How to choose a CV format for the UK

By Sophie · Published 31 October 2026

1. Choose the right UK CV format and section order

Start with a reverse chronological CV. This means putting your current or most recent job first, then working backwards through earlier roles. Use the same principle for education. Recruiters can quickly see what you have done recently and how your experience has developed.

For many UK applications, aim for two pages. A school leaver or someone with limited work experience may have a strong one-page CV. An academic or highly specialist applicant may need more space for research, publications or technical work. Follow the advert if it specifies a length or asks for an application form instead.

The order below suits an applicant whose recent employment is relevant to the vacancy. Change the emphasis if education or training is your strongest evidence.

These are useful headings, not compulsory boxes. A brief skills section may help a career changer, while an experienced applicant can show many skills under each job. If you have recently left education, put education before employment and include relevant placements or volunteering.

Check the application instructions before rearranging anything. Some employers request a separate supporting statement or want evidence entered into an online form, so your CV may not be the only document they assess.

2. Add contact details and leave out unnecessary personal information

At the top of the first page, give your name, a phone number and an email address you check regularly. You can add a professional online profile or portfolio if it helps an employer assess your work. Check that any link opens and that its content agrees with your CV.

Your town or city is usually enough to indicate location. You do not normally need to put your full street address on a CV, particularly when uploading it to a public job site. If the role involves regular travel or relocation, explain your availability briefly in the application where it matters.

UK employers do not generally expect a photo, date of birth or marital status on a CV. These details do not explain how you would perform the role and can draw attention away from your evidence. A casting or modelling application may be different, so follow the relevant instructions for that kind of work.

You can mention a driving licence when driving is relevant to the job. An employer may ask separately about your right to work; follow its application process rather than adding identity documents to a CV by default.

A notice period is usually better discussed when requested. If an advert specifically asks when you can start, give an accurate answer in the requested place. Check your contract before stating your availability, and do not assume that an employer can release you earlier.

For official guidance on working in the UK and related checks, consult GOV.UK.

3. Write a short personal profile and select your skills

A personal profile sits beneath your contact details and gives the recruiter a reason to read the rest of the CV. Two to four sentences are often enough. State the kind of work you have done, name relevant tasks and, where useful, explain the role you are seeking.

Use the advert to decide which facts deserve space. If the employer needs someone to manage a busy inbox, mention your experience with enquiries and scheduling if you have genuinely done that work. Leave a claim out if you cannot explain it at interview.

For example, Amina is an invented applicant applying for an administrator role. Her profile could read:

Amina is an administrator with experience managing shared inboxes and arranging appointments. She has maintained accurate client records and is seeking an office role where she can support a busy team.

A skills section can follow the profile. Choose skills that are relevant to the vacancy and specific enough to be useful, such as calendar management or a named spreadsheet tool. If a qualification or software skill is essential, make it easy to find and give its level where that would help.

Do not rely on a skills list alone. A recruiter will look for evidence in your employment, education or volunteering section. For ideas on connecting an office skill to an actual task, see our guide to administrator skills for your CV.

If you are changing careers, draw on transferable work honestly. Handling customer complaints, for example, may be relevant to a role involving enquiries even if your previous job title was different.

4. Set out work experience in reverse chronological order

For each role, give your job title, employer, location if useful, and dates of employment. Put the most recent position first. Then add a short description or a few bullet points explaining work that relates to the job you want.

Give recent, relevant roles the most space. Older jobs can take fewer lines, especially when their responsibilities repeat what you have already shown. If you held several positions with the same employer, separate the job titles so that a recruiter can see how your responsibilities changed.

Write about actions and context rather than copying a job description. A useful point might say what you handled, who you supported or how often you carried out a task. Include a number only when you know it is accurate and can explain what it measures.

For example, Daniel is an invented applicant describing his work on a reception desk:

Daniel answered telephone enquiries, booked appointments and updated client records at a busy reception desk.

This gives the recruiter concrete work to compare with the vacancy. If Daniel also trained a colleague or improved a process, he could add that separately, provided it really happened. There is no need to force a numerical result into every point.

Use consistent dates across entries. If you have an employment gap, you can give a brief factual explanation where you feel it helps, such as a period spent caring for a relative or undertaking training. You do not need to disclose private medical details. Be prepared to discuss your timeline honestly if asked.

