CV Writing Guide for Sierra Leone Job Seekers
Your CV is your first introduction to a potential employer. In Sierra Leone's competitive job market — where a single vacancy can attract hundreds of applications — a well-structured, clear CV can be the difference between getting an interview and being overlooked. This guide walks you through exactly what to include and how to present it.
In this guide
- 01Keep it focused and concise
- 02CV structure that works
- 03Writing strong experience bullets
- 04Tailoring your CV for each application
Keep it focused and concise
Unless you have more than ten years of highly relevant experience, aim for one to two pages. Hiring managers and recruiters review CVs quickly — often in under 30 seconds on the first pass. Make every word count.
Use a clean, simple layout. Avoid tables, heavy graphics, or unusual fonts that can confuse applicant tracking systems or simply look cluttered. Black text on white background, standard fonts such as Calibri, Arial, or Times New Roman, and consistent formatting go a long way.
Key takeaways
- One page is ideal for candidates with fewer than five years of experience
- Do not reduce font size below 10pt to fit everything on one page — edit instead
- Save as PDF to preserve your formatting across different devices
CV structure that works
A strong CV follows a clear structure. Follow this order for best results.
1. Contact Information: Full name, phone number, email address, and location (town or city is sufficient — your full address is not required). If you have a LinkedIn profile, include the URL.
2. Professional Summary: Two to three sentences describing who you are professionally, your years of experience, and what you bring to a role. Tailor this section for every application you send.
3. Work Experience: Listed in reverse chronological order, with your most recent role first. For each role, include your job title, the employer's name, the dates you worked there (month and year), and three to five bullet points describing what you did and what you achieved.
4. Education: Degree, institution, and year of graduation. Include professional certifications here too — CIPD, PMP, HSE qualifications, and similar credentials carry significant weight.
5. Skills: A concise list of relevant technical and professional skills. Only list skills you can genuinely demonstrate in an interview.
6. References: "References available upon request" is sufficient. You do not need to list referees on your CV.
Writing strong experience bullets
The best experience bullets follow this structure: Action Verb + What You Did + The Result. This approach immediately demonstrates impact, not just activity.
Weak: "Responsible for recruitment." Strong: "Managed end-to-end recruitment for 25 positions across three project sites, reducing average time-to-hire from six weeks to three and a half."
Use numbers wherever you can — headcount managed, budgets handled, percentage improvements, team sizes. Quantified achievements stand out in a stack of CVs.
Write in past tense for previous roles and present tense for your current role. Be consistent throughout.
Tailoring your CV for each application
Never send the same CV to every employer. Read the job description carefully and mirror the language used. If the employer mentions "stakeholder management", use those exact words in your CV where relevant — many larger organisations and international employers use keyword-matching tools.
Remove or condense experience that is not relevant to the role. A job from ten years ago that has nothing to do with your current career path is better left off or summarised in a single line.
Write a tailored professional summary for each application. This takes five minutes and significantly increases your chances of getting through to interview.
Key takeaways
- Proofread twice — spelling and grammar mistakes signal a lack of care
- Avoid photos unless specifically requested by the employer
- Name your file clearly: FirstName_LastName_CV.pdf
- Do not include your date of birth, marital status, or religion unless specifically asked
- Have someone you trust read it before you send — a fresh pair of eyes catches things you miss
More Resources
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