Andrei combines academic knowledge with over 10 years of practical experience to help job seekers navigate the challenges of resumes, interviews, and career growth. Through the Novorésumé Career Blog, he offers actionable advice to simplify and ace the job search process.
Updated on 09/15/2025
Struggling to land interviews in the UK despite having the right qualifications? The issue might not be your experience, but your CV format.
Generic CVs often fail to pass applicant tracking systems (ATS) or impress hiring managers who are scanning for UK-specific details.
When writing a CV, keep in mind that British employers expect a specific structure, tone, and keyword placement that differs from what’s common in other countries.
In this guide, we’ll show you how to tailor your CV format to UK standards and meet local hiring expectations.
Here's what we're going to cover:
What Is a UK CV?
What to Include in a UK CV?
How to Turn Your US Resume into a CV for the UK?
UK CV Formatting Tips
…and more.
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What Is a UK CV?
In the UK, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) is practically the same term as the US "resume." It's the main document you submit when applying for jobs, containing your contact details, professional experience, education, skills, and other relevant qualifications and achievements.
Your CV creates your first impression with potential employers and often decides whether you'll receive an interview invitation.
Although both terms describe the same document, there are important distinctions between UK CVs and US resumes:
If you've been creating American-style resumes, you'll need to keep these differences in mind when targeting UK employers.
Also, pay attention to your spelling. UK applications should use British English spelling (organisation, colour, realise), while American applications stick to US English (organization, color, realize).
Finally, remember that British recruiters may not understand the term "resume," so consistently use "CV" throughout your UK job applications. For example, name the final version you’ll use to apply with as “John_Doe_CV” instead of “John_Doe_Resume.”
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Quick Tip
New to CV writing? Check out our comprehensive CV formatting guide for step-by-step instructions on creating your first professional CV!
What Is a CV Format?
A CV format is the structure and arrangement of your CV sections.
A standard format always contains the following sections: contact details, personal statement, education, work experience, and skills. You can also include optional sections that are relevant to your application.
CV formatting refers to how you organize and structure the sections of your resume—such as your personal profile, work experience, education, and skills—to present your qualifications clearly and logically.
Proper formatting enhances readability and helps your CV stand out positively. It ensures your application gets noticed by UK employers.
Below, we’ll walk you through the two main CV formats that UK hiring managers typically recognize and expect.
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Quick Tip
Does your CV look empty? Here’s what to do to make it stand out and showcase your strengths!
Two Main Types of CV Format in the UK
UK employers recognize two primary CV formats that serve different career situations. Understanding which format suits your background helps you present your qualifications most effectively to British recruiters.
Reverse-Chronological CV
The reverse-chronological CV is the gold standard for UK job applications. This format lists your work experience starting with your most recent position and working backward through your career history.
These are the key features of reverse-chronological CVs:
Contact information and a personal statement are at the top.
The work experience section is prominently displayed, with your most recent job first.
Education and qualifications are listed in reverse order.
Optional sections for certifications, interests, or professional memberships.
This approach works best for professionals with steady career progression and relevant work history. UK recruiters prefer this format because it's easy to scan and shows clear career development.
It's best to opt for this CV format if you're:
An experienced professional with a consistent employment history.
An entry-level candidate with internships or part-time work experience.
Applying through Applicant Tracking Systems (most UK companies use these).
Functional CV (Skills-Based)
The functional CV format emphasizes your abilities and strengths rather than focusing heavily on employment dates and job titles. This approach highlights what you can do rather than where you've worked.
The key features of a functional CV include:
Skills sections grouped by category (e.g., "Communication," "Project Management").
Brief work history section with basic job details.
Emphasis on achievements within skill categories.
Personal statement explaining career direction.
Prominently featured education and certifications.
You should choose this format when your work history doesn't follow a traditional path, if you have gaps in your work experience, or when your skills matter more than your employment timeline.
However, remember that while functional CVs can be effective in specific situations, most UK recruiters still prefer the reverse-chronological format.
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Quick Tip
Are you writing your first CV? Take a look at our CV formatting guide to get started the right way!
6 Sections to Include in a UK CV
Creating a successful UK CV means including the right sections in the proper order. British employers have specific expectations about what information they want to see and how you should present it.
#1. Contact Details
Your contact information should appear at the top of your CV and include essential information for UK employers:
Full name. Write your name exactly as it appears on official documents.
Phone number. Include a UK mobile number if possible for easy contact, or add your country’s prefix for easy contact.
Email address. Keep it professional using a variation of the firstname.lastname@email.com format.
Full address. Include your complete address with postcode - UK employers expect this.
Professional website or portfolio. Only include if relevant to your field.
