Standard CV sections, in order
Career-advice guidance from Indeed and other established recruitment sources converges on the same core structure for a reverse-chronological CV — the format most employers, Nigerian and international, expect by default.
- Personal and contact details. Full name, phone number (with country code if applying internationally, e.g. +234 8XX XXX XXXX), professional email address, city and state, and a LinkedIn URL if you have one. A full postal address isn't necessary; city and state are enough.
- Professional summary. Two to three sentences at the top summarising your experience level, core skills and the type of role you're targeting. This is especially useful for career-changers or anyone with several years of experience — it gives a recruiter the headline before they read further.
- Work experience. Listed in reverse-chronological order — your most recent or current role first. For each role: job title, employer name, location, and dates (month and year), followed by 3–5 bullet points describing responsibilities and, where possible, quantified achievements.
- Education. Also in reverse-chronological order: degree or qualification, institution, and graduation year. Include your NYSC status and discharge/exemption details where relevant — Nigerian employers commonly expect this.
- Skills. A short, scannable list of relevant technical and soft skills — separate from where they appear inside your experience bullets.
- Referees. Either list two to three referees with their title, organisation and contact details, or write "References available on request" to save space. Only list people who've agreed in advance to be contacted.
The photo question: it genuinely depends
This is one area where Nigerian convention and international convention pull in different directions, and there isn't a single rule that's correct everywhere.
Including a photo is still fairly common on CVs submitted to Nigerian employers, particularly for some public-sector, banking and customer-facing roles, where a passport photograph in the top corner of the CV has long been part of local application norms.
Leaving the photo off is the safer default for international and multinational employers. Recruitment guidance for the UK and US job markets is consistent on this: UK recruitment site Reed advises that a full address and a photo aren't needed on a CV, and international CV-photo guidance generally notes that many employers in the US and UK actively prefer CVs without a photo, partly to keep the initial screening focused on qualifications rather than appearance.
The practical approach: if you're applying to a Nigerian company where a photo is customary for that type of role, including a small, professional passport-style photo is reasonable. If you're applying to a multinational, an international employer, or any company with a US/UK-style hiring process — or if you're simply unsure — leave the photo off unless the application explicitly asks for one. A CV without a photo is never read as wrong; a CV with one occasionally is, depending on the reader.
How long should a Nigerian CV be?
One page is enough — and often better — if you're a recent graduate or have under about five years of experience. Once you have several years of relevant experience across multiple roles, two pages is the accepted norm; recruiter surveys cited in CV-length guidance consistently favour a well-organised two-page CV over a one-page CV crammed with 9-point font and shrunken margins. The rule that matters more than page count: every line should earn its place. Don't list work history older than about 15 years unless it's directly relevant, and don't pad a one-page CV to two pages just to look more substantial.
Common CV mistakes
- Listing duties instead of achievements. "Responsible for managing customer accounts" tells a recruiter little. "Managed a portfolio of 40+ customer accounts, resolving 95% of escalations within 24 hours" tells them a lot more.
- Using an unprofessional email address. Switch a nickname-based address for a simple firstname.lastname@gmail.com style address before you start applying.
- Sending the same CV to every role. Recruitment guidance consistently flags this as a top mistake — a CV that's been adjusted to reflect the specific job description performs better than a generic one sent everywhere.
- Including irrelevant personal details. Marital status, religion, and full home address aren't necessary on a modern CV and can be left out.
- Typos and inconsistent formatting. Mismatched date formats, inconsistent bullet styles, and spelling errors are read as a lack of attention to detail — proofread, then have someone else proofread it too.
- Skipping NYSC details when relevant. For Nigerian applications, an unexplained gap where NYSC would normally appear can raise unnecessary questions.
People also ask
Should I include a photo on my Nigerian CV?
It depends on the employer. Photos are still common for some Nigerian employers, but most international and multinational employers prefer CVs without one. Leave it off unless it's specifically requested or clearly customary for that employer.
How long should a Nigerian CV be?
One page for early-career applicants, up to two pages once you have several years of relevant experience. Two pages is the accepted norm for most mid-to-senior applicants.
Should I write "References available on request" or list them?
Either is fine. Listing referees saves the employer a step; writing "available on request" saves space. Only list referees who've agreed in advance.
What order should CV sections go in?
Contact details, professional summary, work experience (most recent first), education, skills, then referees. Recent graduates sometimes move education above experience.