UK CV Format 2025: The Complete British Guide
Length, structure, photo rules, and what British recruiters actually want to see — whether you're applying in London, Manchester, or anywhere in between.
UK CV vs US Resume: Key Differences
| Feature | UK CV | US Resume |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 2 pages (standard) | 1 page (junior), 2 (senior) |
| Photo | Never — bias concerns | Never |
| Date of birth | Never include | Never include |
| Hobbies | Optional — brief | Rarely included |
| References | 'Available on request' | Same |
| Document name | CV | Resume |
Photo: Do NOT Include
UK employers do not expect photos and may view them negatively due to unconscious bias concerns. Including one can actually disadvantage you with equality-conscious employers.
Similarly, do not include: date of birth, nationality, marital status, or gender. The Equality Act 2010 means UK employers are specifically trained to ignore these — including them is unnecessary and potentially counterproductive.
The Standard UK CV Structure
1. Name & Contact
Name, email, phone, LinkedIn. Location (city only). No full address needed.
2. Personal Statement
3–4 sentence summary. Who you are, what you offer, what you're looking for. Tailor to every role.
3. Work Experience
Reverse chronological. Job title, company, dates, location, then 3–5 achievement bullets.
4. Education
Degree, university, dates. Include grade if 2:1 or above. A-levels if relevant.
5. Skills
Technical skills, tools, languages. Keep it relevant.
6. Hobbies (optional)
Brief, genuine, differentiating. Skip if generic.
What British Recruiters Actually Want
- Quantified achievements — “Increased sales by 34%” beats “Responsible for sales” every time
- Clear, clean formatting — no tables, no columns, no graphics. ATS-safe.
- Tailored personal statement — one generic statement = rejected
- British English spelling — optimise, organisation, colour (not American spellings)
- Standard fonts — Calibri, Arial, or Gill Sans. 10–12pt body text.
UK CV Common Mistakes
Including a photo
UK law means employers are trained to be wary of bias. A photo can work against you.
Using American spellings
Organize → Organise. Optimize → Optimise. Color → Colour. These matter.
Duties instead of achievements
'Responsible for X' tells nothing. 'Grew X by Y%' wins.
Too long (3+ pages)
2 pages is the standard. 3 pages needs exceptional justification. 4+ pages: always too long.
Top UK Job Boards
- • LinkedIn — dominant across all sectors and levels
- • Reed.co.uk — largest UK-specific job board
- • Totaljobs.com — strong across professional roles
- • CityJobs — finance and City of London roles
- • Guardian Jobs — public sector, charity, media
- • Indeed.co.uk — broad range across all levels
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