You care about your career, so you should certainly care about your CV!
If there’s one document that can shape your career more than any other, it’s your CV / Resume.
At ProCapita Headhunter Indonesia, our advice is simple: take the time to make it perfect.
Your CV, also known as a Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Resume, is the first impression a potential employer has of you.
Employers often decide solely based on your CV whether to invite you to an interview.
The CV is such a critical document that I personally believe universities should include compulsory CV writing courses as part of every degree.
Unfortunately, we often meet fantastic executives with brilliant careers — but poorly presented CVs. As a result, they sell themselves short.
CV Writing: How to Write an Effective, Eye-Catching CV
Hiring managers review a huge volume of CVs, so every word must be concise and to the point. Otherwise, the reader may get lost in the details.
Your CV should ideally be 2–3 pages long, even for senior executives with 20+ years of experience.
CVs longer than 3 pages are often seen as disorganized and difficult to read.
1. Include a Strong Executive Summary
At the top of your CV, include a short Executive Summary highlighting your top skills and career achievements.
Use 5–10 key bullet points to clearly communicate your key value-add.
2. List Work Experience in Reverse Chronological Order & State Key Achievements
List your work experience with the most recent position at the top and your first role at the bottom.
Hiring managers focus mainly on the roles you have held in the last 5 years — so provide more detail for these positions.
Earlier roles can be summarized briefly.
For each position held, include:
- An overview of your key responsibilities
- _
- Your personal achievements in that role — quantified wherever possible
For example:
“Led a 10-person sales team and increased annual revenue by 30% between 2023–2024”.
Stating factual achievements is a great way to help you stand out from the crowd.
3. Tailor Your CV for Each Job Application
Every time you apply for a new role, update your CV so that it is optimized for that position.
Highlight aspects of your career that are most relevant to the role you are applying for, demonstrating your suitability and value-add.
Hiring Managers: The Critical 6-Second CV Scan
Research by TheLadders shows that potential employers spend on average just six seconds scanning a CV on first review.
This means if you fail to grab the hiring manager’s attention immediately, your CV is likely to be rejected, and the job opportunity lost.
So, Make Every Second Count
If your CV passes the initial scan, the reader will take a closer look, examining your credentials in detail and appreciating your professional achievements.
As headhunters, we don’t have the time to rewrite an executive’s CV for them.
It is your responsibility to ensure your CV presents you in the best way possible and grabs attention instantly.
A Good CV / Resume Structure
Section 1 – Biographical / Personal Profile Data (Start of CV)
At the top of your CV, include the following in bullet points:
- Full name, year of birth, gender, nationality, and language skills
- _
- Full contact details, including mobile phone number and personal email address
- _
- Photo (optional): If included, make sure it is professional and polished. Position it in the top-right corner of the first page.
- _
- Executive Summary: Use bullet points to highlight your big picture key skills and major career accomplishments
Section 2 – Education / Qualifications (Middle of CV)
- Include higher-level education only — Bachelor Degrees, Masters Degrees, Diplomas etc — state in reverse chronological order, with your most recent education qualification at the top of the list
- _
- Include the month/year of graduation and degree grade/result
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- Highlight additional professional qualifications, such as certifications, memberships of professional organizations, or important training courses completed
Section 3 – Work Experience (End of CV)
- List work experience in reverse chronological order — state your latest position at the top of the list
- _
- For each company, include the full company name and a brief description of the company, so the reader understands the type of business
- _
- For each role, include the job title and start/end dates
- _
- Describe your key responsibilities and achievements in a few sentences, focusing on tangible results
Final Checks – Make Sure Your CV is Perfect
Once your CV is complete:
- Read it multiple times
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- Correct any spelling and grammar errors
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- Ensure the document looks visually appealing and reads clearly
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- Verify that formatting is consistent throughout
Conclusion
As executive headhunters, we have reviewed thousands of CVs.
A well-written, well-structured, professional CV immediately grabs a hiring manager’s attention and greatly increases your chances of being invited for an interview.
Conversely, a poorly written CV presents an individual in a disorganized way, and even highly qualified candidates may be overlooked.
At ProCapita Headhunter Indonesia, we say:
If there is one document that can affect your career more than any other, it is your CV.
Our strong advice: make it 100% perfect!
About ProCapita: Indonesia’s Leading Headhunter Company
ProCapita Headhunter Indonesia is Jakarta’s premier headhunter company, trusted to deliver top-tier senior talent for critical leadership roles across all industries and functions.
Since 2014, our consultants have completed 1,000+ executive hires across the Indonesian archipelago.
We target elite passive talent through discreet, personalized outreach, combining executive search expertise, deep local market knowledge, and a professional network of 450,000+ candidates to quickly secure the right leadership talent.
☎️ Contact ProCapita
➡️ Client enquiries: Looking to hire senior-level talent in Indonesia? Please submit this brief Client Form or contact ProCapita here.
An executive search consultant shall respond shortly.
➡️ Executive candidates: Looking for a new leadership opportunity? Please submit Your CV Here to join our market-leading professional network.
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