3 essential CV questions to answer in 2025

Today’s job adverts can attract hundreds of applications. How do you formulate a CV so that it stands out from all the rest? The answer is simple – make sure your CV addresses three key questions concisely.

Think of your CV as your own living, breathing personal marketing pitch. A winning pitch clearly answers all of those burning questions your potential employers (i.e. recruiters and hiring managers) have about you. 

In this blog, I’ll explain which information needs to be included in a CV and the best ways to do this. Providing the reader with everything they need to know will affect whether an employer invites you to interview, so you must ensure your answers are strong, clear, tailored and relevant.

What your CV needs to tell the reader

People writing a CV shouldn’t send an application unless they’re certain that they’ve answered the following questions. If you’re not sure, ask a family member or friend (or AI tool) to review it and check you’ve explained the below:  

1. Why are you interested in this job, company and industry? 

Above all, your potential employer wants to know that you’re genuinely interested in this job. When reading your CV, they are essentially seeking assurance of this in the language and words you use. They’re looking for signals that indicate a genuine interest – if the reader doesn’t find these answers, they will likely assume that you have just submitted a blanket application.

So, before tailoring your CV for a specific application, think back to what it was about this job that made you want to apply. Ask yourself: 

• Why do you think you are a good fit?  
• Was there a specific part of the role that excited you?  
• Does the company’s mission particularly resonate?  
• Does the role align with your career goals?  

Research the company and industry to help you articulate this. 

Once you’re clear on your reasons for applying, work on updating your personal statement (and your cover letter) by referencing some of the research you’ve done. Demonstrating that you’ve made an effort at this early stage will be an advantage in the potential employer’s mind. 

2. What value can you bring to the organisation? 

Employers advertise new jobs because they need someone to solve a problem or to offer help. Therefore, a good CV clearly evidences the value you’d bring, specifically in a way that’s relevant to the job and organisation.

When updating the Employment History section of your CV, ensure you focus on the value you added in each previous role, rather than simply listing your duties. This section of your CV shouldn’t read like a list of job descriptions. Instead, try to tell the story of your unique strengths and accomplishments. 

A good way to answer this CV question is to think about: 

• What was your biggest standout achievement for each role?
• Can you provide concrete evidence to prove what you can achieve? 

When updating each entry in your employment history, focus on communicating the quantifiable value you added during that time. A great way to help bolster your perceived value in the reader’s mind is to use action verbs. Using verbs will force you to focus on what you achieved and the results you saw during each role. 

3. What is your current and future potential? 

As the world of work evolves, employers are looking for potential rather than direct working experience. 

Therefore, the first step to make your CV stand out is to clearly evidence your current potential. Ask yourself: 

• What are you good at now?
• Would you be able to do the role in question?
• What transferable skills can you offer?  

Remember: the recruiter or hiring manager should come to the end of your CV confident that you would do the job well.  

Remember to demonstrate your desire to progress in your career 

Recruiters and hiring managers don’t just want to know what you are capable of now. They want to know that you have the potential to do great things in the future. An effective way to do this is to demonstrate on your CV that you are ambitious and have an upwardly mobile career plan. There are a few ways you can do this: 

• Articulate your ambition and future plans in your personal statement. Link back to the job in question and the opportunities you feel you would gain from it.
• Within your employment history, demonstrate how you have got better over time. For each job entry, list achievements, aim to make each one stronger than the last, and include measurable results.

• Evidence your commitment to continuous upskilling by tailoring the skills section of your CV.  Weave these skills into your employment history. Also, ensure your qualifications are up to date. Include dates of completion so you can clearly demonstrate your commitment over time.
• Don’t try to gloss over any career breaks. Instead, outline how you used that time to generate value in different areas of your life and build your skillset. 

By doing the above, you are indicating to the reader that you would be a good investment both now and in the long term. 

What makes a good CV? 

Ensuring your CV answers these questions are the first step towards a successful application. 

When writing your CV, think about who your audience is, and what information is most important to them. Remember, the questions each reader will have may well be the same, but the answers they’re looking for will be different. So, make your CV stand out and tailor it to each role you apply for.

For next steps in writing a successful CV, discover one simple trick to make your application stand out.

Click here for our entire step-by-step series to writing the perfect CV.