Follow these steps to create a CV that gets noticed by employers!
Your CV is often the first impression an employer gets of you. In a competitive job market, a well-crafted CV can be the difference between landing an interview and being overlooked. If you’ve been sending out applications but receiving little response, your CV might not be doing you justice.
Many job seekers struggle with:
Whether you’re looking for your first job, switching careers, or re-entering the workforce, this guide will show you how to write a compelling CV that gets noticed. We’ll walk you through structure, formatting, and content – without requiring expensive CV writing services.
A CV isn’t just a list of jobs—it’s a marketing tool. It tells an employer why you’re the right person for the role. A weak CV can cause instant rejection, while a strong one increases your chances of securing an interview.
Did you know?
Recruiters spend an average of just 6-8 seconds scanning a CV before deciding whether to read further.
This means your CV needs to grab attention fast!
In this guide, we’ll cover:
By the end, you’ll have a clear, well-structured CV that sets you apart from the competition.
Understanding what employers expect in a CV can significantly improve your chances of getting shortlisted. Many candidates focus solely on listing job responsibilities, but employers are scanning for relevant skills, measurable achievements, and a clear structure.
Recruiters don’t have time to read every word. Instead, they skim through CVs, looking for key elements:
Tip:
Make your CV easy to scan – recruiters spend only a few seconds skimming before making a decision.
A poor CV can get rejected in seconds. Here’s what frustrates employers the most:
If your CV isn’t structured properly or fails to show impact, it could be holding you back. In the next section, we’ll go step by step through how to structure your CV for maximum effectiveness.
A well-structured CV ensures employers can quickly find the information they need. In the UK, the reverse chronological format (most recent experience first) is the standard.
A good CV should be: ✔ No longer than two pages (unless applying for academic roles). ✔ Clear and well-organised, using headings and bullet points. ✔ Tailored to each job application – not just a generic template.
Here’s the ideal structure for a professional, easy-to-read CV:
Hiring managers skim CVs quickly. To ensure yours stands out:
✔ Use clear section headings (bold or slightly larger font). ✔ Bullet points for job duties and achievements (avoid long paragraphs). ✔ Standard fonts like Arial or Calibri (size 10-12). ✔ Adequate white space – don’t cram everything in.
Your CV should be tailored for each job application – using the same CV for every role reduces your chances of success!
Now that we’ve covered the structure, we’ll dive deeper into how to write a compelling personal statement that grabs attention.
Your personal statement (also called a CV summary or profile) is the first thing employers read. It’s a short but powerful introduction that tells them who you are, what you bring, and what you’re looking for—all in 3-4 sentences.
A strong personal statement sets the tone for your CV and can make the difference between getting an interview or being ignored.
A great personal statement should be: ✔ Concise – No more than 4-5 lines. ✔ Relevant – Tailored to the role you’re applying for. ✔ Achievement-focused – Highlights key skills and experience. ✔ Easy to read – Avoids buzzwords and clichés.
A winning personal statement should include:
✅ Who you are (your current role, experience level, or key skills). ✅ What you bring (your unique strengths or achievements). ✅ What you’re looking for (your career goal or the type of role you seek).
Example Format: “A [job title] with [years of experience] in [industry]. Skilled in [key skills] with a proven track record of [achievement]. Now seeking [type of role] to [how you can contribute].”
❌ Being too vague – Avoid phrases like “hardworking team player” that say nothing specific. ❌ Making it too long – Recruiters won’t read a long paragraph. ❌ Focusing on what you want – Instead, show what you can bring to the company. ❌ Not tailoring it to the job – A generic statement won’t stand out.
Read the job description carefully and mirror the key skills and experience required in your personal statement.
Before finalising your personal statement, ask yourself: ✔ Does it fit within 3-4 sentences? ✔ Is it tailored to the role? ✔ Does it highlight my unique strengths? ✔ Does it avoid clichés?
Now that you’ve crafted a powerful personal statement, we’ll move on to how to make your work experience stand out—including how to showcase achievements instead of just listing duties.
