Every advertised job in Nigeria attracts hundreds of applications, and most recruiters spend less than a minute on each CV before deciding who to call. That means your CV is not a life story. It is a short, targeted document with one job: to get you the interview. This guide shows you how to write a CV that does exactly that.
1. Keep it short, clean and easy to scan
- Length: one page for fresh graduates and NYSC members, two pages at most if you have several years of experience.
- Format: a simple layout with clear headings, one readable font (Calibri, Arial or similar) at size 10 to 12, and consistent spacing.
- File: send it as a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, and name the file properly, for example Ada-Okafor-CV.pdf, not CV-final-final.pdf.
- Avoid: photos (unless requested), heavy colours, tables and graphics. Many companies use software to read CVs before a human does, and complex designs can confuse it.
2. Put the right sections in the right order
A strong Nigerian CV usually follows this order:
- Contact details: full name, phone (with a working WhatsApp), professional email address, city and state, and your LinkedIn link. You do not need your date of birth, state of origin, religion or marital status.
- Professional summary: three or four lines saying who you are, what you are good at and the kind of role you want.
- Experience: jobs, internships, SIWES or IT placements, NYSC primary assignment and freelance work, newest first.
- Education: degree, institution, class of degree and year. Add relevant certifications.
- Skills: the practical skills the job asks for, such as Excel, customer service, sales, data entry or a specific software.
- NYSC status: completed, exempted or currently serving, with dates. Many Nigerian employers check this first.
- Referees: “Available on request” is fine, but have two ready.
3. Write a summary that sells you in 30 seconds
Your summary is the first thing a recruiter reads, so make it specific. Compare these two:
- Weak: “Hardworking and goal oriented graduate seeking a challenging role in a reputable organisation.”
- Strong: “Economics graduate with 12 months of sales and customer support experience during NYSC and an internship. Skilled in Excel reporting and client follow up. Looking for an entry level sales or business development role in Lagos.”
The second version tells the employer exactly what you bring and what you want.
4. Show results, not just duties
Recruiters already know what a sales assistant or an intern does. What they want to know is how well you did it. Start each point with an action word and add a number where you can.
- Instead of “Responsible for customer enquiries”, write “Handled 40+ customer enquiries daily by phone and WhatsApp with same day responses.”
- Instead of “Helped with social media”, write “Created weekly posts that grew the company’s Instagram followers from 800 to 2,300 in four months.”
- Instead of “Taught students during NYSC”, write “Taught Mathematics to three SS2 classes of 45 students and organised weekend revision that improved test scores.”
5. Tailor your CV to every job
Sending the same CV to every opening is the most common reason good candidates are ignored. Before you apply, read the job description, pick out the key skills and words it uses, and make sure they appear in your summary, experience and skills sections, where they are true for you. Ten minutes of tailoring can be the difference between silence and an interview invitation.
6. Little or no experience? Use what you have
If you are a fresh graduate, everything counts when you describe it well: SIWES or IT placement, NYSC primary assignment and CDS projects, student leadership, volunteering, church or community roles, freelance gigs, side businesses and online courses. Treat each one like a job, with what you did and what changed because of you.
7. Common CV mistakes to avoid
- Spelling and grammar errors. Read it aloud and ask someone else to check it.
- Unprofessional email addresses. Create a simple one with your name.
- Listing every school you attended from primary level. Your highest qualifications are enough.
- Long paragraphs. Use short bullet points.
- Exaggerating or inventing experience. Employers check, and it can cost you the job later.
- Forgetting to update your phone number or leaving a full voicemail box.
8. Your final checklist before you click send
- Is it one or two pages, saved as a PDF with your name in the file name?
- Does your summary match the job you are applying for?
- Does every role show at least one result?
- Are the key skills from the job description in your CV?
- Is your NYSC status clear?
- Has someone else proofread it?
- Does your LinkedIn profile match your CV?
Get expert help with your CV and interviews
A strong CV gets you the interview. Preparation gets you the job. In the CEED IMPACT CV and Interview Readiness program you will rewrite your CV with feedback, optimise your LinkedIn profile, practise real interview questions in mock interviews and learn how to follow up and negotiate offers. If you want a fuller foundation for the workplace, our Employability Bootcamp covers communication, problem solving, digital tools and a personal job search plan.
Ready to stand out? Apply for a CEED IMPACT program or chat with us on WhatsApp at 0913 900 9881.