How to Write a CV for a Government Job in Pakistan: Format, Sections and Mistakes
Your CV is often the first (and sometimes the only) thing a selection committee sees. A government job CV is different from a CV for a private company: it should be factual, complete and easy to check against the advertisement. This guide shows what to include, how to arrange it and what to avoid.
Keep it to one or two pages
For a fresh graduate, one page is enough. For someone with more than five years of experience, two pages are acceptable. Use a plain font (Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman) at size 11 or 12 and equal margins.
Sections to include, in this order
- Personal details: full name, father's name (as on your CNIC), date of birth, CNIC number, domicile district, phone number and a professional email address. Add a recent passport-size photograph if the advertisement asks for it.
- Career objective (optional): two lines saying the post you want and your main skill.
- Education: start with the latest degree. Give the degree name, institution or board, year of passing, and marks or CGPA.
- Experience: job title, organisation, dates (month and year), and 2 to 3 bullet points of what you actually did. If you are a fresher, write internships or projects here.
- Skills: computer skills (MS Office, typing speed), languages, and any certificates.
- Achievements and training: positions, awards, workshops.
- References: two people who know your work, with phone numbers, or "available on request".
Match the advertisement
Read the advertisement carefully. If it asks for "2 years' experience in accounts", make sure your CV shows that experience clearly, with dates. Use the same words as the advertisement for the qualification and the skills, so the reviewer can tick each requirement quickly.
Write results, not only duties
| Weak | Better |
|---|---|
| Responsible for typing documents. | Typed and filed about 40 office documents daily with very few corrections. |
| Worked in school. | Taught Mathematics to classes 6 to 8 and improved the pass rate of the section. |
Use numbers only when they are true and you can explain them in the interview.
Common mistakes
- Spelling mistakes in your own name or in institution names.
- Different dates or marks on the CV and on the certificates. The committee will compare them.
- A casual email address such as cool_boy123. Use a name-based address.
- Adding skills you do not have. The interview or a practical test will expose them.
- Leaving unexplained gaps. Add one line to explain study, preparation or care responsibilities.
- Sending a CV as a phone photo. Use a clear PDF or a printout.
Final check
Ask a friend to read it, and then compare it with every document you will attach. On Jobs Bazaar you can download simple and professional Word CV templates, change the details and print them in minutes.