Your work experience section is the most important part of your CV. Employers don’t just want to see where you worked—they want to know how you made an impact. A CV that only lists duties without achievements won’t stand out.
A strong work experience section should: ✔ Highlight achievements (not just tasks). ✔ Use quantifiable results (percentages, revenue growth, time savings, etc.). ✔ Be clear and easy to scan (bullet points, bold key results).
Your work history should be listed in reverse chronological order (most recent job first). Each role should include:
✅ Job Title – Make it clear and match industry standards. ✅ Company Name & Location – The organisation you worked for. ✅ Dates of Employment – Month & year format (e.g., Jan 2021 – Present). ✅ Key Responsibilities & Achievements – Use bullet points for clarity.
Example Format: Job Title | Company Name, Location (Month Year – Month Year)
Instead of writing what you did, focus on what you achieved.
🔹 Weak: “Responsible for managing a team.” ✅ Strong: “Led a team of 8, increasing productivity by 25% over 6 months.”
🔹 Weak: “Handled customer complaints.” ✅ Strong: “Resolved 90% of complaints within 24 hours, improving customer satisfaction scores by 30%.”
🔹 Weak: “Created marketing content.” ✅ Strong: “Wrote blog content that drove 50,000 monthly page views, increasing conversions by 10%.”
Use action verbs in your CV—words like “managed,” “developed,” “implemented,” and “increased” make your achievements sound stronger.
If you have little or no formal work experience, you can still showcase relevant skills through:
✔ Internships or work placements – Even unpaid experience counts. ✔ Freelance or side projects – If you’ve worked on anything independently, mention it. ✔ Volunteering – Demonstrates teamwork, communication, and leadership. ✔ University projects or coursework – If relevant to the job, highlight key assignments.
Example: Volunteer Marketing Assistant | Local Charity (May 2022 – Present)
Before moving on, ensure your work experience section: ✔ Lists jobs in reverse chronological order (most recent first). ✔ Uses action verbs to highlight responsibilities. ✔ Includes numbers where possible to show impact. ✔ Focuses on achievements rather than just duties.
Now that your work experience is structured for maximum impact, we’ll move on to 6. Showcasing Skills That Matter—how to highlight both hard and soft skills effectively.
Employers are not just looking for experience—they want to know what skills you bring to the role. Your skills section should highlight both hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (personal qualities) relevant to the job.
A strong skills section: ✔ Lists relevant skills for the job – Avoid generic lists. ✔ Includes a mix of hard and soft skills – Balance technical expertise with transferable abilities. ✔ Demonstrates proficiency where possible – Use specific examples or certifications.
Skills fall into two main categories:
🔹 Hard Skills (Job-Specific Skills) – Technical skills needed for a particular job. 🔹 Soft Skills (Transferable Skills) – Interpersonal or workplace skills that apply to any role.
Your skills section should appear after work experience and education. You can:
✔ Use bullet points to make it easy to read. ✔ Group skills into categories (e.g., “Technical Skills”, “Soft Skills”). ✔ List only relevant skills – Tailor this to the job you’re applying for.
Example: Skills
Look at the job description and include skills that match what the employer is looking for.
Many candidates list skills without proving them. Instead of just saying you have a skill, demonstrate it:
🔹 Weak: “Good at social media marketing.” ✅ Strong: “Managed a company Instagram account, increasing engagement by 50% in 3 months.”
🔹 Weak: “Good communicator.” ✅ Strong: “Led weekly team meetings and presented at company-wide conferences with audiences of over 100 people.”
🔹 Weak: “Project management experience.” ✅ Strong: “Successfully coordinated a project involving 5 departments, delivering it 2 weeks ahead of schedule.”
If you’re switching careers or don’t have technical skills, highlight transferable skills:
✅ Customer service experience? → Communication, conflict resolution, problem-solving. ✅ Worked in retail? → Sales skills, teamwork, time management. ✅ University coursework or projects? → Research, writing, presentation skills.
