Is your CV good enough
for UK employers?
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What a good UK CV looks like
UK CV conventions are different from US résumés and from CV norms in other European countries. Here is what UK recruiters and hiring managers expect to see — and what will cause your application to be rejected before it is read.
| Element | UK standard |
|---|---|
| Length | 2 pages (1 for graduates, max 3 for senior professionals) |
| Format | Single-column PDF, 10–12pt font, consistent margins |
| Personal statement | 3–5 lines, role-specific, names the job title or sector |
| Work experience | Reverse chronological, month + year, achievement-focused bullets |
| Keywords | Mirror the language of the specific job description |
| Education | Degree-level and above with institution, qualification and year |
| Skills section | Relevant tools, software, languages and certifications |
| Photo / personal info | No photo. No DOB. No marital status. Name, phone, email, LinkedIn optional. |
See how your CV measures up
Upload your CV and get instant feedback on formatting, language, keyword gaps, and the specific changes that will make the biggest difference to your application.
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The most common UK CV mistakes
These are the problems we see most frequently when UK candidates upload their CVs. Any one of them can be enough to filter an application before a recruiter reads it.
Using a template designed for US résumés
UK CVs and US résumés have different conventions. UK CVs do not typically include an objective statement, references section ("references available on request" is unnecessary and takes up space), or a photo. Many US-style templates also use two-column layouts that break UK ATS systems.
No dates on work experience
UK recruiters expect to see month and year on all employment entries. Missing dates look like an attempt to conceal employment gaps and flag the CV for closer scrutiny. Be honest and clear — gaps are not unusual and can be addressed in a cover letter if needed.
Duties instead of achievements
The most common weakness in UK CVs is describing what you were responsible for rather than what you achieved. "Managed the marketing budget" tells a recruiter nothing about your impact. "Managed a £200k marketing budget, reducing cost-per-lead by 18%" is a different conversation.
Sending the same CV to every job
A generic CV that lists everything you have done scores poorly against specific job descriptions because it is not written for any of them. The keywords, section emphasis, and personal statement should all shift to match the role. Tailoring is not deception — it is how experienced candidates apply.
Poor formatting that an ATS cannot read
UK employers — particularly NHS Trusts, local authorities, FTSE 100 companies, and most agencies — use Applicant Tracking Systems. A visually impressive CV built with tables, graphics, or columns may not be readable by these systems, which means it scores zero before a human ever sees it.
A generic or missing personal statement
The personal statement sits at the top of your CV — the first thing both the ATS and the recruiter reads. A weak or absent opening reduces your score on the most visible part of the document. Write 3–5 lines specific to the role and employer you are targeting.
What your free CV check includes
You get more than a score — you get a breakdown that tells you what to fix.
CV quality score (0–100)
A single number reflecting overall CV quality across formatting, content, language and structure.
Keyword gap analysis
Paste a job description and see exactly which skills, qualifications and phrases are missing from your CV.
Format and parsability check
A check on whether your CV format will be read correctly by UK ATS systems or filtered out before a human sees it.
Weak bullet identification
Flags bullets that describe duties rather than achievements, or use generic language that adds no signal.
Section completeness
Confirms whether you have the sections UK recruiters expect — personal statement, work experience, education, skills.
Specific improvement suggestions
Not generic advice — specific rewrites and changes prioritised by impact on your score.
Need to go further? Our AI CV enhancer rewrites weak bullets and tightens your personal statement once you know the gaps.
Free CV check — frequently asked questions
Related tools and guides
→ ATS CV checker — check your CV against a specific job description and get your ATS match score.
→ AI CV enhancement — rewrite weak bullets and improve your personal statement with AI.
→ How to improve your CV — detailed guide to the changes that have the most impact on your application.
→ Tailor CV to job description — match your CV language to the specific role before you apply.
→ Interview preparation — once your CV is landing interviews, prepare for the next stage.
→ What is an ATS score? — understand how automated CV screening works and what your score means.
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