How to write a UK CV that is easy to shortlist
A practical structure for presenting your experience clearly, tailoring each application and keeping your CV useful to recruiters.
Start with the decision a recruiter needs to make
A CV is not your full career history. It is the evidence a recruiter needs to decide whether to speak with you. Lead with the role you are targeting, the experience most relevant to it and the results you have delivered.
- Use a clear name and contact heading.
- Add a short professional summary tailored to the vacancy.
- List recent experience first and make dates easy to scan.
- Describe outcomes, responsibilities and scale rather than copying a job description.
Make evidence specific
Replace broad claims such as ‘excellent communicator’ with a short example. Numbers can help when they are meaningful: team size, caseload, revenue, response time, pupil progress or projects delivered.
- Name systems, qualifications and specialist skills that appear in the advert.
- Explain gaps briefly where context would help.
- Keep older or unrelated roles concise.
- Use plain formatting that works on desktop and mobile.
Check it before you apply
Save a master CV, then create a focused version for each type of role. Check names, dates, spelling, links and the filename before uploading. PDF is usually the safest format unless an employer asks for DOCX.