9 UK CV Writing Tips for Job Seekers (with Free Templates) | Novoresume
9 UK CV Writing Tips for Job Seekers (with Free Templates)
Updated on 10/24/2025
Are you applying for jobs in the UK but getting no responses, despite being qualified for the roles? Your CV format may be incorrect for UK standards, missing essential keywords, or failing to meet local professional criteria.
Generic CVs get automatically rejected by applicant tracking systems, while poorly formatted applications never make it past the initial screening, regardless of your experience level.
But every day you wait means more missed opportunities to land your dream job in the UK.
To stand out, you need a CV tailored specifically for the UK job market—both in format and content. These UK CV writing tips will guide you through writing a CV that impresses UK employers and breezes through their screening systems.
Here’s what we’re going to cover:
What Is a CV in the UK?
9 Top UK CV Writing Tips
7 Most Common CV Mistakes to Avoid
…and more.
Let’s dive in!
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What Is a CV in the UK?
In the United Kingdom, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) is the same as "resume." It's your primary job application document that showcases your contact information, work experience, education, skills, and achievements to potential employers.
Unlike academic CVs used for research positions, a UK job application CV should typically be two pages long. It serves as your first impression with hiring managers and usually determines whether you'll get called for an interview.
CV vs. Resume - What’s the Difference?
While Americans use "resume," Brits use "CV" for the same document. However, there are some slight differences in writing and formatting.
If you're used to writing American-style resumes, you'll need to adjust your approach for UK employers. British CVs include more personal information and educational background than their US counterparts.
Additionally, be mindful of using the correct spelling based on your target location — UK CVs typically follow British English (organisation, labour, programme), while US resumes use American English (organization, labor, program). This will show you’ve done your homework about the country’s hiring standards before applying.
Also, keep in mind that the term "resume" might confuse UK recruiters, so always call it a "CV" when applying for jobs in Britain.
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Pro Tip
Are you writing your first CV? Read our CV formatting guide for detailed instructions!
9 Top UK CV Writing Tips
Creating a standout CV for the UK job market requires understanding what British employers expect.
Reverse-chronological format. Lists work experience, starting with your most recent job, and is best for steady career progression.
Functional format. Focuses on skills rather than work history, ideal if you’re changing careers or have an employment gap.
Combined format. Blends skills section with chronological experience, good for senior professionals.
In 99% of cases, UK employers favor the reverse-chronological approach, since it effectively highlights your most recent position and achievements. Unless you have specific reasons to use another format, stick with this tried-and-tested option.
#2. Fix the Layout
UK recruiters spend aboutsix seconds scanning each CV, so clarity and readability are crucial. Your layout is the first impression you make, even before a hiring manager reads a single word. If your CV looks disorganised or difficult to navigate, it may be dismissed in seconds.
But if it's clean, well-structured, and easy to skim, you're far more likely to grab (and keep) their attention.
Unless you're agraphic designer or an artist, you don't have to create an artistic document — your goal is to present your information clearly and professionally.
Choose a professional font. Stick with clean, modern fonts. Thefavorite font options in the UK are Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman, and Georgia.
Set appropriate margins. Use 1-inch margins on all sides to ensure your CV doesn’t look overcrowded or poorly spaced.
Keep line spacing readable. A spacing of 1.0 between lines and around 1.15 between sections helps keep the content easy on the eyes.
Use bullet points wisely. Large text blocks are hard to scan — break up information with bullet points, especially in the work experience section.
Stick to subtle design elements. Limit your use of colours to one or two professional accents (like dark blue or grey). Let your content shine without distracting visuals.
Use A4 page size. In the UK, A4 (210 × 297 mm) is the golden standard.
Or Use a Free Template Instead
Creating the perfect CV layout from scratch takes time and effort.
From adjusting margins and line spacing to picking the right fonts and keeping everything neat, it’s easy to get overwhelmed, especially if design isn’t your thing.
So why not make it easier?
With ourfree CV templates, you can skip the unnecessary hassle and focus on what matters most: your content.
