How to Write a CV for UK Jobs (+Tips & Examples)

If you’re looking for a job in the UK, you need to know how to write a CV that convinces employers that they should hire you.

A CV (aka curriculum vitae) is an overview of your experience, education, and skills — and an essential document for job applicants in any industry.

Employers use CVs to quickly assess your qualifications and how you compare to the other people who applied for the job. So it’s important to include the right information and format that information in an appropriate way — even if you think you’ve found the perfect CV template for the job.

To give you the best chance of success with your current job application, we simplify the CV writing process with:

• a seven-step guide to writing a CV
• a downloadable example CV you can edit
• tips for perfecting your CV formatting and design
• the answers to several specific FAQs about CV writing

How to make a CV from scratch (7 steps)

Writing a CV is straightforward — once you know how to go about it. Follow these seven steps for a well-structured CV that compels the employer to call you in for an interview:

1. Start with your header and contact information
2. Craft a compelling CV personal statement
3. Present your relevant work experience
4. Detail your educational background
5. Highlight your key skills
6. Include a hobbies and interests section
7. Add any additional sections you might need

And if you need a little extra help with writing, we have a comprehensive video guide that can walk you through the entire process:

Now here’s how to write a CV in seven speedy steps:

1. Start with your header and contact information

Your CV header sits at the top of the first page and includes your:

• First and last name (don’t use ‘Curriculum Vitae’ as your title)
• Target job title
• A CV headline
• Email address (use a professional email address like your.name@gmail.com)
• Mobile phone number
• Link to a professional profile or LinkedIn page
• Location

You don’t need to put your full postal address on your CV because most companies will contact you by email or phone. However, putting your town or city is a good idea because it gives employers a rough idea of where you’re based. You can add the first half of your postcode if you want to give a more specific location:

London SW6

Additionally, you shouldn’t give too many personal details on your CV to maintain your privacy.

2. Craft a compelling CV personal statement

Summarise your skills and qualifications for the employer by writing a job-specific personal statement at the top of your CV.

Also known as a personal profile, CV summary, or ‘About Me’ section, your personal statement outlines your most relevant accomplishments, qualifications, and skills in 3–4 sentences or bullet points.

Remember that personal statements only work if they address the employer’s needs, so only include information that qualifies you for the job or offers a notable benefit to the hiring company.

Here’s an example from a nursing CV that shows what a personal statement should look like when it’s employer-ready:

3. Present your relevant work experience

Your work experience section tells the employer what jobs you’ve done that have prepared you for the current opportunity.

List each relevant job you’ve done, starting with the most recent and working backwards. For each entry include:

• Your job title
• Employment dates
• Name of the company
• Job location
• 3–5 bullet points outlining your relevant achievements and responsibilities

Here’s a copy-and-paste template to show you how your work experience entries should look when formatted correctly:

If this is your first application and you’re writing a CV with no experience, don’t fret. You can also add volunteering roles, internships, and work experience placements you did during secondary school instead.

4. Detail your educational background

Your CV education section is the place to showcase your uni degrees, schooling, and professional certifications.

List your highest qualification first. Qualifications should be listed in this order:

• Doctorates
• Master’s degrees
• Bachelor’s degrees
• 16–18 qualifications (e.g., A-Levels, Scottish Highers, T Levels)
• GCSEs (or N5 in Scotland) or vocational equivalents

You don’t need to list all of your GCSEs if you have a university degree or A-Levels. However, many employers require candidates to have at least Grades A*–C (or Grades 9–4 under the 2017 reform) in English, Maths, and IT or other subjects, so you should mention these details. For example:

11 GCSEs Grades 9–4, including English, Maths, and IT

5. Highlight your key skills

Employers often only spend a few seconds skimming each CV for important details. Listing your key skills in a dedicated section helps draw their attention to what you can offer the company.

Most job applicants set their skills section after their education section, which helps emphasise work experience.

However, if you’re early in your career or applying for a job that requires specific technical knowledge, position your skills section above your work experience so the employer sees it immediately.

6. Include a hobbies and interests section

Adding a hobbies and interests section helps employers understand who you are when you’re not working. In some cases, giving your CV this extra dimension can encourage the employer to call you in for an interview.

List up to five hobbies or interests that reflect well on your personality and demonstrate positive traits that would make you a good fit for the job.

7. Add any additional sections you might need

Depending on the type of job you’re applying for, you might need to add additional sections to your CV.

For example, it’s advisable to include a projects section if you’re applying for a software engineer job or a web developer role.

Here are some useful additional sections — as well as when and how you should add them to your CV:

Additional section	When to include it	Formatting style
Languages	You're applying for jobs where knowledge of multiple languages is useful (e.g., customer service representative)	Skills section
Certifications	You want to emphasise your continued professional development separately from your education history	Education section
Volunteering experience	You want to demonstrate community engagement, are changing careers, or want to fill career gaps	Work experience section
Professional memberships	You want to emphasise industry expertise for a senior position	Education section
Awards and honours	You want to emphasise industry expertise, explain a career change, or make up for a lack of work experience	Education section

Example of great CV writing

Here’s a completed CV sample that shows what your job application document should look like once it’s employer-ready:

Download This CV Example

Tips for creating the perfect CV

What you include in your CV is crucial to the success of your job hunt, but it’s not the only element.