Unlike some countries, including your photo is optional in the UK and generally not recommended unless you're applying for roles where appearance matters (acting, modeling, etc.).
#2. Personal Statement
Your personal statement appears at the top of your CV and serves as your opportunity to capture hiring managers' interest. This concise 3-4 sentence overview can determine your application's success before recruiters even review your work history.
These are the components of an effective personal statement:
A concise summary of your professional background and sector knowledge.
Significant accomplishments that showcase your worth.
One or two applicable skills that align with the position requirements.
Your professional aspirations or desired next step.
Remember that vague statements provide employers with no valuable information:
Incorrect Example:
"Talented designer seeking a role in a creative environment. Good eye for detail and knows how to use Photoshop. Ready to start working and learn new things."
Now, let's take a look at a well-written statement:
Correct Example
"Creative graphic designer with 6+ years of experience crafting brand identities and digital assets for e-commerce companies. Led a website redesign that increased conversions by 30%. Proficient in Adobe Creative Suite, UX principles, and visual storytelling. Looking to bring design expertise to a fast-paced marketing team."
The distinction is obvious – effective statements deliver specific outcomes while weak examples use meaningless phrases and buzzwords that reveal nothing about your true qualifications.
Keep in mind that how you approach writing your personal statement may differ depending on your experience. Seasoned professionals typically write a resume summary focused on achievements and expertise, whereas recent graduates use a resume objective that highlights their motivation and career goals.
#3. Work Experience
Your work experience forms the backbone of your UK CV. Ideally, list positions in reverse chronological order, starting with your most recent role.
The key here is to focus on accomplishments rather than just listing duties. UK employers want to see the impact you made in previous roles. So, instead of generic responsibilities, highlight the tangible impact you made in each role.
Use bullet points with a slightly more narrative style to explain the context of your achievements, the actions you took, and the outcomes. This approach helps convey not only what you did, but also how and why it mattered.
Here’s an example of a UK-style work experience section:
Work Experience section example:
Marketing Executive ABC Digital Agency, London Jan 2022 – Present
Spearheaded a social media campaign for a new product launch that increased brand engagement by 45% in three months, contributing to a 20% rise in sales.
Collaborated with the SEO team to revamp existing blog content, resulting in a 60% increase in organic traffic and improved Google rankings for 10+ key pages.
Introduced a monthly email newsletter strategy that boosted customer retention and achieved an average open rate of 38%, well above industry benchmarks
#4. Skills
The skills section is a vital component of your CV. But how you present those skills depends largely on the CV format.
While you should include a dedicated Skills section on your CV, it’s equally important to weave those skills throughout other sections. This helps create a more cohesive narrative and shows employers how you’ve applied your abilities in real-world situations, making them more convincing and impactful.
For example, instead of simply listing "Problem-solving" in a bullet list, you could weave it into your personal statement:
Personal statement example:
“Detail-oriented business analyst with excellent problem-solving and analytical skills, demonstrated by identifying workflow inefficiencies that saved the company 10+ hours weekly.”
Or you might highlight it through a key achievement in your work experience section:
Work experience example:
“Resolved complex customer issues by analyzing support ticket trends, resulting in a 25% reduction in repeat complaints and showcasing strong problem-solving and communication skills.”
However, for technical roles (such as software development, finance, or architecture), including a brief Skills section is perfectly acceptable – and often recommended – to emphasize key technical skills (e.g., SQL, AutoCAD, Salesforce) for better readability and ATS optimization.
Remember to include only those skills that are relevant to the position you're applying for. A cluttered list filled with unrelated skills can backfire — making it harder for employers to see your fit.
Not sure which skills to feature? Here’s a quick way to decide:
Mirror the skills found in the job ad.
Include tools and platforms commonly used in your field.
Highlight unique abilities that give you a competitive edge.
Stick to skills you can back up with examples or achievements.
#5. Education
UK employers expect a thorough education section that covers more than just degree credentials. British hiring managers often look for specific qualifications that their US counterparts don’t expect on a resume.
Your education section should provide a clear, well-rounded view of your academic background and ongoing development.
Here’s what British employers typically look for:
University degrees. Mention the type of degree, course name, university, graduation year, and your final grade or classification.
A-levels. List subjects and achieved grades, especially if they align with the job.
GCSEs (General Certificate of Secondary Education). Include English, Maths, and other relevant subjects with grades.
Professional qualifications. Such as CIPD, ACA, PRINCE2, or other sector-specific credentials.
Additional training. Include short courses, webinars, or recent online certifications that enhance your skill set.
If you’re a recent graduate and don’t have much work experience yet, list your education section before your work history. On the other hand, if you’re an experienced professional, position your education section after your work experience.
