The competition is often fierce when you’re applying for a corporate job.
Often, you’ll be neck and neck with several similarly qualified candidates. At such times, it’s often details, like how you’ve presented your work experience and skills sections, that influence the hiring manager’s decision.
In this article, we break down corporate CVs for applicants who know the basics of CV writing, providing a free template, examples for specific jobs, and writing tips you can use to put the final flourishes on your application.
Corporate CV template
This template is just the thing if you need help organising your skills and experience into the right CV format for corporate employers:
With a unique header and logically structured layout, it’s the right balance of flair and professionalism to catch a corporate employer’s attention without looking flashy and distracting.
Although this is a one-page CV template, it’s designed to look just as good as a two-page document for corporate candidates with a few years of relevant experience.
Example corporate CVs for specific jobs
The best way to write your CV depends on the role you’re applying for. These examples of corporate CVs for specific jobs show how you should organise your CV sections and achievements differently to give yourself the best shot at your target job.
Corporate lawyer CV
This document is an excellent example of how to write a legal CV for a corporate position.
Finley has clearly thought carefully about the role they’re applying for. Their CV personal statement quickly specifies which areas of corporate law they specialise in (M&A). Right beneath, the key skills section highlights their key strengths, which is a handy point of reference for the employer reading their CV.
Furthermore, as this is a solicitor CV that Finley is writing, they’ve prominently featured their LPC and LLB. This way, the employer can quickly check that they meet the basic educational requirements of the job.
Corporate social responsibility CV
This corporate CV aligns with the CSR field by emphasising sustainability initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and measurable environmental and social impact.
A great feature of Luca’s CV is his work experience section, which uses measured achievements to demonstrate his effectiveness in key areas of CSR, such as emission reduction and compliance.
The personal statement is also highly engaging, focusing on CSR values, such as sustainability, ethical practices, and stakeholder relationships. These details could be even more compelling if Luca expanded on them by writing a tailored cover letter for the job.
Corporate finance CV
This CV shows robust professional development, featuring concise education and certifications sections and a results-focused professional history.
To ensure that his finance CV catches the employer’s attention, Rowan lists his ACA and corporate finance certifications separately. This approach lets the employer see that he meets the job requirements and is committed to continuous learning and development.
Another great feature of this corporate finance CV is the work experience section. Rowan emphasises his leadership in financial processes and team management. The achievements on his CV give a sense of the scale of his previous work, adding to the credibility of his application.
Three tips for writing an impressive corporate CV
Corporate job opportunities are often highly competitive. Whether you stand out to the employer depends on your ability to tailor your CV to the role and convey your key qualifications in a concise, results-focused manner.
Here are three tips for creating a clean, professional corporate CV that immediately captures the employer’s interest.
1. Use professional fonts
Select clean, readable CV fonts like Arial, Times New Roman, or Calibri.
These fonts are popular for their simple design, which makes them easy to read quickly.
If you’re filling out a CV template that uses a different font by default, that’s OK too. Just ensure that the font you’re using is either serif (e.g., Times New Roman, Georgia) or sans serif (e.g., Arial, Helvetica).
Avoid overly decorative or stylised fonts like Apple Chancery, Comic Sans, or Impact.
2. Choose the right format for a corporate CV
Usually, the best way to write a corporate CV is to follow the chronological CV format.
Chronological CVs focus on your work experience and list your previous jobs in reverse order, starting with your most recent or current job.
For each previous job, include your job title, company name, employment dates, and 3–6 bullet points detailing your relevant achievements.
Here’s an example of a well-formatted work experience entry for a corporate job:
Corporate Business Analyst | McKinsey & Company, London | June 20xx – Present
- Led strategic analysis for a digital transformation project for a global retail client, identifying solutions for operational inefficiencies that reduced costs by 15%
- Developed a market entry strategy for a leading UK fintech firm, conducting competitor benchmarking and financial modelling
- Collaborated on McKinsey’s “Sustainable Operations” initiative, developing recommendations for reducing carbon footprints, leading to a 25% reduction in waste across a client’s supply chain
3. Make it easy to scan
Optimise your CV for applicant tracking systems (ATS) by using standard section headings, avoiding images, and explicitly mentioning your years of experience.
To clearly align your CV with the job requirements, you should also include keywords from the job description. For example, if the job post mentions ‘stakeholder management’ and ‘regulatory compliance,’ mention these terms in your CV.
Additionally, bullet points can be used to break down information into digestible sections, making it easier for both ATS and human reviewers to navigate.