You’ll also need to consider your CV format, design elements, and how you optimise your first draft so that it’s suitable for popular recruiter tools, such as applicant tracking systems (ATS).

And in some cases, you might need to consider alternatives to writing a CV because you don’t have time to write one yourself.

Here are a few tips to make your application even more persuasive:

Tip 1: Use a CV maker

Writing a unique, persuasive CV takes time.

But sometimes time just isn’t on your side.

When you need to put together a professional CV quickly, the most reliable approach is to use an online CV maker.

CV makers help you build a CV with minimal effort. These tools work by asking you a few questions about your professional history, skills, and qualifications, and then suggesting content for your CV — they also format your CV perfectly.

Good CV makers will also produce ATS-compatible applications, which are more suitable for the software large companies use to screen applicants. By using a CV maker, you’re increasing the odds your CV makes it into the hands of actual employers.

Tip 2: Choose your CV format carefully

The right CV format will highlight the most relevant and impressive parts of your experience while drawing the employer’s attention away from your weaknesses.

If you have no major gaps in your employment or are still studying, use a traditional chronological CV. This CV format places your work experience section towards the top of the page, starting with your most recent work experience.

However, if you’ve had multiple long periods of unemployment, are writing a CV for a career change, or feel your skills are more impressive than your work experience, you should use a skills-based CV format.

The skills-based layout shifts the focus of your CV layout from your employment history to the skills you have to offer.

Tip 3: Tailor your CV design

While looks aren’t everything, an eye-catching CV design helps get employers interested in you.

After all, a visually pleasing CV tells the employer that you’re detail-oriented and likely to go beyond what’s asked of you.

Still, it’s important to consider what kind of CV is appropriate for your field or industry.

For example, if you’re going after a digital marketing job or applying at a dynamic startup, then a sleek, professional CV is likely to make a strong first impression. Consider downloading a modern or creative CV template that helps you showcase your personality.

Or opt for a visual CV that uses design elements to highlight your skills and competencies. Visual CVs are perfect for jobs in a highly creative fields, such as UX/UI design or graphic design.

Tip 4: Use the right CV font

Use a businesslike font for your CV to show that you take the job seriously.

Avoid casual or arty fonts like Comic Sans, Courier New, and Papyrus because they’re harder to read and make you look less professional to recruiters and employers.

Tip 5: Edit your first draft

It can be tempting to send your CV off to the employer as soon as you’ve written out all the sections.

But making a couple of easy edits to your first draft will vastly increase your chances of success.

Tip 6: Proofread your CV

One of the quickest ways to get your application rejected is by submitting a CV with typos or grammatical errors — even if excellent writing skills aren’t a job requirement.

To avoid any potential mistakes, read your CV over again a couple of times before you send it out.

Additionally, run your spell-checker on your CV, or use proofreading apps like Grammarly or Hemmingway Editor.

Once you’re done double-checking, give your CV to a friend, family member, or form tutor to look at. Often, a fresh pair of eyes will spot any problems you initially missed.

Tip 7: Choose an appropriate file format

You wouldn’t want to put together a professional CV only to be rejected because employers couldn’t open your file.

So save it as either a DOCX or PDF. These two file formats are the most common file types used for CVs. Because all companies have the right software to view these files, they’ll be able to read your CV properly.

Sent out your CV? Keep the DOCX file to hand — you’ll need it to update your CV next time because you can’t modify a PDF file.

Tip 8: Leave your references off

There’s no need to add references to your CV. You don’t need to write ‘References Upon Request’, either.

Instead, use the space on your CV to talk about your skills, achievements, and qualifications. Send your references directly to the employer when they ask for them.

When your cover letter and CV are ready, you can print them out or email them to companies.

Tip 9: Pair your CV with a compelling cover letter

You also need to include a cover letter unless the job advert says not to include one.

While your CV lets recruiters and employers see your past successes, a cover letter links your accomplishments to the company you’re applying to. For example, if you’re applying to a pub that’s opening in your village, you can use a cover letter to tell the landlord how you’ll help them train new bar staff.

While your CV just touches upon such work experience, your cover letter makes you seem more like a person who can come in and do the work.

CV Writing FAQs

Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about CV writing:

1. What does a good CV look like in 2023?

Here’s what a good CV looks like in 2023:

For more industry-specific ideas, look at occupation-based CV samples.

2. How do I write a simple CV?

To write a simple CV, download a simple CV template and fill it in. Simple CVs are ideal for newcomers to the job market and for applying for jobs where you’re unsure whether your CV should be formal or not.

3. Should I put my face on my CV?

No, you should not put your face on your CV unless you’re applying for a modelling or acting job. Putting your face on your CV could hurt your chances of getting the job. Companies are reluctant to hire candidates with face photos on their CVs because they could be accused of hiring you because of your ethnicity, gender, sex, or appearance.

More CV Writing FAQs

• How do I write a CV in English if it’s not my mother tongue?
• What do employers look for in a CV?
• Who can be a reference on a CV?
• How do you write degree classification on a CV?
• Can a CV be two pages?
• How do I write a resume for freshers in India?
• How do I show a promotion on my CV?
• How do I write a CV for a part-time job?
• What are some good CV ideas?