Most Pakistani CVs get about ten seconds of attention before an HR officer decides "call" or "skip". A clean, familiar format is what earns you the next minute.
Quick answer: the standard CV format for job in Pakistan is: name and contact details, a short profile, work experience (newest first), an education table with board or university, year and marks, skills, languages, then personal information (father's name, date of birth, CNIC and domicile where needed). Keep it to one or two pages, add a passport-size photo for local and government jobs, and save it as a PDF.
The CV format, section by section
Here is the order that works for almost every job in Pakistan, from a bank in Karachi to a school in Multan. You can build it in this exact order in the ChatWrapper CV maker, which follows the Pakistani format by default.
1. Name, photo and contact details
Your full name in large letters at the top. Under it: one mobile number you actually answer (WhatsApp number is fine), a professional email (ayesha.khan@... not cutegirl99@...), and your city. A LinkedIn link helps for private jobs. You do not need your full house address.
2. Profile or objective (2–3 lines)
Skip the old "To work in a challenging environment" line. Every recruiter has seen it a thousand times. Write who you are, what you are good at and what you want, in plain words.
3. Work experience
Newest job first. For each job write the job title, company, city and dates (month and year), then 3–5 bullet points. Start each bullet with an action word and add a number where you can: "Handled 40+ customer calls a day", "Trained 6 new staff".
4. Education
In Pakistan, recruiters still like the education table. Use columns for degree, board or university, year and marks or CGPA. List the highest degree first. Matric and intermediate go at the bottom with the BISE board name (for example, BISE Lahore).
5. Skills and languages
Real skills, not filler. "MS Excel (VLOOKUP, pivot tables)" is better than "Computer literate". For languages, English, Urdu and your regional language (Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Saraiki) are all worth listing.
6. Personal information
This part is very Pakistani and still common: father's name, date of birth, marital status, CNIC and domicile. Put it at the end, not the top. Your skills and experience should be the first thing anyone reads.
7. References
"References available on request" is enough. Have two names ready (a former manager and a teacher) and ask them before you share their numbers.
Government job CV vs private job CV
The same person often needs two versions. A government job CV for FPSC, PPSC, NTS or a department post is formal and complete. A private job CV for Rozee.pk or LinkedIn is shorter and focused on results.
| Part | Government job CV | Private job CV |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | Yes, passport size | Usually yes in Pakistan, no for multinationals |
| Father's name, CNIC, domicile | Yes, often required | Optional, usually leave CNIC off |
| Education | Full table with marks for every exam | Highest degrees, marks if they are good |
| Experience | Exact dates, designations, grade or BPS if any | Results and numbers in bullet points |
| Tone | Formal and complete | Short and to the point |
| Length | Two pages is fine | One to two pages |
For government posts, always check the advertisement. Many ask you to apply on their own form and attach a CV, attested copies of degrees, domicile and CNIC. Your CV must match those documents exactly: same spelling of your name, same dates, same marks. The Government CV design in the CV maker is laid out for this formal style.
Photo, CNIC and personal details: what to include
- Photo: a recent, plain-background, passport-size photo in decent clothes. No selfies, no sunglasses, no wedding pictures. In the CV maker the photo is always optional, so you can make one version with it and one without.
- CNIC: add it for government jobs and when a form asks. For private jobs you send widely, leave it out. ChatWrapper never stores your CNIC number; it is only used to make your file.
- Domicile: matters for government jobs because of provincial quotas. For private jobs it is optional.
- Religion and marital status: some forms ask, most private employers do not need them. Include only if asked.
- Date of birth: include it for government jobs (age limits apply). For private jobs it is your choice.
CV sample: a filled-in example
Here is a short CV sample for an example candidate. Use it as a pattern, then replace every line with your own details.
Hamza Ali
Sales Executive · Karachi · 0300-0000000 · hamza.ali@email.com
Profile: Sales executive with 3 years of experience in FMCG distribution across Karachi. Good at building shop-owner relationships and hitting monthly targets. Looking for a senior sales role with a growing brand.
Experience
Sales Executive, ABC Foods (Pvt) Ltd, Karachi · Jan 2023 – Present
- Manage 120+ retail outlets in Gulshan and Johar.
- Grew monthly sales in my area from Rs. 18 lakh to Rs. 26 lakh in 18 months.
- Opened 35 new shops in one year by following up on distributor leads.
Education (in the CV this sits in a table)
- BBA · University of Karachi · 2022 · 3.1 CGPA
- Intermediate (ICS) · BIEK Karachi · 2018 · 742 / 1100
- Matric (Science) · BSEK Karachi · 2016 · 812 / 1050
Skills: Route planning, MS Excel, negotiation, sales reporting
Languages: Urdu, English, Sindhi
Personal information: Father's name: Muhammad Ali · Date of birth: 14 March 2000 · Domicile: Karachi
Notice what is missing: no "Objective: to work in a challenging environment", no list of hobbies, no CNIC (it is a private job). Everything left earns its space.
Simple CV format for job: tips that make a difference
- One file, PDF. Word files shift around on other computers. A PDF looks the same everywhere. Name it properly: "Hamza-Ali-CV.pdf", not "cv final final 2.pdf".
- Match the job ad. If the ad says "MS Excel" and "field sales", those exact words should appear in your CV, if they are true.
- Same font, same dates. Pick one date style (Jan 2023) and use it everywhere.
- No spelling mistakes. Read it out loud once. Ask a friend to read it too.
- Keep two versions. One for government jobs with full personal details, one for private jobs. In the CV maker your details are saved on your phone as you type, so switching designs or making a second version takes seconds.
- Applying abroad or to a multinational? Use a one-page resume without the photo and personal details instead. The resume maker is built for that.
Make your CV in this format, on your phone
You don't need MS Word or a laptop. In the CV maker you type your details once, see a live preview as you type and switch between 8 designs (including Navy Sidebar, Simple Classic and Government CV) without retyping anything. The photo is optional and every design is free. Download it as a PDF to email or upload to Rozee.pk, or as a picture to send on WhatsApp. Want to browse first? See all the designs on the CV templates page.
