UK CV Format: 2 Pages, British Spelling and a Short Profile

The standard UK CV format is simpler than many applicants expect. It is usually two pages of A4, written in British English, with a short personal statement at the top and your work history in reverse chronological order. There is no photo, no date of birth and no long list of hobbies.

This guide gives you the section order, a page-by-page layout, a spelling checklist and an annotated personal statement you can adapt today. If you are converting a CV from another country, the notes on country differences near the end will help.

The UK CV format at a glance

Most UK employers expect these sections, in roughly this order:

1. Name and contact details: full name, phone number, professional email, town or city, and a LinkedIn URL if it is up to date.
2. Personal statement (also called a profile or summary): three to five lines.
3. Key skills: optional, but useful for roles with clear technical requirements.
4. Work experience: most recent first, with achievements in bullet points.
5. Education and qualifications: most recent first.
6. Additional sections (optional): certifications, languages, volunteering, professional memberships.
7. References: often omitted, or covered by a single line such as "References available on request".

Graduates and career changers sometimes move education above experience. That is fine if your degree or training is the strongest evidence you have for the role.

What to leave out

UK CVs normally exclude:

• A photo
• Date of birth or age
• Marital status, religion or number of children
• Nationality (unless you choose to state your right to work)
• Full postal address (town and postcode area is enough)
• The heading "Curriculum Vitae" (your name is the heading)

UK employers are bound by the Equality Act 2010, and leaving out personal details helps keep the focus on your skills. This is general information, not legal advice.

Right to work

If you already have the right to work in the UK, a short line such as "Full right to work in the UK" can save the recruiter a question. Only include it if it is accurate. For how employers check this, see the official GOV.UK page on proving your right to work, and check government sources directly for anything visa-related rather than relying on this post.

Why two pages is the norm

Two pages of A4 is the common expectation for most UK roles. It gives enough room for a profile, around ten years of relevant experience and your education, without forcing a recruiter to scroll through details that do not matter.

There are exceptions. A school leaver or recent graduate may comfortably fit one page. Academic, medical and some senior technical CVs can run longer because publications, clinical rotations or project lists are expected. For a fuller breakdown, read how long a CV should be in the UK.

A page-by-page plan

Page one

• Name and contact line (two lines at most)
• Personal statement (three to five lines)
• Key skills (six to nine items in two or three columns, or a short list)
• Your current or most recent role, with four to six bullet points

Page two

• Earlier roles, with fewer bullets the further back you go
• Education and qualifications
• Certifications, languages or volunteering if relevant
• References line (optional)

If you are spilling onto a third page, cut roles older than ten to fifteen years down to a single line each (job title, employer, dates), or group them under "Earlier career".

Formatting basics

• Font: a clear font such as Arial, Calibri or Helvetica at 10 to 12 points for body text.
• Margins: around 2 cm. Squeezing margins to fit more in usually makes the page harder to read.
• Dates: pick one style and stick to it, for example Mar 2021 – Present or 03/2021 – Present.
• File type: send a PDF unless the employer asks for Word. Some online application systems prefer .docx, so read the instructions.
• Layout: a single column with standard headings is the safest choice. Applicant tracking systems vary, and some read tables, text boxes and graphics less reliably than plain text.

British spelling checklist

Using British spelling shows care and fits the reader's expectations. Set your word processor to English (UK), then check these common pairs manually, because spellcheckers miss some.

US spelling	UK spelling
organize, prioritize	organise, prioritise
analyze	analyse
color, behavior	colour, behaviour
center	centre
program (non-software)	programme
license (noun)	licence (noun)
enrollment	enrolment
modeling, traveled	modelling, travelled
resume	CV

Two exceptions are worth knowing. Keep "program" when you mean computer software. And if a job advert uses a US spelling for a specific skill or tool name, you can mirror it, since that is the term the employer is searching for.