Each template is created in collaboration with professional designers and recruiters to ensure it’s aligned with UK hiring standards, visually appealing without being over-the-top, and designed topass applicant tracking systems with ease.
See the difference for yourself – our templates don’t just look better than a plain Word doc; they work better, too:
#3. Create a Strong Personal Statement
Your personal statement, located at the top of your CV, is your chance to grab the hiring managers’ attention. This 3-4 sentence summary can make or break your application before recruiters even look at your experience.
Think of it as your elevator pitch – you need to hook the hiring manager immediately and convince them your resume is worth reading in detail.
A brief overview of your experience level and industry expertise.
Key achievements that demonstrate your value.
One or two relevant skills that match the job requirements.
Your career goals or what you're seeking next.
Let's take a look at a well-written pitch:
Strong example:
"Marketing professional with 5+ years driving digital campaigns for tech startups. Increased lead generation by 150% through targeted social media strategies. Skilled in Google Analytics, PPC advertising, and content creation. Seeking to leverage data-driven marketing expertise in a senior role."
"Hardworking individual looking for opportunities in marketing. Good communication skills and a team player. Available immediately."
The difference is clear – one shows concrete results while the other uses generic buzzwords that say nothing about your actual capabilities.
#4. Use Keywords to Tailor Each CV to the Job
Sending the same generic CV to apply for every position is a certain way to get overlooked before you even reach a recruiter. UK companies use applicant tracking systems that scan for specific keywords before human eyes ever see your application.
If you don’t tailor your CV according to the position’s requirements, it will get automatically rejected, no matter how qualified you are.
Study the job description carefully and highlight repeated terms.
Note specific skills, qualifications, and software mentioned.
Look for industry jargon and technical terminology.
Pay attention to required certifications or experience levels.
The key is matching their language exactly. If they mention "project management," don't write "managing projects" – use their exact phrasing.
AI tools like ChatGPT can be invaluable whentailoring your CV. Simply paste the job description into the prompt, and it will highlight the most important keywords. Additionally, you can upload your CV, and it will suggest how to effectively incorporate those keywords.
#5. Focus on Achievements Instead of Responsibilities
Your work experience won’t shine if you only list the responsibilities you had in your previous roles. UK employers want to see the impact you made and the results you delivered in previous roles.
If your role allowed it, focus on specific achievements — ideally backed by numbers, timeframe, and clear results.
That said, not every job offers measurable accomplishments, and that’s completely fine. If you worked in a more task-based role — like retail, hospitality, or customer service — it’s okay to list key responsibilities, as long as they show you were reliable, proactive, and good at what you did.
The Laszlo Bock formula is a brilliant way to structure your achievements: "Accomplished [X] as measured by [Y] by doing [Z]."
This approach makes you think about what you achieved, how you measured success, and the specific actions you took to get there.
Here's how you might use this formula in an executive CV:
Work Achievement
"Accomplished a company turnaround as measured by 40% profit increase and £5M cost reduction by restructuring operations, negotiating supplier contracts, and implementing lean management practices across three departments."
#6. Include Relevant Skills
The skills section is one of the most important parts of your CV. But how you present them depends on the format.
Unlike US resumes, where skills are often listed in a separate section, UK CVs tend to integrate skills throughout other sections. This gives your CV a more natural flow and shows how you’ve applied your skills in real-world settings.
For example, instead of writing "Teamwork" in a list, you might weave it into your personal statement:
Personal statement example:
“A proactive marketing executive with strong teamwork and project management skills, proven through leading cross-functional campaigns that increased engagement by 40%.”
Or you can show it off in your work experience section:
Work experience example:
“Collaborated closely with a team of three to deliver a client rebranding project on time and under budget, demonstrating strong teamwork, leadership, and time management.”
However, in moretechnical roles (like IT, data analysis, or engineering), it’s completely acceptable — and often helpful — to include a brief Skills section that highlights key hard skills (e.g., Python, Excel, Adobe Suite) for easy scanning and ATS optimization.
