A
Autoply
Apply overnight free →
UK CV guide · 2026 · ATS-ready

How to Write a CV in the UK

A complete step-by-step guide to writing a UK CV that passes ATS screening and gets read by recruiters — including every section, common mistakes, and what good bullet points actually look like.

Already have a CV? Score it free.

See your ATS score, keyword gaps, and specific fixes in under 10 seconds.

Score my CV →

UK CV basics — the rules that matter

  • Length: 1 page (under 5 years experience) or 2 pages (5+ years). Never 3 pages unless you're a C-suite executive.
  • Format: PDF or .docx. Never .pages, .odt, or image files.
  • Font: 10–12pt, Calibri, Arial, or Georgia. Black text on white background. No fancy colours for body text.
  • Layout: Single column. No tables. No text boxes. ATS systems read top-to-bottom, left-to-right.
  • No photo. UK CVs don't include photos — it's different from Germany/Europe.
  • No “Curriculum Vitae” heading. Don't write this at the top — recruiters know what a CV is.
  • Contact details: Name, email, phone, LinkedIn URL, city (not full address). No date of birth, no marital status.

Every section of a UK CV — explained

1

Personal statement (3–5 lines)

Required

Top of CV, after contact details. Summarise who you are, what you do, and what you're looking for. Tailor it to each role — generic statements are ignored.

Example

"Data analyst with 4 years' experience in e-commerce and fintech. Skilled in Python, SQL, and Tableau. Seeking a senior analyst role at a data-driven retail or financial services company."

2

Work experience (reverse chronological)

Required

Most recent role first. For each role: job title, company, dates, 3–5 bullet points. Every bullet should start with an action verb and include a number where possible.

Example

"• Reduced customer churn by 18% by building a predictive model identifying at-risk accounts 30 days before cancellation."

3

Education

Required

Degree, university, year, grade (if 2:1 or above). A-levels if you have less than 3 years' experience. No need for GCSEs unless the role specifically requires them.

Example

"BSc Computer Science, University of Manchester, 2021 — First Class Honours"

4

Skills

Required

Hard skills only — tools, languages, certifications. Not soft skills like "good communicator" (everyone writes this). Keep it concise — 8–15 items.

Example

"Python · SQL · Tableau · Excel · dbt · Looker · Google Analytics · JIRA"

5

Certifications / Training

Optional

Include if relevant and recent. AWS, GCP, ACCA, PRINCE2, CFA — these add weight. Coursera/Udemy courses can go here for career changers.

Example

"AWS Certified Solutions Architect Associate (2024) · Google Analytics Certified"

6

Projects / Portfolio

Optional

Essential for grads, developers, designers, and career changers. Link to GitHub, portfolio, or case studies. Describe the outcome, not just what you built.

Example

"Built a price comparison tool scraping 5 UK energy suppliers — used by 200+ users, featured in Which? community forums."

8 CV mistakes that get you rejected before a human reads it

✗ Using a table or column layout

Fix: ATS systems parse left-to-right, top-to-bottom. Columns cause text to be read in the wrong order. Use single-column layout.

✗ Headers and footers with key info

Fix: Many ATS systems skip headers/footers. Put your name, email, and phone in the main body.

✗ Saving as .pages or .odt

Fix: Always save and submit as PDF or .docx. Pages files are often unreadable by ATS.

✗ Generic personal statement

Fix: Tailor the first 3 lines to the specific role. Recruiters read hundreds of "results-driven professional" statements. Be specific.

✗ Duties instead of achievements

Fix: "Responsible for managing social media" tells a recruiter nothing. "Grew Instagram from 2k to 18k followers in 8 months via daily Reels strategy" is compelling.

✗ More than 2 pages

Fix: UK CVs should be 1–2 pages. 1 page for under 5 years experience. 2 pages max for anyone. Senior executives can go to 3 pages only if every line is relevant.

✗ Photo on the CV

Fix: UK CVs don't include photos. It's considered unprofessional and creates unconscious bias liability for recruiters.

✗ References listed on CV

Fix: "References available on request" wastes space. Omit this — all recruiters know you'll provide references if needed.

The bullet point formula that works

Every work experience bullet should follow this structure:

[Action verb] + [what you did] + [measurable result]

Examples:

  • ✗ "Responsible for managing the social media accounts"
  • ✓ "Grew Instagram following 4× to 18k in 6 months by launching a daily Reels programme"
  • ✗ "Helped with recruitment process"
  • ✓ "Reduced time-to-hire from 42 to 28 days by introducing structured interview scoring and same-day feedback loops"

If you genuinely can't add a number, add a scale qualifier: “...across a 12-person team”, “...in a £3m revenue business”, “...supporting 400+ customers”.

ATS keywords — what they are and how to use them

ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software screens your CV for keywords from the job description before a human ever sees it. To pass:

  • Read the job description and identify the key skills, tools, and qualifications mentioned
  • Make sure these exact words appear in your CV — don't paraphrase ("data visualisation" ≠ "building charts")
  • Add a Skills section with exact tool names (Python, Salesforce, Workday, etc.)
  • Use the free CV scorer to check your ATS compatibility score instantly

Check your CV with the free scorer

ATS score, keyword gaps, impact rating, and specific fixes. No account needed.

Score my CV free →Start applying overnight →