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United Kingdom

Writing a CV for the UK

A UK CV is a marketing document with a plain face. Two pages, reverse-chronological, opening with a short personal statement, and carrying the argument itself — the covering letter is often skimmed or skipped entirely, and in many online applications there is nowhere to attach one.

The habit that most often costs a German or Swiss applicant an interview is the personal-details block. A photo, a date of birth, a nationality and a marital status at the top of a UK CV are not neutral — many employers strip or discard applications containing them to keep their process defensible.

Updated August 24, 2026

At a glance

What it is called
CV
Length
Two pages. One for a first job.
Photo
No. Leave it off.
Dates
Month and year, or years alone.
Personal details
Name, phone, email, town. No date of birth, nationality or marital status.
Signature
Never.
Language
English.

What you send

  1. CV — two pages.
  2. A covering letter, if there is somewhere to put one.
  3. Nothing else, unless the advert names it.

What catches people out

  • No photo, no date of birth, no nationality, no marital status, no full street address. A town is enough.
  • Open with a three or four line personal statement. It is the closest thing to an Anschreiben that the document itself carries.
  • Achievements with numbers, written as verb-first sentences: "Cut invoice processing from nine days to three."
  • References are "available on request" and usually not named. Do not attach reference letters.
  • Certificates are not attached. Nobody will ask until an offer stage.
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Templates that suit it

Aldgate

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Linden

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Holloway

ATS-safeSingle column
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Guides for this market

Examples written for it

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