Just make sure the skills you include are directly relevant to the job you’re applying for. A long list of irrelevant skills won’t help – on the contrary, it may hurt your chances.
Not sure which skills to include? Here's how to choose:
Match skills from the job description.
Include industry-standard tools and software.
Add skills that set you apart from other candidates.
Focus on skills you can demonstrate and prove.
#7. List Your Education and Qualifications
UK employers expect to see a detailed educational background that goes beyond just university degrees. British employers value specific qualifications that might seem excessive to international candidates.
Unlike other countries where you only list higher education, UK CVs should include your secondary school achievements and relevant certifications.
Your education section should paint a complete picture of your academic journey and professional development. Here's exactly what British employers want to see:
University degrees. Include degree type, subject, university name, graduation year, and classification (if 2:1 or above).
A-levels. List subjects and grades, especially if relevant to the role.
GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Include English, Maths, and other relevant subjects with grades.
Professional qualifications. Industry certifications, chartered status, or vocational training.
Additional training. Recent courses, workshops, or online certifications.
If you're a recent graduate with limited work experience, place your education section before your work experience. If you’re a seasoned professional, place it after your work experience.
However, don't include primary school or irrelevant qualifications that don't add value to your application.
#8. Get Feedback Before Submitting
Your brain automatically fills in gaps and overlooks errors when you're too familiar with your own content.
On the other hand, fresh eyes can spot mistakes and improvement opportunities that you'll miss after staring at your CV for hours. Getting feedback from others is one of the most valuable steps in the CV writing process.
Ask industry professionals, career advisors, trusted colleagues, or even friends and family to review your CV. Each perspective brings something different - professionals understand what employers want, while others can catch basic spelling errors you've missed.
Focus on specific feedback rather than just asking "What do you think?" Ask about clarity, relevance, and overall impression to get actionable insights.
When you're done, you can save your CV as either Word or PDF. However, we suggest going with a Word document for the UK job market. Most British companies use Microsoft Office, and recruiters often need to edit or add notes to CVs during the hiring process.
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Pro Tip
Have you finalized your CV? Make sure to go through these 11 essential tips before sending it to your next potential employer!
Bonus Tip: Review Your CV with ChatGPT
Artificial intelligence can serve as your CV reviewer, available 24/7 to provide instant feedback on your application. ChatGPT offers an unbiased perspective that catches issues you might overlook.
This tool is particularly useful for identifying gaps between your CV and specific job requirements.
Simply upload your CV and the job description you're targeting. Then ask ChatGPT to analyze how well your application matches the role and suggest specific improvements.
"Please review my CV against this job description and rate how well I match the requirements on a scale of 1-10."
"Identify any missing keywords from the job posting that I should include in my CV."
"Suggest improvements to my professional profile to better match this role."
"Check my CV for spelling, grammar, and formatting issues."
"Rewrite my achievement bullet points to be more impactful and quantified."
"Does my CV follow UK formatting standards and conventions?"
"What skills should I emphasize more based on this job description?"
7 Most Common CV Mistakes to Avoid
Even experienced professionals make basic CV errors that cost them interview opportunities. However, you can easily prevent these mistakes once you know what to watch for.
Avoiding these common pitfalls will instantly improve your CV's effectiveness and help you stand out from other candidates who make these same errors:
Using a generic CV for every application. Failing to tailor your CV to each specific job description and company.
Including irrelevant personal information. Adding details like age, marital status, or hobbies that don't relate to the role.
Writing responsibilities instead of achievements. Listing job duties rather than quantified accomplishments and results.
Poor formatting and inconsistent styling. Mixing fonts, inconsistent spacing, or cluttered layouts that are hard to read.
Spelling and grammar errors. Typos, incorrect punctuation, or grammatical mistakes that suggest carelessness.
Including outdated or irrelevant experience. Listing every job you've ever had instead of focusing on relevant, recent positions.
Weak or missing professional profile. Having no summary at the top or writing a bland, generic opening statement.
