A clear and simple CV layout will significantly increase the chances that your application for a position will be approved. Imagine job seekers showing up for an interview in their pyjamas. Of course, this is unacceptable. An improperly designed job application will convey the same message: you must do thorough work or prepare for the interview.
For you to have every chance of getting the position you want, you need to know how to lay out a CV. In our article, you can find useful tips and expert recommendations on many issues. We also have a CV example in several variants, on which you will be able to compose your own.
Table of Contents
A good CV layout is the best way to attract a recruiter’s attention. Hiring managers often spend only a few seconds reviewing a single application. For this reason, you need to use the perfect CV layout that is as clear and easy to read as possible. UK CV formats imply several options:
The last option is the best and most common. A chronological CV tells more about work history, starting from the most recent work experience. The reverse chronological format best suits professionals with solid work experience in previous positions.
CV formats are a plan for your future CV. CV writing requires first that you choose a format for your submission. At the moment, UK CV involves the following formats:
First, choose the best CV format before you start writing it directly. You can compose the document yourself or use a special CV builder, where you need to fill in the already prepared fields to get a finished document in PDF format, which can be used to send to hiring managers in the future.
A hiring manager looks at several hundred different job openings every week. The most valuable advice you can give if you want to be more visible is to use the simplest possible CV template. It would help if you did not try to stand out with colour and other techniques. Use a minimal, colourful CV template with busy logos, additional backgrounds, photos and full diagrams of your skills. The reverse chronological CV format presented will distract from the main content of the document and only confuse the recruiter more.
A professional CV layout should always be classic, where content is more important than visuals. Use a more creative CV layout. Prefer a simple and clear black and white colour scheme (simultaneously, you can add some colour in your headings to structure them properly), refuse any pictures.
Best CV layouts are presented in the form of clean and simple fonts. They are the ones that create a pleasant reading experience for potential employers or hiring managers. This way, you can be sure that your CV is concise and will not be confusing. Also, consider that some job responses may be scanned through special software before a recruiter can see them. Therefore, the best CV layout should have the simplest and clearest visuals possible.
CV formatting is of great importance. It should be standardised: name and contact details are required at the top, followed by an education section and career summary, personal statement, key skills and so on. At the same time, talking about your hobbies and interests is completely unnecessary. Modern professional CV templates are more and more often found in the form of a single page. But it is also worth considering that if you are an experienced candidate with a long work history, many skills and awards, a reverse chronological CV can be two pages or even more.
A Professional document must always start with a header. All CV templates, without exception, have a header in the topmost section. Here, you need to specify your name and contact details. Pay attention to the fact that here, it is necessary to specify only relevant information – your valid phone number, email, etc. You can additionally highlight the contact details in bold or increase the font size so that they catch the eye of the hiring manager, and they don’t have to search for your phone number or email for a long time if they want to contact you.
The title may not be the biggest section in modern CV layout, but it is definitely one of the most important. In addition to the name, you can include the current job title and personal details.
Often, applicants write a three-page CV or more, trying to include everything they have ever done. It is far from the best solution. The main unnamed rule of the UK CV regarding length is that it should be a maximum of a couple of pages. In this case, it does not matter who is engaged in the job search: a school leaver or an employee with many years of experience and numerous awards. But there are also exceptions to this rule.
If you have no experience, there are better solutions than reverse chronological order. A one-page CV format is best in this situation. A reverse chronological CV is best if the employee has several decades of experience. Tailoring your CV depends on who exactly it is being written about.
A good CV must necessarily be organised and structured. It should also be easy to scan. The easiest way to make it easy for a hiring manager to read your CV is to organise it into several sections with appropriate headings. The traditional and easy-to-read CV format involves several separate but related sections. The most common items used in the document are as follows:
Depending on the section, different formatting can be used to maximise the quality of your presentation and use white space. For example, experience and key skills are best presented as a list so that they are easy to read. Career information is best presented in the form of a short paragraph.
The best CV layout is the result of thorough work. To make it much easier to get the desired position, it is best to learn professional tips on how to lay out a CV. We have collected some key tips on this topic for you:
Also, consider another piece of advice – always reread your UK CV for spelling mistakes. Also, check that your qualifications and experience are spelt correctly. You could ask a friend or colleague to reread your CV for any mistakes you may not have noticed.
Font size must be easy to read and be as clear as possible. It is okay to choose artistic fonts that are impossible to make out. The best option is 11-12 (this rule applies to the document’s body). The headings and titles of sections should be larger to stand out against the background. The best size is 14-16.
Never go for a font size of 10, as it is too small and difficult to read. You should keep the calibre of the letters in favour of fitting into just one page. At the same time, you can use this size to include information of secondary importance in the document.
There are many options for how you can design a document. Best CV fonts: Arial, Times New Roman, Helvetica, Calibri, Cambria.
Nothing is worse than reading a resume filled with text from edge to edge. Academic CV and other variations should be properly spaced – 1 inch from each page edge. The presented width of page margins gives enough space to accommodate all the necessary information while, at the same time, the white space of the document will not look too crowded.
Once you learn the CV advice, you can look at ready-made UK examples of CV layouts. You can use them to write your own by replacing contact details and other necessary information.
Melinda Anderson
: 111-222-3333
Melinda.Anderson@email.com
Vancouver, WashingtonProfessional Summary: Creative and driven game designer looking for a senior computer game development company position. I want to use my storytelling skills to develop compelling video games with dynamic plots and interesting characters.
Professional Experience:
Game designer
Tiger Studios, Vancouver, Washington, June 2020. – present
- Developing schema, story and gameplay for computer games;
- Over 3 years of creating and writing 5 video games, including 3 real-time strategy 2 survival games;
- Working with the team to create character models and write a complex storyline;
- introduction of a system of feedback from users of the video game demo version.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science and Game Design course at North Grove University, graduation May 2020.
Skills:
- Communication;
- time management;
- critical thinking;
- Ability to work with gaming systems and platforms;
- Intermediate level programming skills;
- Ability to develop character design and storyline.
Awards and Grants: Best Game Developer 2022 for his design work on the game “Galaxy Castle”.
Andre Marques
Carson City, Nevada
(152) 888-9999
AndreMarquez@email.comEducation: Bachelor of Arts, English, University of Miami, Florida, graduation year 2016.
Professional Experience:
Adjunct instructor at Miami-Dade College, 2019-2022. Introduction to creative writing. Women’s literature, English composition.
Teaching Assistant at the University of Miami, 2016-2019. English composition, English as a second language.Languages:
- English (native);
- Spanish (second language);
- French (colloquial).