#6. Optional Sections
Depending on your background and the role you're targeting, you might consider adding these sections:
Languages. This section is particularly valuable when applying to international companies or roles requiring multilingual communication.
Volunteer work. Demonstrates your character and can showcase additional skills relevant to your target role.
Professional memberships. Shows active engagement with your industry and commitment to professional development.
Publications or presentations. Especially relevant for academic positions or senior-level roles where thought leadership matters.
Hobbies and interests. Only include if they directly relate to the job or demonstrate desirable personality traits.
References. Simply state "References available upon request" rather than listing specific contacts.
Awards and achievements. Include professional recognition or significant accomplishments that are relevant to the role.
Projects. Particularly useful for students or career changers who need to demonstrate relevant skills through practical work.
Choose optional sections strategically based on available space and relevance to your target position. Quality over quantity applies – only include sections that strengthen your application.
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Quick Tip
Looking to make your CV stand out? Explore our top 8+ professional CV templates designed to impress hiring managers and land you the interview!
Here are the key changes you need to make:
Change terminology. Call your document a "CV" instead of "resume" throughout all communications with UK employers.
Extend the length. Expand your one-page US resume to 1-2 pages to meet UK expectations for more detailed information.
Add comprehensive contact details. Include your full address with postcode,
Switch to British English spelling. Use "organisation" instead of "organization," "colour" instead of "color," and "programme" instead of "program".
Convert educational credentials. Use UK NARIC (National Recognition Information Centre for the United Kingdom) to find British equivalents for your US qualifications.
Include secondary education. Add your high school information, as UK employers expect to see a complete educational background.
Change date formatting. Switch from mm/dd/yyy to dd/mm/yyy format throughout your CV.
Adapt measurements and currency. Use metric units and British pounds instead of imperial measurements and US dollars.
Localize industry terminology. Research and use business terms and professional language specific to the UK market.
Add "References available upon request." Include this standard phrase that UK employers expect to see.
Tailor content for each application. Customize your CV for specific UK job requirements using keywords from British job descriptions.
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Quick Tip
Ready to create a CV that grabs attention and lands you the job? Follow our step-by-step guide to writing a winning CV that gets you hired!
12 UK CV Formatting Tips
Follow these essential UK CV writing tips to create a professional document that impresses employers and passes through applicant tracking systems:
Choose the right CV format. Use reverse-chronological format for most applications, or functional format if you're changing careers or have limited experience.
Apply proper margins. Set 1-inch margins on all sides to create a clean, well-spaced layout that's easy to read.
Select a professional font. UK employers expect a CV that’s easy to read at a glance, so it’s important to choose a clean, professional font. We recommend modern, highly legible options like Ubuntu, Roboto, or Overpass – they offer a polished look while helping your CV stand out from the overused defaults like Calibri or Times New Roman.
Use appropriate font sizes. Keep body text between 10-12 points and headings at 13-14 points for optimal readability.
Maintain consistent spacing. Use line spacing between 1.0 and 1.15 throughout your document to ensure comfortable reading.
Align text properly. Left-align all text content for a professional appearance that's easy for recruiters to scan.
Organize with bullet points. Use bullet points to break up information clearly, especially in work experience and skills sections.
Keep to 2 pages maximum. Limit your CV length to two pages unless you have extensive senior-level experience.
Customize for each application. Tailor your CV content and keywords for every specific job you apply to.
Save as a PDF format. Export your final CV as a PDF to preserve formatting and ensure compatibility across different systems.
Include a cover letter. Always complement your CV with a tailored cover letter that explains your interest in the specific role.
Proofread thoroughly. Use spell-checkers, grammar tools, and ask trusted colleagues to review your CV before submitting.
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Quick Tip
Don’t let simple errors hold you back. Read about the most common CV mistakes and learn how to avoid them to boost your chances of success!
Key Takeaways
Ready to create a winning UK CV that gets you noticed by British employers?
Here are the essential points to remember when formatting your application for the UK job market:
Use "CV" instead of "resume" when applying for UK positions to show you’re aware of the country’s hiring requirements.
Include more personal and educational details than other international job markets require.
Choose a reverse-chronological format for most applications – it's what the majority of UK recruiters prefer.
List detailed educational background, including A-levels and GCSEs - UK employers expect a complete academic history.
Focus on measurable accomplishments rather than basic job responsibilities in work experience sections.
Use British English spelling throughout (organisation, colour, realise) instead of the US versions.
Customize your CV for each specific job application using keywords from the job description.
Always pair your CV with a tailored cover letter explaining your interest in the specific role.
