Should a CV be in third person?

This contentious topic came up in discussion during a recent Contractor UK forum and was the subject on lengthy debate. There isn’t a consensus on this particular question and Matt Craven from The CV & Interview Advisors shares his thoughts on this divisive topic.

Should a CV be written in first or third person?

Before we begin, we should clearly define what we mean by first and third person writing. There’s also the second-person style, which will also be covered here. We'll be using 'first person' as interchangeable with FP.

What is the first person approach?

First person refers to when you talk about yourself as you. This form uses pronouns such as ‘I’, ‘me’, and ‘my’.

What is the second person?

Second-person addresses the reader directly and engages pronouns such as ‘you’, ‘yours’, and ‘yourselves’

What is the third person?

Third person, or 3rd person, writes from another person’s perspective i.e., when you refer to yourself as if you’re talking about someone else. Examples of third-person pronouns are ‘he’, ‘she’, ‘it’ or ‘they’.  

So, which of these styles is correct for a CV?

None of them are correct!  A CV should be written using ‘implied FP’.

If you were on the FP side of the argument, you are closer to victory, because implied first person is a form of FP writing, but with a fundamental difference – pronouns do not feature at all.  

Job seekers often mistakenly call this the third person due to a misconception that there are only two options and if it’s not first person using ‘I’ and ‘my’, it must therefore be third person. 

Why should a CV be written in implied FP?

The reason a CV should be written in some form of FP style is because you are writing about yourself, but by leaving out pronouns i.e., using the implied FP style, your CV will less feature repetition of ‘me’, ‘I’, or ‘my’ and create a more professional impression.

It will also be more concise and easier for recruiters to read.

Using true FP may make the CV more personal and some job seekers may decide to use a style of CV writing they feel is more direct. In some countries writing in third person is not accepted best-practice, so FP should be used. Finland is a good example.

However, many recruiters frown upon the use of first person pronouns and it’s also a less accepted practice as you climb the career ladder into senior roles. Also, if poorly executed, CV writing using FP can sometimes come across as a little demented!

“Can you give me an example of implied FP so I can write my CV?” 

If you are a financial controller and use the implied FP approach and leave out the ‘I’, instead of writing:

“I coordinated the analysis and reporting of financial data showing company performance against KPIs”

You simply write:

“Coordinated analysis and reporting of financial data showing company performance against KPIs”.

The statement is still written in the past tense to refer to something you did in a previous role and is more succinct, but it’s important to maintain the same style throughout to maintain consistency and professionalism. 

Quick fire advice for great CV writing

Always use the correct tense - use past tense if you're writing about responsibilities or achievements related to your previous roles, e.g., "managed a team of 20 specialist technicians and customer service professionals” and present tense if you're referring to your current role.

Present your value proposition using impactful language to leave a powerful, positive impression on recruiters. This is among the first thing recruiters and hiring managers will see, so include qualitative statements aligned with the qualities they are looking for.

Write a concise personal statement and direct it at recruiters - your CV should be about the benefit you can offer to an organisation and why you’re a good fit for the role. Remember, your CV is about you, it’s not for you – try to remain objective when selecting the right words.

Job seekers on LinkedIn

Unlike your CV, your LinkedIn profile reads much better when it's been written in the FP style. Although a professional networking site, LinkedIn is a social media platform and so a slightly different approach is perfectly acceptable.

One-page executive biographies can garner a more personal feel by gently using the odd ‘I’ and ‘my’ here and there. 

Avoid badly written implied FP content

Writing in the implied first person can be tricky if you are not used to it, especially when you are also striving to write in active voice using tight writing (these are more technical CV writing terms).

Personally, I would rather see a well written first-person CV than a badly written implied first-person attempt. 

Whatever you decide, make sure your CV represents your personal brand and provides evidence that you can deliver true business benefits for your clients.  

Strong personal branding is fundamental to successfully selling yourself and developing your contractor business in the same way that companies develop brand equity and create an identity.  

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