Part-time roles, temporary work and volunteering can all provide evidence. Label each accurately so that the employer understands the nature of the experience.

5. Place education and additional information where they help

List your most recent or most relevant qualification with the institution, subject and completion date or expected completion date. Add a grade when it is useful to the application or requested by the employer. If a course is still in progress, say so rather than presenting the qualification as completed.

Recent graduates can put education above employment, particularly when a project or placement demonstrates a skill the vacancy asks for. Give a relevant project a line or two explaining what you did. Once you have substantial related work experience, education often fits better after employment.

For example, Priya is an invented graduate applying for a data role. A project line under her degree could say:

Priya analysed a public transport dataset in Python and presented the findings in a final-year project.

Only include tools and work you can discuss. A recruiter may ask how you approached the project or what you learned from it.

Professional registration, current training and relevant certificates can have their own heading when they are important to the role. State the registration or qualification accurately and include an expiry date if it helps the employer understand whether it is current. Check the advert for any evidence the employer requires separately.

Interests are optional. Include one if it adds useful context, such as organising a community event, and remove it if space is needed for stronger evidence. References are usually supplied when requested; there is no need to use valuable CV space for referees' contact details unless the employer asks for them.

6. Make your CV layout easy to read

A clear CV layout lets a recruiter find the relevant facts without hunting through the page. Use a straightforward font, consistent heading sizes and enough space between sections. Keep body text comfortably readable when printed or viewed on a screen.

A single-column layout is a practical choice for most applications. It gives dates and job titles a predictable place and is less likely than a complex design to be read in an unexpected order by an application system. Avoid placing essential information in text boxes or graphics.

Use standard headings such as Employment, Education and Skills. Keep bullet points aligned, and use the same date format throughout. If a role continues onto a second page, make sure the connection between its heading and its responsibilities remains clear.

Read the CV as a recruiter might: look first for the current role, then scan for the requirements in the advert. If an essential qualification is buried in a long paragraph, move it to a clear heading or an earlier line. Keep details proportionate to their relevance rather than giving every job equal space.

Before sending, check spelling, phone numbers and dates. Ask someone to read the document if possible, or leave time to review it on a different screen. Open the saved file as well as the editable version to spot a heading stranded at the bottom of a page or a list split awkwardly.

CV Ajuste’s free CV checker can help you review your CV against a job advert. Check any suggested changes against your own records and keep only statements you can support.

7. Save and send your CV in the requested file type

Follow the employer’s instructions first. If the application asks for a Word document, send that format. If it asks for a PDF, export your final CV as a PDF and open it to check that the text and page breaks appear as intended.

When no format is specified, PDF is often a sensible choice because it generally preserves the layout across devices. A Word document can be useful when an employer or recruiter specifically needs an editable file. An online application may ask you to enter details into fields even when you also upload a CV, so allow time to check both.

Give the file a clear name that identifies you and the document. For example, an invented applicant called Alex Morgan could use:

Alex-Morgan-CV.pdf

If you maintain different versions for different roles, add a short role label to your own working copies. Before uploading, confirm that the selected file is the version tailored to that vacancy and that it does not contain comments or tracked changes.

If you email your application, use the subject line requested in the advert. Mention the role in the message and attach the documents requested. A covering letter may be a separate attachment or part of an online form, depending on the employer’s process.

Keep an editable master copy for future applications. That makes it easier to update dates and select the most relevant evidence next time without trying to edit the submitted PDF.

A clear CV is ready to adapt

Once your format is in place, keep a fuller record of your experience for your own use. Include projects, training and responsibilities that may not fit every application. You can then select the evidence that matters for each vacancy without having to reconstruct your work history from memory.

Before submitting, compare the advert with your finished CV. Check that the employer can find the essential requirements you meet and that your dates are accurate. If a requirement is missing, add it only when you have the experience or qualification to support it. If the employer asks for a separate statement, use that space to explain relevant examples in more detail.

Read the final document from top to bottom and open the exact file you intend to send. A consistent format makes your evidence easier to assess, while a careful final check reduces avoidable errors. Keep a copy of the submitted version so you can refer to it if the employer contacts you.