By Chanuka Jeewantha · Published · Updated
Key facts
- Length
- 1 page for students and freshers, 2 pages for most professionals, 3 only for senior specialists
- Paper size and font
- A4, a standard font such as Calibri or Arial at 10 to 12 pt
- Photo
- Optional for Sri Lankan private sector roles; leave it out unless requested
- Personal details
- Name, phone, email, city and LinkedIn. NIC, date of birth and civil status only if asked
- Referees
- Two non-related referees with designation, organisation, phone and email
- File type
- PDF named Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf, unless the employer asks for Word
The standard CV structure in Sri Lanka
Recruiters in Colombo and across the country read hundreds of CVs for popular roles, and most now use an applicant tracking system (ATS) or at least a shared inbox with a keyword search. A predictable order lets both the software and the person find what they need in seconds. Use these sections, in this order:
| Section | What to include | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Full name, mobile number, professional email, city, LinkedIn URL | Your name is the title. Do not write "Curriculum Vitae" at the top. |
| Professional summary | 3 to 4 lines: who you are, years of experience, the role you want, one proof point | Replace the old "Career Objective". Recruiters skip generic objectives. |
| Work experience | Job title, company, location, dates, then 3 to 6 achievement bullets per role | Lead with numbers: targets met, cost saved, customers handled, systems delivered. |
| Education | Degree, university, year, class (for example Second Class Upper) | Freshers put education first. Experienced candidates put it after work experience. |
| Professional qualifications | CIMA, ACCA, CA Sri Lanka, IBSL, CIM, SLIIT or NIBM diplomas, vendor certifications | Show the level reached and the year, not every exam paper. |
| Skills and languages | Role-specific skills, software, and English, Sinhala and Tamil proficiency | Name real tools (SAP, Excel, Python, Figma) instead of "computer literate". |
| Referees | Two non-related referees: name, designation, organisation, phone, email | Ask permission first. A former manager is stronger than a family friend. |
Photo, NIC and personal details: what to include
Many Sri Lankan CVs still open with half a page of personal details: NIC number, date of birth, gender, civil status, religion, nationality and a home address. Private sector and multinational recruiters do not need most of this to shortlist you, and some of it invites bias. It also pushes your experience down the page, where it is read less carefully.
Keep your header to name, phone, email, city and LinkedIn. Add NIC, date of birth or civil status only when the advertisement or application form asks for them, which is common for government posts and some banks. A photo is optional for Sri Lankan employers; if you add one, use a clear, professional headshot, never a cropped group or event photo. For UK, Canadian, US and Australian applications, never add a photo.
CV format for students, school leavers and fresh graduates
If you have little or no work experience, the format changes: education and projects move to the top, and the CV fits on one page. Employers hiring trainees and interns are judging potential, so show evidence of it.
- Education first: degree or diploma with expected completion date, then G.C.E. Advanced Level (stream, year and results). Add Ordinary Level as one summary line only if you have no degree yet.
- Projects: your final year project, group assignments or personal projects, with what you built and the result.
- Internships, part-time work and volunteering count as real experience. Write them with achievement bullets like any job.
- Leadership: society, sports, scouting or Rotaract roles show responsibility. Give the role and one thing you achieved in it.
- Skills: software and languages you can actually use in an interview, not a long list of soft skills.
- No declaration line ("I hereby certify that the above particulars are true") unless a form requires it.
How the format changes by sector
| Sector | What employers look for first | Format notes |
|---|---|---|
| Private sector and multinationals | Achievements with numbers, relevant keywords, clear job titles | ATS-friendly, single column, 2 pages. Tailor the summary to each role. |
| Banking and finance | Professional qualifications (CIMA, ACCA, CA, IBSL), accuracy, compliance exposure | Put qualifications near the top. Exact figures, no exaggeration. |
| IT and software | Tech stack, projects, GitHub or portfolio links, delivery results | A skills section grouped by category. Link projects, do not paste screenshots. |
| Apparel, manufacturing and BOI companies | Production, quality, efficiency and safety results | Name the systems and standards you worked with (for example lean, ISO). |
| Hotels and tourism | Guest experience, languages, properties and outlets worked in | Mention property star rating and scale. Languages matter here. |
| Government and semi-government | Exact eligibility: qualifications, age limits, service period | Use the application form published with the Gazette notice. See below. |
CV format for government jobs in Sri Lanka
Government and most semi-government vacancies are advertised in the Government Gazette or in newspapers with a prescribed application format. That format is not optional: applications that change the order of the fields, leave fields blank or arrive after the closing date can be rejected without being read.
Copy the format exactly, in the language you are applying in, and attach certified copies of certificates only when the notice asks for them. A separate CV is only useful when the notice requests one, or for interviews where you are asked to describe your experience. Your achievements still matter: write them clearly in the experience fields of the form.
CV, resume or bio data: what is the difference?
In Sri Lanka the words CV and resume are used for the same document: a summary of your education, experience and skills for a job application. Strictly, a resume is the shorter one or two page version used in the United States and Canada, while CV is the term used in Sri Lanka, the UK, the Gulf and most of Asia.
A bio data is different. It is a personal details sheet (name, date of birth, family, religion, address) used for some forms and, in Sri Lanka, often for marriage proposals. Do not send a bio data format for a job. Employers want evidence of what you can do, which only a CV gives them.
Common CV mistakes Sri Lankan recruiters see every day
- "Curriculum Vitae" as the title instead of your name.
- A generic career objective that could belong to anyone.
- Duties copied from a job description instead of results you achieved.
- Two-column Canva or Word templates with icons, skill bars and text boxes that ATS cannot read.
- An unprofessional email address. Create one with your name for job applications.
- Listing every O/L subject when you already have a degree and work experience.
- Four or five pages for a candidate with under ten years of experience.
- Spelling and grammar errors. Ask someone with strong English to read it, or use a professional.
How to write your CV, step by step
- 1
Choose the target role
Pick the role and read two or three real adverts for it on TopJobs, LinkedIn or company career pages. Note the words they repeat.
- 2
Write the header
Full name as the title, then mobile, professional email, city and LinkedIn URL on one or two lines.
- 3
Write a professional summary
Three to four lines: your title, years of experience, strongest result and the role you are applying for.
- 4
List experience with achievements
Most recent job first. Under each, three to six bullets that start with an action verb and include a number where possible.
- 5
Add education and qualifications
Degree, institution and year, then professional qualifications with the level reached. A/L results only if you are early in your career.
- 6
Add skills and languages
Group skills by type and state your English, Sinhala and Tamil level honestly.
- 7
Add referees, proofread and save as PDF
Two non-related referees, a careful proofread, then save as Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf.
The short version
- One page for freshers, two for most professionals, A4, plain single-column layout.
- Name and contact details only in the header. NIC, birthday, religion and civil status only when asked.
- Summary, experience with numbers, education, qualifications, skills, two referees.
- Government jobs: follow the Gazette application format exactly.
- Send a PDF named with your name, unless Word is requested.
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Order your CVOfficial sources
Orientation only, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change: always check the official source.