Example: “Although I don’t have direct digital marketing experience, I developed content creation and social media skills while managing my university society’s Facebook page, increasing engagement by 60%.”
✔ Are your skills relevant to the job you’re applying for? ✔ Have you included a mix of technical and soft skills? ✔ Can you demonstrate your skills with examples?
Now that we’ve covered how to showcase your skills, we’ll move on to 7. Formatting, Layout, and Length—ensuring your CV is visually appealing and easy to read.
Even if your CV contains great content, poor formatting can cause it to be instantly rejected. Recruiters spend only a few seconds skimming each CV—if it looks cluttered, hard to read, or too long, they’ll move on to the next one.
A well-formatted CV should be: ✔ Easy to scan – Clear headings, bullet points, and white space. ✔ Professional – Simple, clean fonts with no unnecessary colours or images. ✔ Correctly sized – Ideally 1-2 pages (max 3 for specialists or academics).
1. Use a Clean, Professional Font
2. Keep Margins & Spacing Consistent
3. Use Bold & Headings for Key Sections
4. Use Bullet Points for Achievements
✔ Do: ✅ Keep your CV concise – Stick to relevant information. ✅ Save your CV as a PDF – Ensures formatting stays intact. ✅ Use clear section headings – Make navigation easy for recruiters.
❌ Don’t: ❌ Use coloured backgrounds or fancy borders – Looks unprofessional. ❌ Include a photo – It’s not required in the UK and can cause bias. ❌ Overuse capital letters or italics – They can make text harder to read.
Many candidates lose opportunities because they send CVs with unprofessional filenames.
🚫 Bad Examples:
✅ Good Examples:
Always save your CV as a PDF unless the job advert specifies a Word document.
Before sending your CV, ensure: ✔ It’s free of typos – Use spellcheck or ask someone to proofread. ✔ Formatting is consistent – No mismatched fonts, uneven spacing, or misaligned sections. ✔ The file name is professional – Name it properly as outlined above. ✔ It’s tailored to the job – Ensure your CV includes the right skills and experience.
Now that your CV is formatted correctly, we’ll move on to 8. Addressing Employment Gaps & Career Changes—how to explain missing work history or switching industries without harming your chances.
Employment gaps and career changes can raise red flags for recruiters—if not handled correctly. However, they don’t have to harm your chances. Instead of hiding gaps, the key is to explain them strategically and focus on skills gained during that time.
Gaps in your work history aren’t uncommon. People take breaks for: ✔ Redundancy or job hunting. ✔ Parenting or caregiving responsibilities. ✔ Health issues. ✔ Studying or retraining. ✔ Travel or personal development.
Instead of ignoring the gap, use honest but positive explanations.
Gaps shorter than 6 months usually don’t need explaining—many employers won’t notice them.
Instead of focusing on the gap, highlight what you did during that time:
✅ Redundancy / Job Searching 📌 Example: “After a company-wide redundancy at [Company Name], I took the opportunity to enhance my skills in [Relevant Skill] through [Online Courses / Freelance Work]. I am now eager to apply my expertise in [Field] in my next role.”
✅ Parenting / Caregiving 📌 Example: “Following a career break to care for a family member, I have maintained my professional development through [Freelance Work / Online Training] and am now ready to return to [Industry].”
✅ Health Issues 📌 Example: “After a temporary break for health reasons, I am now fully recovered and excited to re-enter the workforce. I have kept up to date with industry trends through [Self-Study / Part-Time Projects].”
✅ Travel or Personal Development 📌 Example: “I took time to travel, which developed my adaptability, cultural awareness, and problem-solving skills. I am now eager to bring this broadened perspective to [Job Role].”
You can show your time away positively by including any skills gained.