Also check dates (UK style is day before month, e.g. 04/03/2024 means 4 March) and avoid US terms such as "GPA" without explanation. If you studied abroad, give the grade and, where useful, a short note on what it means.

Writing a short personal statement

The personal statement is the most-read part of many CVs, so keep it tight. Aim for three to five lines, written in the first person without "I" (implied first person is the UK norm).

A useful structure:

1. Who you are professionally: job title or field, and level of experience.
2. What you are good at: two or three strengths that match the job advert and are true.
3. Evidence: one concrete result or scope indicator.
4. What you want next: the type of role you are applying for.

Annotated example

Here is a personal statement for a fictional applicant applying for a customer service team leader role:

Customer service professional with five years' experience in contact centres, including two years supervising a team of eight advisers. Skilled in coaching, call quality monitoring and resolving escalated complaints. Introduced a weekly feedback session that reduced repeat complaints on our team over six months. Looking to step into a team leader role in a customer-focused organisation.

Why each line works:

• "Customer service professional with five years' experience in contact centres": states the field and level in the first few words. Note the apostrophe in five years' and the British centres.
• "including two years supervising a team of eight advisers": gives scope. A specific team size is more believable than "extensive leadership experience".
• "Skilled in coaching, call quality monitoring and resolving escalated complaints": these phrases mirror wording a team leader advert might use. Only include skills you have actually used.
• "Introduced a weekly feedback session that reduced repeat complaints": one result, honestly described. If you have an accurate number from your own records, you can add it; if not, describing the change without a figure is better than guessing.
• "Looking to step into a team leader role in a customer-focused organisation": tells the reader what you want. Organisation uses British spelling.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Clichés with no evidence: "hard-working team player with excellent communication skills" tells the reader nothing they can check.
• Too long: anything over six lines starts to look like a cover letter.
• Writing in the third person: "Sarah is a dedicated…" reads oddly on a CV.
• Copying the job advert word for word: mirror the key terms, but describe your own experience. Our guide on tailoring a CV without lying shows where the line sits.

Writing experience bullets the UK way

Under each role, list the job title, employer, location and dates on one or two lines, then four to six bullets for recent roles. Start each bullet with a strong past-tense verb (present tense for your current role) and include results where you can.

Weak: Responsible for managing social media.

Stronger: Planned and scheduled content for three social channels, and introduced a monthly report that the marketing manager used to set priorities.

The stronger version says what you did, how, and why it mattered, without inventing numbers. If you want a structured starting point, the AI CV builder can draft a two-page layout that you then edit to match your real experience.

How UK CVs differ from other countries

If you have a CV built for another market, these are the main changes to consider:

• Nigeria: Nigerian CVs often include date of birth, state of origin, marital status and a longer list of referees. For UK applications, these are usually removed. See Nigerian CV vs UK CV differences for a full list.
• US: a US resume is often one page, uses US spelling and typically skips the "References available on request" line. In the US, "CV" usually means a longer academic document.
• Canada: Canadian resumes are similar to UK CVs in leaving out photos and personal details, but use Canadian spelling, which mixes British and American forms.
• Australia: Australian CVs are often longer than two pages and frequently list referees with contact details. Public sector roles may also ask for responses to selection criteria.

When in doubt, follow the employer's instructions. If a UK application form asks for something specific, such as a supporting statement for the NHS or a council, that takes priority over general CV conventions.

Final checklist before you send

• Two pages or fewer (unless your field expects more)
• Name as the heading, no "Curriculum Vitae"
• No photo, date of birth or marital status
• Personal statement of three to five lines, tailored to this role
• Work history in reverse chronological order
• Bullets start with verbs and describe real achievements
• Spelling set to English (UK), with the table above checked manually
• Consistent date format and fonts
• File named clearly, e.g. Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf
• Every skill and keyword truthfully describes your experience

A well-formatted CV will not guarantee an interview, but it removes avoidable reasons for a recruiter to move on and makes your real experience easier to see.