Don’t know how to write a CV or unclear what to include in a CV? You’re in the right place.
Here’s a visual breakdown of a UK CV template and what to include on your CV to impress your target employer:
Copy + Paste Template (Standard CV Sections)
YOUR FIRST NAME AND SURNAME
Email | Phone | Address | Social Media (LinkedIn, etc.)
Personal Statement
Enthusiastic and driven retail-industry professional with 6+ years of experience providing unsurpassed customer service and regularly exceeding sales goals. Skilled communicator and problem solver with a proven ability to interact with a diverse range of clientele, demonstrating patience and professionalism to resolve high-stress situations.
Work Experience
Customer Service Manager | FASHO, Kilmarnock
February 2021–Present
- Direct a cross-functional team of 15+ customer service associates and representatives, helping them set and achieve both personal and team sales goals
- Ensure positive shopping experience for all clients, increasing customer satisfaction rate by 47% since my June 2021 start date
- Collaborated with the supervisor to train 7 new associates on how to handle escalated problems, reducing customer escalation rate by 17%
- Introduced incentive programmes that increased revenue by 20%
Customer Service Associate | NEXT, Kilmarnock
June 2019–January 2021
- Played a key role as part of an 11-member team in maintaining an organised, clean, and customer-friendly store
- Met and exceeded all assigned sales goals, increasing revenue by 7.4%
- Achieved Customer Service Associate of the Year Award 3 years in a row
- Consistently exceeded personal and store KPIs by 15%
Customer Service Representative | HOUSE OF FRASER, Glasgow
October 2016–June 2019
- Attended and responded to 74+ customer calls daily regarding product usage, billing issues, and company information
- Responded to product/service queries in a courteous manner, enhancing new customer NPS scores by 12%
- Maintained 99% positive customer feedback rate
Customer Service Intern | HOUSE OF FRASER, Glasgow
October 2015–June 2016
- Attended and responded to 74+ customer calls daily regarding product usage, billing issues and company information
- Responded to product/service queries in a courteous manner, enhancing new customer NPS scores by 12%
- Maintained 99% positive customer feedback rate
Education
Northumbria University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
BA (Hons) Business Management
Upper second-class honours
September 2013–October 2016
Relevant modules: Financial Decision Making, Changing Self and Organisation
Gosforth High School, Newcastle-upon-Tyne
A-Levels: Business Studies (B), History (C), Maths (B)
September 2010–October 2012
GCSEs: 10 A*–C, including English, Maths, and ICT
Skills
- Highly organised and effective communicator with all levels of management, peers, and diverse cultural audiences
- Technically proficient in using Point of Sale software (TokenWorks, Magnetic Card Reader, and Plexis POS)
Languages
- Native-level English
- Fluent in French
- Intermediate-level Spanish
Hobbies and Interests
- Ukulele playing
- Pub quizzes
- Attending science-fiction conventions
The example above provides a basic outline, demonstrating what to include in a CV.
And if you’re after more information, here’s what you should put on a CV section-by-section:
1. Your contact information
Here are some resources for writing your CV header and contact details:
Consider using CV icons to make your contact details even easier to find.
2. A job-specific personal statement
Learn how to write your personal statement, also known as a:
Your personal statement should be brief, so be selective about its contents. Remember, you can always add more details when you make a cover letter.
3. Relevant experience
Here are some key resources for writing your work experience section:
- Adding achievements to a CV
- Some job titles to add to a CV
- A list of action verbs to start your work experience bullet points with
- Filling a work experience section on a CV with no experience
4. Your education history
Educate employers on your qualifications by writing an education section using these guides:
- Examples of CVs by students
- Creating a full academic CV
- Adding T-Levels, A-Levels, and degree classifications to your CV
- Explaining a gap year on your CV
5. A list of job-specific skills
Putting a bulleted list of skills on your CV shouldn’t be an afterthought. Here’s some guidance on what to include in a CV skills section and a list of common hard skills:
And here are 4 common soft skills for your CV:
6. Hobbies and interests
Adding hobbies and interests that show you’re a well-rounded person and extracurricular activities highlighting job-specific skills is an essential part of a CV in the UK. You should include this section in your CV to give employers an idea of your personality.
Other good things to put in your CV
In addition to placing the right sections on your CV, here’s what to include in a CV’s layout and language:
- Keywords from the job advert — Include exact terms and phrases from the job description to emphasise your suitability for the specific role.
- Unique CV words — Describe your work experience with powerful words like ‘data driven’ and ‘personable’.
- Proper spacing — Use 1.27–2.5 cm margins and 1–1.5 line spacing to ensure your CV is easy to read.
- Professional fonts — Your CV’s font should be easy to read too (Arial or Georgia are good options).
Now that you know exactly what to include in your CV, select a CV template and get started or speed the process up with a CV maker.
Frequently asked questions about what should go on a CV
Still unsure what to include in a CV for a job in the UK? We’ve answered these three common questions about CV content:
- What do you include in a CV for a 16-year-old?
- What do you include in a resume?
- What do you include in a video CV?
1. What do you include in a CV for a 16-year-old?
If you’re writing a CV as a teenager, you probably don’t have much experience to highlight. But that doesn’t mean you should only look for jobs that don’t require work experience. You can still write a job-winning CV by connecting the following information to the role you want:
- Soft skills
- School projects
- Voluntary experience
- Internships
- Personal projects
2. What do you include in a resume?
A resume is what people in the US and Canada call a CV. So if you’re writing a resume, include the same sections you’d put on your CV, with some slight differences:
- A header with your name and contact information
- A resume summary (typically called a personal statement on a CV)
- Work experience
- Education
- Skills
Another difference between a resume and a CV is their length. A resume should be just one page, instead of the customary two pages required for a CV. So there’s typically not space for your CV’s hobbies and interests section.
Looking at job-winning resume examples is a good way to learn how to write your own.
3. What do you include in a video CV?
Here’s what you should include in a video CV:
- An introduction with your name and job title
- The reason you’re applying (mentioning the specific company and role, if possible)
- Your relevant job history and education details
- Job-specific skills
- Examples of your work (either visuals or stated in your script)
- A request for an interview
- A thank you to the employer for taking time to watch your video
More answers to your CV-related questions
Below are expert answers to 6 more common questions about what to include in a CV: