UK CV template: format and how to write a CV for the UK

How to write a CV for a job in the UK: sections, length and what to leave out, according to the National Careers Service and nidirect. Below is a template.

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How to write a UK CV

  • At the top your name, not the word “CV”, then phone, e-mail and address.
  • Personal profile: a few short lines on who you are and why you fit this job.
  • Work history: last job first, employer, position, dates and 2–3 lines on what you do.
  • Education and qualifications: name of the qualification, school, dates.
  • Skills: skills from the ad that you really have.
  • At the end “References are available on request.”

What to leave out of a UK CV

The National Careers Service advises leaving out age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. Don't enter the contact details of your referees either. The guides do not list a photo among the parts of a CV, so by default we don't add one.

Length and dates

2 A4 pages at most, a clear font at size 11 or larger. Write a period with “to” and your current job with “to present”, e.g. “March 2021 to present”.

UK CV template

A fictional example for warehouse work. Copy the layout and enter your real details.

The document for the employer

Sam Taylor1 Park Road, Leeds LS1 1AA
Phone: 07700 900000
Email: sam.taylor@example.com

Personal profileReliable warehouse operative with five years’ experience of order picking and shift work, looking for a warehouse role in Leeds.

Work historyMarch 2021 to present: Warehouse Operative, Company X, Leeds. Picking orders with a handheld scanner, checking and packing goods.

Education and qualifications2014 to 2016: Level 2 Certificate in Logistics, Leeds College.

SkillsDriving licence: category B. Forklift licence.

Additional informationReferences are available on request.

You can use the example on this page for free. The check of how your CV matches a job ad is also free. Finished documents for a specific job ad cost €9 for 30 days, one payment.

Questions and answers

Can I make a UK CV for free?

The example on this page and the match check are free. A finished CV for a specific job ad, with files, costs €9 for 30 days, one payment.

Is there a UK CV template to download, in Word or PDF?

You can copy the layout from this page. You download a finished CV for a specific job ad from the app as a PDF and a Word file.

How do I write “currently” in a UK CV?

Write the period with “to present”, e.g. “March 2021 to present”.

Should a UK CV include a photo or date of birth?

The National Careers Service advises leaving out date of birth, age, marital status and nationality. Its guide does not list a photo, so by default we don't add one.

Do I need a visa to work in the UK?

According to the UK government, free movement ended on 31 December 2020. People with status under the EU Settlement Scheme can work, and others from abroad need permission, such as a Skilled Worker visa, which requires an offer from an approved employer. The employer checks this before hiring, so make sure on GOV.UK before sending your documents.

Where these rules come from

We wrote down the rules from official sources: National Careers Service „How to write a CV”; National Careers Service „How to write a cover letter”; National Careers Service „Explain a gap in employment”; nidirect (rząd Irlandii Północnej) „CVs and cover letters”; GOV.UK „Style guide A to Z” (Dates); Home Office „Understanding your right to work in the UK: EU, EEA and Swiss citizens”; Home Office „Right to work checks: employing EU, EEA and Swiss citizens”; GOV.UK „Skilled Worker visa”.

See also

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