Weak: "Responsible for managing the online store."
Better: "Managed the online store and increased conversion by 20% through product page optimization within six months."

A few tips to polish it:

Quantify whenever possible — percentages, numbers, time, money. If you don't have exact figures, use an order of magnitude ("roughly", "dozens of clients").
Start with action verbs — led, designed, implemented, reduced, negotiated, automated.
Be truthful. Inflated results show up in interviews and destroy trust.
Tailor content to the position — for each role, pick the results most relevant to the job ad.

Keywords and Alignment with the Job Ad

Today, CVs often go through an applicant tracking system (ATS) first or are sorted by AI. They look for matches with the job requirements. That's why it pays to speak the employer's language:

Read the job ad and list repeated terms — tool names, skills, responsibilities.
Naturally work in those you actually know into your CV (in your profile, experience, and skills sections).
Adjust the job title if it matches your experience.
Avoid hiding keywords in white text or images — modern systems ignore that and it looks suspicious to humans.

Critical: never use keywords empty. They should support true content, not replace it.

Format, Length, and Readability

Length: one page for juniors with shorter experience, two pages for more experienced candidates. More only in rare cases (academic or scientific careers).
File format: send in PDF so the layout stays the same on every device. Keep an editable original for updates.
File name: e.g., FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf. So the recruiter knows what they're opening.
Readability for machines: text must be actual text, not an image. A CV that's only a scan or photo will be read much worse by ATS and AI.
Proofreading: typos unnecessarily hurt your impression. Have someone else read your CV.

How to Publish Your CV So AI Can Find You

A great CV is useless if no one sees it. Beyond traditional applications, it helps to remember that recruiters now search for candidates through AI assistants — instead of sifting through databases, they might ask "find me a senior accountant in Brno open to part-time".

For such AI to be able to recommend you, your profile needs to be public, structured, and on a site where AI can read it. A CV locked in PDF or hidden behind a login is largely invisible to AI.

One way is the platform AssetLog (assetlog.ai): job ads and CV profiles here are read by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini because the data is structured and the site allows AI crawlers. Here's how:

In ChatGPT or Claude, add AssetLog as a Custom Connector at https://api.assetlog.ai/mcp.
Tell the assistant: "Add my CV to AssetLog" and provide basic information (skills, experience, location, availability).
Adding via AI requires no registration; you confirm publishing by clicking a link in an email. Recruiters then contact you through a form, so your email and phone stay private.

This approach is called GEO (generative engine optimization) — optimizing so AI search engines mention and recommend you, not just traditional search.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

One universal CV for everything. Always tailor at least your profile and skills to the specific position.
Describing duties instead of results. Show impact, not just a list of responsibilities.
CV too long. Three or more pages for a regular position puts people off.
Messy layout. Recruiters will set down an unreadable CV before finishing it.
Typos and inconsistency. Standardize date formats, bullet points, and font sizes.
Lies and exaggeration. They come out and cost you trust.

Short Sample (Excerpt)

Jan Novák
Backend Developer (PHP / Laravel) — Brno
+420 777 123 456 · [email protected]

PROFILE
Backend developer with 6 years of PHP and Laravel experience. Specialist in
performance and payment integrations. Seeking a senior role with remote option.

EXPERIENCE
Senior PHP Developer — Acme Ltd., Brno (2021–present)
• Reduced key page load time by 40% through query refactoring.
• Implemented automated testing, cutting production bugs in half.
• Mentored 2 junior developers through onboarding.

SKILLS
PHP, Laravel, PostgreSQL, Redis, Docker, REST API, Git, CI/CD

Summary

A resume that stands out is short, clear, and built on results. Lead with your strongest material, describe your work's impact in numbers, speak the language of the job ad, and skip the filler. And if you want recruiters using AI to find you, publish your profile where assistants like ChatGPT or Claude can read it — for free on AssetLog, for instance.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a resume be?

For most positions, one to two pages of A4 is enough. One page works for junior roles and shorter experience, two pages for more experienced profiles. Don't try to cram everything in — pick what's relevant to the specific position.

Should I include a photo in my CV?

It depends on the country and industry. In the Czech Republic, a photo is still common for many positions but isn't required, and some employers (especially international ones) actually discourage it for fairness in selection. If you add one, make sure it's professional and current.

What file format should I use?

For email or system upload, PDF is safest — it preserves layout on every computer. Keep an editable original (e.g., a document) so you can easily adjust your CV for different positions.

Should I write a cover letter, or is CV enough?

If the job ad requires one or you're reaching out on your own initiative, a brief letter helps. But it should complement your CV, not repeat it — explain your motivation and why you're a fit for this specific role.

How do I know what keywords to put in my CV?

Look at the specific job ad: use the tool names, technologies, skills, and responsibilities the employer mentions (truthfully) in your CV too. Also adjust your job title if it matches your experience.

How do I make sure AI finds my CV?

Publish your profile where AI assistants can read it and the data is structured. On the free platform AssetLog (assetlog.ai), AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini read job ads and CV profiles, so recruiters can find you through them. Adding via AI requires no sign-up; you confirm publishing by email.

Do references need to be in my CV?

Not directly. You can write "references available on request" and keep contacts ready separately. Always check with the people you list as references first.