CVs in Sri Lanka have changed. Many people still use a format handed down from school or a cyber café, with a photo, NIC number, religion and a long "objective" at the top. Employers in Colombo's banks, IT companies, apparel groups and multinationals increasingly expect something shorter and more focused. This guide sets out a modern Sri Lankan CV format that works for local employers, and is easy to adapt if you later apply abroad.
What Sri Lankan employers expect
- Two pages. One page is fine for school leavers. Very few people need three.
- English for most private-sector and multinational roles. Some government and local roles accept Sinhala or Tamil, so follow the advert.
- Results, not duties. What you improved, achieved or delivered, with numbers where you can.
- Clean formatting that's easy to read on a phone, since many recruiters open CVs from email.
Personal details: what to include
| Detail | Include? | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Yes | As the heading of your CV. You don't need to write "Curriculum Vitae". |
| Phone number | Yes | With +94 if you might apply abroad, and say if it's on WhatsApp. |
| Email address | Yes | A professional address, ideally your name. |
| Town or city | Yes | For example "Colombo 05" or "Kandy". Your full home address isn't needed. |
| LinkedIn profile | Yes, if it's up to date | Many recruiters check it. |
| Photo | Optional | Still common locally. Leave it off for multinationals and jobs abroad unless asked. |
| Date of birth, gender, marital status | Only if the advert asks | Many employers no longer need them at application stage. |
| Religion, nationality, parents' names | No | They aren't relevant to your ability to do the job. |
| NIC or passport number | No | Give these after an offer, never on a CV you email around. |
The sections, in order
- Name and contact details.
- Professional profile: three or four lines on who you are, your key experience and the role you want. This replaces the old "objective".
- Work experience, most recent first: job title, company, dates, a line on what the company does if it isn't well known, then three to six achievements.
- Education, most recent first: degree, university, class and year, then A/Ls if relevant.
- Professional qualifications: for example CIMA, ACCA, CIM, BCS or vendor IT certifications, with the level reached.
- Skills and languages: software, technical skills and your level in English, Sinhala and Tamil.
- Extra-curricular activities and achievements, if they're recent and relevant.
- Referees.
School leavers and fresh graduates should put education before work experience.
O/L, A/L and degree results
- School leavers: include your A/L stream, subjects and grades, and a one-line O/L summary such as "G.C.E. O/L: 9 passes, including A grades in Mathematics and English".
- Fresh graduates: lead with your degree, class or GPA, and your final-year project. Keep A/Ls to one line. O/Ls can usually go.
- Experienced professionals: degree and professional qualifications only. Your work achievements matter far more than school results.
Referees
Sri Lankan employers commonly ask for two non-related referees, often a current or former manager and a lecturer or senior professional who knows your work. If you have space, list their name, job title, organisation, phone and email at the end of your CV. Always ask their permission first. If you're short of space, "Referees available on request" is acceptable, but have the details ready.
Sending your CV by email
Many Sri Lankan companies still recruit by email. Make that first impression count:
- Send a PDF, named clearly: Nimal-Perera-CV.pdf, not CV final new (2).pdf.
- Use the job title and any reference number in the subject line.
- Write a short, polite email of three or four lines. Don't send a blank email with an attachment.
- Check your email address and phone number for typos before you send.
Free CV template
We've made a simple, ATS-friendly CV template in Microsoft Word that follows this format. It's free to download and edit, and it works for local and international applications.
Download the free CV template (Word)
Checklist
- Two pages or fewer, with your name as the heading
- No NIC number, religion or parents' names
- A short profile instead of an objective
- Achievements with numbers for each recent role
- Degree and qualifications clear, school results only if relevant
- Two non-related referees, with their permission
- Saved as a clearly named PDF
Want a CV that stands out in Sri Lanka?
Our CV writers know what Sri Lankan and overseas employers expect. Prices in rupees.
Get Started