Example of CV Work History With a Gap:
📌 Before (Hiding the Gap – Not Recommended): 2018 – 2021 | Marketing Manager | ABC Ltd 2015 – 2018 | Marketing Assistant | XYZ Ltd 📌 After (Addressing the Gap – Recommended): 2020 – 2021 | Professional Development & Freelance Work – Completed Google Digital Marketing Certification. – Managed a local business’s social media, increasing engagement by 40%. 2018 – 2020 | Marketing Manager | ABC Ltd 2015 – 2018 | Marketing Assistant | XYZ Ltd
If you’re switching careers, focus on transferable skills and relevant experience, even if it’s from a different industry.
1️⃣ Use a Skills-Based CV (instead of listing jobs in order, highlight key skills). 2️⃣ Rewrite Your Personal Statement to reflect your career switch. 3️⃣ Highlight Transferable Skills in your work experience.
🚫 Before (Weak Personal Statement): “I have worked in retail for 6 years but now want to move into digital marketing. I am looking for a job where I can gain experience.”
✅ After (Strong Personal Statement): “A results-driven professional with 6 years of experience in retail sales, now transitioning into digital marketing. Strong skills in customer engagement, brand promotion, and analytics, with recent Google Digital Marketing Certification. Seeking a marketing role where I can apply my sales expertise to drive online growth.”
✔ Did you acknowledge employment gaps professionally? ✔ Did you highlight any skills gained during the gap? ✔ Is your career change supported by transferable skills and relevant experience?
Use a Skills-Based CV if switching careers—this helps employers focus on your abilities rather than job titles.
Now that we’ve covered how to explain employment gaps and career changes, we’ll move on to 9. Common CV Mistakes to Avoid—helping you dodge the pitfalls that can ruin a great application.
Even a well-structured CV can be rejected instantly if it contains common mistakes. Many job seekers unknowingly include errors that make their application look unprofessional or generic.
Below are the biggest CV mistakes—and how to fix them.
Recruiters can spot a copy-paste CV in seconds. To stand out, you need to customise your CV for each job application.
✅ Read the job description carefully – Identify key skills and requirements. ✅ Use keywords from the job advert – Match employer expectations. ✅ Reorder bullet points – List most relevant experience first. ✅ Adjust your personal statement – Show why you’re a perfect fit.
A CV should be adapted for each job application—one-size-fits-all rarely works.
❌ Buzzwords & Clichés Recruiters see meaningless phrases all the time. Instead of saying: 🚫 “I’m a hardworking team player with excellent communication skills.” ✅ Say: “Led a project that increased customer retention by 30%, working across multiple teams.”
❌ Unexplained Employment Gaps Employers get suspicious of unexplained time gaps. Address what you did during that time (see Section 8).
❌ Too Many Personal Details In the UK, you don’t need: 🚫 A photo 🚫 Your date of birth 🚫 Marital status 🚫 National Insurance number
✅ Is your CV 1-2 pages long? ✅ Is spelling and grammar correct? ✅ Have you included action words and achievements? ✅ Is your formatting consistent and professional? ✅ Is your contact information professional? ✅ Have you tailored it to the job description? ✅ Have you saved it as a PDF (unless asked for Word)?
Now that we’ve covered common CV mistakes, we’ll move on to 10. Final Checks Before Sending—a last-minute review to ensure your CV is perfect before submitting it.
Before you hit “submit,” it’s crucial to double-check your CV for any errors or missed opportunities. Even a small mistake can make a recruiter reject your application instantly.
Below is a final checklist to ensure your CV is polished, professional, and job-ready.
Once your CV is ready, the next step is getting it in front of the right employers.
✔ Indeed – One of the UK’s biggest job sites. ✔ Reed – Great for UK-based roles. ✔ Totaljobs – Ideal for various industries. ✔ CV-Library – Employers actively search for CVs. ✔ LinkedIn – Make your profile match your CV for networking.
Before hitting send, double-check everything one last time.
Final Tip:
If possible, print your CV and read it on paper. You’ll spot errors you might miss on a screen.
By following this guide, you’ve built a CV that stands out, highlights your achievements, and avoids common mistakes.
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