Housing Officer CV example

This guide walks through the key elements of writing a CV which is strong and tailored to the role. From laying out your contact details to writing about your experience handling tenants, arrears, and anti-social behaviour cases, each section is designed to help you shine.

This guide will help you position your skills and experience for the next step in your housing career.

When you’re dealing with tenants, paperwork, and safeguarding concerns, organisation is key – and your CV structure should reflect that same clarity and structure. A well-presented CV helps recruiters find what they need quickly and shows you’re serious about the role. Even the most qualified candidates will be overlooked if they make the mistake of a messy application.

Here’s the layout to follow:

• Name and contact details – Place your name and personal details prominently at the top of your CV for quick access. Adding a photo is up to you.
• Profile – Open with a compelling overview of your skills, experience, and career goals.
• Core skills – List your key abilities in this section, focusing on those that will be most relevant to the job.
• Work experience – Provide a detailed breakdown of your work history, starting with the most recent job first.
• Education – List your qualifications, including degrees and relevant certifications, in reverse chronological order.
• Additional info – Use this optional space for relevant hobbies or personal pursuits that enhance your application.
  

Use bullet points to break down information, keep section headings clearly defined, and stick to a clean, professional font. Keep it under two pages in length – and make sure the format reflects the same attention to detail you’d use when preparing tenancy agreements or case notes. Following these tips will ensure your CV is an easy read for busy recruiters.

Your CV profile is a quick paragraph that introduces your experience and strengths. Whatever your focus, this is your opportunity to show how you bring value to tenants and the organisation.

Avoid vague claims – it’s essential that you convey the genuine value you’ll bring to the role, and how you’re going to benefit whichever employer takes you on board.

Include the following:

• Where you worked – Mention whether you’ve worked for a local council, housing association, charity, or private provider
• Your top qualifications – Include any relevant housing certifications, safeguarding training, or tenancy law courses
• Essential skills – Case management, rent arrears recovery, conflict resolution, and property inspections
• Caseload or areas covered – Let recruiters know the type of tenants or regions you’ve worked with (e.g. general needs, vulnerable clients, ASB)
• Your strengths – Highlight your balance of empathy, enforcement, and communication
  

This section is your quick-scan highlight reel – a short list of CV skills showing you’ve got the right mix of technical knowledge and soft skills.

Tailor it to reflect the focus of the job. Some roles lean toward rent collection, others toward safeguarding or community development – make sure the skills you highlight match the employer’s priorities. Keep the focus on specific, relevant capabilities – not general personality traits which recruiters don’t prioritise.

This is where you show how you’ve put your housing knowledge and people skills to use. Whether it’s managing tenancies or resolving neighbour disputes, your experience section should demonstrate how you handle real-world housing challenges.

List your experience in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job first. Use bullet points to break down your key responsibilities and your most impactful achievements.

Even if your work experience comes from a related field – like support work, admin, or social care – highlight the crossover skills.

• Outline – Briefly describe the organisation and the area of housing you worked in. Mention who you reported to, and the type of tenancies, residents, or caseloads you managed.
• Responsibilities – Detail your main tasks using action words like “managed” and “responded.” For example: “managed rent arrears processes in line with policy” or “responded to anti-social behaviour complaints, liaising with police and mediation teams.” Make sure to highlight software used or procedures followed.
• Achievements – Show where you made a difference: reducing arrears, improving tenant satisfaction, closing long-standing ASB cases, or meeting audit targets. Use figures or tangible outcomes where possible.

This section includes your academic background and any qualifications relevant to housing or public sector work. You don’t need to go into great detail on your education unless you’re early in your career – just list the essentials.

If you’ve completed short courses in housing law, safeguarding, or conflict management, include them here or under Additional info. Always list in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent education.