Vocabulary and expressions for writing a CV - Vocabulario y expresiones para redactar un CV

When you write a curriculum vitae (CV) in English, you need to use specific vocabulary that is commonly used in job applications.

This vocabulary helps you organise your information clearly and present your profile to an employer. A CV normally includes information about your personal details, education, skills and sometimes work experience.

Learning these words will help you:

• understand the structure of a CV
• complete the CV template correctly
• describe your abilities in English
• prepare for future job applications

In this unit you will learn basic vocabulary and expressions used in simple CVs. You will use this vocabulary to complete your own CV as part of the task.

Personal Information
The Personal Information section contains your basic contact details so that an employer can contact you. 

Common words used in this section include:

-Name → Nombre

-Surname → Apellido

-City → Ciudad

-Phone number → Número de teléfono

-Email → Correo electrónico

Example:

Personal Information

Name: Ana López
City: Murcia
Phone: 600 000 000
Email: ana@email.com

When writing this section, remember:

• keep the information clear and simple
• check that the email address is correct
• use professional contact information

The Education section describes your studies, courses or training.

Useful vocabulary:

-Education → Educación
-Studies → Estudios
-Course → Curso
-Training → Formación

Example:

Education

Secondary Education

Basic Vocational Training in Administration

If you are still studying, you can also write:

Currently studying Secondary Education

This section helps employers understand your academic background and training.

Skills
The Skills section describes your abilities and personal strengths. These can include professional abilities or personal qualities that are useful at work.

Some common examples are:

-Teamwork → Trabajo en equipo
-Communication → Comunicación
-Organisation → Organización
-Computer skills → Informática básica
-Responsibility → Responsabilidad
-Problem solving → Resolución de problemas

Example:

Skills

• Teamwork
• Communication
• Basic computer skills
• Organisation

When writing your skills:

• choose simple and honest descriptions
• include abilities related to work or learning
• keep the list short and clear

Useful expressions for describing yourself
Sometimes a CV includes a short personal profile or description. This section allows you to introduce yourself briefly.

Useful expressions include:

I am a responsible person.
I am motivated to learn new skills.
I enjoy working with other people.
I am organised and reliable.

Example:

Profile

I am a responsible and motivated person.
I enjoy working in a team and learning new skills.

These short sentences help employers understand your attitude and personal qualities.

Why is this vocabulary important?
Knowing these words and expressions will help you:

• organise your CV clearly
• describe your education and abilities
• communicate basic professional information in English
• prepare documents for job applications

This vocabulary will help you complete the CV template in the task of this unit and improve your ability to present yourself in professional situations.

Activity: Practice the vocabulary
Complete the following sentences using the correct word.

The section where you describe your studies is called __________.
Your phone number and email are included in __________ information.