UK employers expect a concise, achievement-focused CV — usually two pages of A4. Here is what a strong British CV looks like.
The essentials
- Length: up to two pages for most professionals; one page is fine for students and graduates.
- Paper size: A4.
- Spelling: British English (organise, programme, licence).
- File: a text-based PDF unless the employer asks for Word.
What to include
- Name and contact details — phone, email, town or city, and LinkedIn. A full postal address is not necessary.
- Personal statement (profile) — three or four lines summarising who you are, your strongest experience and what you are looking for.
- Work experience — reverse chronological, with clear dates and achievement-focused bullets.
- Education — degree and classification (e.g. 2:1, First), university and dates. For experienced candidates, keep this short.
- Skills — technical skills, software, languages, and professional qualifications such as ACCA, CIPD or PRINCE2.
- Optional: volunteering, achievements, professional memberships.
What to leave out
Under the Equality Act 2010, employers should not make decisions based on protected characteristics, so most UK CVs do not include:
- A photograph
- Date of birth or age
- Marital status, religion or nationality
If you need a visa to work in the UK, or already have the right to work, it can help to state this briefly, for example “Full right to work in the UK”.
References
You no longer need to write “References available on request” — employers assume it. Have two referees ready, usually a recent manager and another professional contact.
Tone and style
- Write bullets without personal pronouns and start with action verbs.
- Keep sentences short and specific.
- Back up claims with evidence — numbers, outcomes, scale.
The Standard and Clarity templates match UK expectations well. Use the CV checklist before you apply.