How to write a UK CV – Active Recruitment North East

How to write a UK CV?

First impressions count, which is why writing a CV can be a stressful task, whether you are starting from scratch or updating your details. So here are some useful tips on how to write and structure a good CV that will make you stand out from the crowd and get the job.

What information should a UK CV include?

When it comes to a UK CV, the standard is to keep it no longer than two A4 pages, but in all honesty, you should do your best to fit all relevant information on one page. You should include only the main points of your education, experience and skills and skip irrelevant jobs especially from 10 years ago or older.

Contact details

Start with your full name, address, the best phone number to reach you (mobile), and email address. Unlike in some other EU counties, you should not include your photograph unless you’re applying for an acting or modelling job.

Profile

A UK Curriculum Vitae always starts with a profile. A short paragraph of introduction that highlights your key attributes and lists relevant skills to the specific job that you’re applying for. Keep it short, somewhat around 100 words.

Employment

List your work experience with the most recent at the top, followed by previous positions in reverse order. For each job, include the highlighted position name, company name, and timeframe. List daily tasks and achievements.

Education

List your education in reverse chronological order. Include the institution names and timeframes. For each degree, mention qualifications and grades. If no degree, list relevant studies.

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List several skills that may come handy during your new job, especially if you obtained them in your previous work. This is also where you can mention which additional languages you speak or driver’s license and certificates if you hold any.

Hobby and interests

Mentioning interests relevant to the job you’re applying for could back up your skills and help you to stand out from the crowd. Generics like ‘going to the cinema‘ and ‘socialising‘ might not be the best choice, but going overboard with ‘paragliding‘ can be a miss too, unless you are absolutely passionate about it. If you don’t have any interests that may help you get the job, feel free to skip this section.

References

References are often required in UK, but you do not need to list them in your CV. If it generates the interest and you are asked for an interview, there will be a time to provide those details. A simple statement ‘References available upon request‘ at the bottom of your CV will suffice.

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Hobby and interests

For a good template of UK CV, simply go to Google Docs, select Personal account (you will need a Gmail account to log in) and choose the second document from the left.