On this page
- The recommended section order
- Today's format vs outdated habits
- Contact details: what to include
- Professional summary or career objective?
- How to format work experience
- How to show education the Bangladeshi way
- Length, file type and design
- Photo: include it or not?
- Government circulars, NGO forms and Bangla CVs
- A complete sample layout
The recommended section order
Use this order for most private-sector, bank, NGO and multinational jobs. It puts the information a recruiter needs first at the top of page one.
- 1. Name and contact details
- 2. Professional summary (freshers: a short career objective or summary)
- 3. Key skills
- 4. Work experience, most recent first
- 5. Education, most recent first
- 6. Training and certifications
- 7. Projects or extracurricular activities (most useful for freshers)
- 8. Languages
- 9. References, only if the job ad asks for them
Today's format vs outdated habits
Some habits are left over from paper applications. They take up space that should show your skills, and some share private information an employer does not need.
Outdated: 'CURRICULUM VITAE' as the main heading. Today: your name as the heading.
Outdated: father's name, mother's name, religion, marital status, blood group, NID, height, weight. Today: leave them out.
Outdated: full present and permanent address with village and post office. Today: area and city, e.g. 'Mirpur, Dhaka'.
Outdated: 'To build a career in a reputed organisation where I can utilise my skills.' Today: a specific summary of what you do.
Outdated: duties copied from the job description. Today: bullet points with what you achieved.
Outdated: 'Declaration: I hereby declare that the above information is true' with a signature. Today: not needed for private-sector jobs.
Outdated: 'References available on request.' Today: remove it; list referees only if asked.
Outdated: SSC and HSC roll and registration numbers. Today: keep the exam, board, year and GPA only.
Contact details: what to include
Put your contact details in the main body of the page, not in the document header or footer, because some recruitment software skips headers. Our check flags a CV that has no email or phone number, which happens more often than you would think when contact details sit inside an image or a text box.
- Your full name, in a larger font, as the first line of the CV.
- A phone number you answer, written clearly: +880 1712 345678 or 01712 345678.
- A professional email based on your name, such as rahim.uddin@email.com. Avoid nicknames and old school emails.
- Your area and city. A full postal address is not needed.
- Your LinkedIn profile link, if it is complete and matches your CV.
Professional summary or career objective?
A career objective says what you want. A summary says what you offer. Employers in Bangladesh increasingly expect experienced candidates to use a summary: 3 to 4 lines covering your role, years of experience, strongest skills and one or two results.
If you are a fresh graduate, a short objective is acceptable, but make it specific to the type of role. 'Seeking an entry-level accounts role where I can apply my BBA in Accounting and Tally skills' is far better than a line that could belong to anyone.
Generic objective: 'To work in a challenging environment of a reputed organisation and contribute to its growth.'
Summary (2 years' experience): 'Accounts Officer with 2 years in a garments manufacturer, handling supplier payments, VAT records and monthly bank reconciliations for about 120 suppliers. Skilled in Tally, MS Excel and month-end closing. BBA in Accounting, University of Example.'
How to format work experience
- Start each job with: job title, organisation, location, and month and year dates (for example 'Jul 2023 to Present').
- Use 3 to 6 bullet points per job, fewer for older or less relevant roles.
- Begin each bullet with an action verb: managed, prepared, reduced, trained, opened, resolved.
- Show results and scale with numbers you can support: number of clients, accounts, outlets, reports, team size, targets met.
- Do not write in the first person. 'I prepared the monthly report' becomes 'Prepared the monthly sales report for 4 regional managers'.
- If an employer posted the job as 'a reputed company', you still name your actual employer on your CV.
How to show education the Bangladeshi way
Bangladeshi employers usually want to see your full academic record, including SSC and HSC (or O and A levels), because many job ads set minimum results. Keep it compact: one line per qualification.
Write the degree, subject, institution, year of passing and result. Show CGPA out of 4.00 and SSC or HSC GPA out of 5.00, so the reader does not have to guess the scale. If your final result is pending, write 'Result expected Dec 2026' rather than leaving it blank. Put your highest qualification first.
BBA in Finance, University of Example, Dhaka | 2024 | CGPA 3.41 out of 4.00
HSC, Business Studies, Dhaka Board, Example College | 2019 | GPA 5.00 out of 5.00
SSC, Business Studies, Dhaka Board, Example High School | 2017 | GPA 4.89 out of 5.00
Length, file type and design
- Freshers: 1 page is ideal. 2 pages only if you have strong projects or internships.
- 1 to 5 years' experience: 1 to 2 pages. More than 2 pages is rarely needed at this stage.
- Our check flags a CV under about 200 words as too thin, and over about 800 words (or about 1,100 words with 3 or more years' experience) as worth trimming.
- Use one column, standard headings and a common font. Colour in headings is fine; skill bars and icons are not useful.
- Send a text-based PDF unless the ad asks for Word. Name the file with your name and the role.
Photo: include it or not?
A photo is still common on Bangladeshi CVs, and many local employers expect one. Bdjobs profiles also include a photo. If you include it, use a recent, clear photo with a plain background and formal clothes, cropped from the shoulders up. No selfies, group photos or filters.
For multinational roles and jobs abroad, it is increasingly normal to leave the photo out. When in doubt, follow the job ad or the organisation's own application instructions.
Government circulars, NGO forms and Bangla CVs
Government job circulars usually prescribe their own application form, often submitted online through Teletalk. In that case, follow the circular exactly, including any personal details it asks for. The advice in this guide applies to private-sector CVs, not to official forms.
Some NGOs and development organisations use their own application forms or ask for a cover letter with your CV. Read the instructions carefully. If a job asks for a CV in Bangla, keep the same order and translate the headings; the principles are the same.
A complete sample layout
NUSRAT JAHAN
Mirpur, Dhaka | +880 1812 345678 | nusrat.jahan@email.com | linkedin.com/in/nusrat-jahan-example
SUMMARY
HR Executive with 3 years in recruitment and onboarding at a 600-person manufacturer. Ran end-to-end hiring for entry and mid-level roles and kept HR records on an HRIS. MBA in HRM.
KEY SKILLS
Recruitment and screening | Onboarding | HRIS data entry | Bangladesh Labour Act basics | MS Excel | Interview coordination
EXPERIENCE
HR Executive, Example Apparels Ltd, Gazipur | Jan 2023 to Present
- Coordinated hiring for about 40 roles a year, from job posting to offer letter
- Cut average time to fill entry-level roles from about 6 weeks to 4 by keeping a shortlist of past applicants
- Ran onboarding sessions for new joiners every month
EDUCATION
MBA in HRM, University of Example | 2022 | CGPA 3.52 out of 4.00
BBA in Management, University of Example | 2020 | CGPA 3.38 out of 4.00
HSC, Dhaka Board | 2015 | GPA 5.00 out of 5.00 SSC, Dhaka Board | 2013 | GPA 5.00 out of 5.00
TRAINING
Certificate in HR Management, Example Institute | 2023
LANGUAGES
Bangla (native), English (professional)
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