Describing work experience on a CV – examples

The experience section is where a recruiter checks whether you have actually done what they are looking for. A good description is short, specific and written in words the recruiter recognises from the job ad.

How to build one bullet

Action + object + context (scale, tool or result, if you know it). One sentence, usually up to about twenty words.

• “Handled customer complaints by phone and email in Zendesk.”
• “Planned routes for a fleet of 40 vehicles in a TMS.”
• “Prepared weekly sales reports in Excel (pivot tables).”

Examples: before and after

Before: “Was responsible for customers.”
After: “Checked hotel guests in and out and handled their complaints.”

Before: “Did reports.”
After: “Prepared daily cash summaries in Excel.”

In both cases the “after” version adds no facts — it names what was already there more precisely.

Numbers: only real ones

A number on a CV (team size, number of clients, sales growth) draws attention — which is exactly why a recruiter will ask about it. Include only numbers you know and can explain. Without them, a specific description of scope is better than an estimate.

Tailoring to the job ad

• Put the duties the ad asks for at the top of each role.
• Name them the way the ad does (“complaints”, not “customer problems”) — if it is the same activity.
• Shorten older or less relevant roles to one bullet, but do not delete them — a gap invites questions.

Frequently asked questions