No photo — ever
UK CVs carry no headshot. Employers screen for skills, not appearance, and application systems often strip or reject images. A photo reads as a CV written for another country.
UK CV format
UK employers expect a very specific document: two pages, no photo, no personal details and achievements that can be counted. Here is the structure, then let us rewrite your CV into it.
Rewrite my CV for the UKThe four rules that differ most from other countries
Two pages, nothing personal
Two pages covers almost every career. No date of birth, nationality or marital status — the Equality Act 2010 means these details have no place in UK hiring.
Achievements, not duties
UK recruiters skim for results: numbers, outcomes, scope. 'Responsible for a team of six' loses to 'Led a six-person team that cut delivery times 30%'.
Cover letter carries weight
A tailored cover letter is still expected for most UK professional roles and is often read before the CV. Write one for every application — the same letter never works twice.
UK CV structure, in order
- 1
Name and contact details
Full name, phone, email and city. No photo, no date of birth, no full address.
- 2
Personal statement
Three or four lines: who you are, your strongest relevant experience and what you're aiming for, tuned to the role.
- 3
Work experience
Roles newest first with dates (MM/YYYY), employer, location and 3–5 achievement bullets each. Explain any gaps.
- 4
Education
Degrees with institution and dates; A-levels and GCSEs summarised briefly once you have work experience.
- 5
Skills
Job-relevant technical and language skills, each with an honest level.
- 6
Additional information
Only what earns its space: right to work, volunteering, publications or notable projects.
- 7
References
Omit the line entirely — UK employers ask when they need them.
Mistakes that get UK applications rejected
- Adding a photo, date of birth or nationality — instant signals of a non-UK CV.
- Padding to three pages with duties instead of results.
- A generic personal statement reused for every application.
- US spelling ('organize', 'specialized') instead of British English.
- Listing 'References available on request' — wasted space recruiters ignore.
- Unexplained career gaps; UK recruiters expect the timeline to be continuous or accounted for.
Get a UK-ready version of your CV
Upload your current CV, pick the United Kingdom as your target country and get a scored review plus three rewritten versions — one tuned for screening software, one for the hiring manager and one shaped to UK conventions.