CVs

In brief

A CV is a document that provides a summary of your achievements in your education, experience, and any other information. The purpose of this document is to is to showcase your knowledge, skills, and capabilities for the prospective recruiters to assess your suitability for the opportunity you are applying for.

Creating a good CV takes time and effort, and the process is never really finished. You need to keep revising your CV to keep your information up to date and reassess its content in the light of how your experience and plans change. A CV should also be tailored to the specific opportunity you are applying for. It is important to showcase the most relevant experiences and skills that align with the requirements of the position being applied for. By highlighting specific accomplishments, coursework research projects, internships, or other experiences, a targeted CV demonstrates the candidate’s suitability for the specific opportunity and increases their chances of being considered as a strong candidate.

PDF downloads

Useful links

In depth: guide to CVs

General Guidance

Employers typically dedicate limited time to reviewing application documents, and often utilise Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) for initial screening. Given these constraints, crafting a compelling CV becomes imperative. Although there is no universal template, following fundamental guidelines significantly enhances the potential for your CV to make a positive and lasting impact.

Do’s

Use a clear modern font to make it easier to read. The recommended choice is Calibri in size 11; while size 10 is acceptable, refrain from using any smaller font, as it may compromise readability.
Aim for clarity of presentation, style and format. Make sure the layout is consistent so if you are going have your sub-headings in capitals and the dates on the right-hand side, then make sure this is all the way through your CV.
Make sure your sections are in reverse chronological order (with the most recent experience at the top and the oldest at the bottom).
Convert your CV into a PDF with a professional title like your full name and not ‘my cv’ or ‘CV final version’.
Use headings to separate the different sections.
Use bullet points and action words as well as facts and figures to detail your experience and make it easy to see the skills you have developed and the impact you have had.
Use the vocabulary of the industry you wish to enter without resorting to jargon or abbreviation.
Always keep your CV in the third person (never use ‘I’ or ‘me’). Use positive active and positive words to describe your responsibilities and avoid using phrases like ‘I had to…’ or ‘I think I can…’.

Don’ts

Don’t list the skills the recruiters are looking for, embed them into your education and experience section.
Avoid using cliche statements.
Avoid repetition and unnecessary words.
Avoid writing paragraphs – use snappy and concise bullet points.
Don’t distance yourself by using phrases such ‘I helped to..’, ‘I was involved in…’
Check for spelling and grammar – make sure it is UK English if you are applying for position in the UK. If you use another country’s English, The ATS system may flag your CV with spelling and grammar mistakes.
For UK CVs, you shouldn’t include date of birth, marital status, gender, nationality, or a photograph.
Too sparse/too long – you need to give the reader enough information so they can understand what you can offer.
Avoid using tables and text boxes – some ATS systems are not able to detect any content within a table and/or text box.
Use the bold function for headings or sub heading but don’t highlight everything in bold as it will lose it impact.
Its best to keep it in black and while and not use colours (this also includes logos and graphics) unless you’re applying for opportunities in the creative industries.

Tailor your CV

There is no such thing as a 'generic CV'. If you hope to be successful in your job applications, you will need to tailor your CV for every role you apply to. Never submit the same application twice but instead always adapt it to showcase how you meet the person specification of the post you are applying for.

Do your research about the company/role before you update your CV so you are clear about what skills and experiences they are looking for in an ideal candidate. Find more tips on how to conduct effective employer research here.Link opens in a new window

Employers will examine your CV to assess how well your knowledge and experience matches the job description. Applicants who customise their CV to showcase relevant experiences and examples that most closely match the person specification will be the ones shortlisted for an interview.

This example CV resource shows a sample job advert for a Social Media and Marketing Assistant role. It demonstrates how the CV can be tailored to highlight relevant skills by mirroring the language used by the employer.

If you are not given a detailed job description, it may be helpful to look at Prospects Job ProfilesLink opens in a new window. These cover a range of different job roles and have a super-handy ‘Skills’ section which lists 10 or more skills that you’ll likely need for the role. Use these as a checklist to make sure that you are highlighting the right kind of skills from your work, voluntary and university experiences.

Concise bullet points are a great way to summarise your experiences. Always try to match your bullet points to the skills needed in the role and remember ‘show, don’t tell’. Try to avoid listing soft skills or simply stating what you did by providing a general list of your responsibilities. Instead, you should explain how you used a particular skill in the context of an example.

To ensure a positive first impression use strong professional words and phrases which clearly describe your capabilities, experience and achievements. The information should be factual and specific; avoid generic and bland statement. Think about using verbs to demonstrate popular skills such as teamwork, communication, problem solving and leadership.

Examples:

“Excellent communication skills”

- it is not enough to just list a skill on your CV without backing it up with evidence.

“Designed a social media communication strategy including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook and YouTube from scratch, in collaboration with other team members”

- this example is much better as it provides a detailed example that demonstrates both communication and teamwork skills.

Sector specific

Sector Specific CVs

As we’ve said, all CVs will need to be tailored to the role you are going for so that they showcase exactly what each recruiter is looking for. However, depending on the opportunity you are applying for, there will be a few more things to think about. We’ve added a few general notes below as well as some links to good CV resources but make sure that you are always following any guidance given by each opportunity you are applying to.

CVs for different sectors

Although all CVs will generally follow the same structure, there are a few things to consider. Some sectors such as finance (particularly banking) and consulting often like to see a concise 1 page CV whereas other sectors such as law and engineering generally want a 2 page document. This may differ between individual employers so always follow what is asked for in the job advert for the role you are applying for.

Depending on the sector, you may want to include some extra information. Legal employers like to know all your modules and grades (if you have studied a Law degree). For roles in tech and engineering, employers like to have a skills section where you are clear what you have learned on your course and also whether you are a member of any professional body. Scientific employers will like to know what lab work you have done on your course or on work experience. Make sure that you are always showcasing your relevant skills and experience for the sector, employer and role you are applying to.

For more information on different CVs, have a look at CVs and cover letters | Prospects.ac.uk.

Academic CVs

CVs for Masters or PhD level study will be very similar to a CV for a job. However, you might want to think about adding more detail into your Education section if these courses are directly leading on from your UG/Masters degree. If you are applying for a science course, be clear about your lab experience (if relevant).

CVs for academic roles (post-PhD) will also be similar in layout to a CV for a job but you might have some extra sections on here such as teaching experience, publications, papers or grants. Academic CVs can often be a lot longer than a CV for a job so don’t worry if you need to use more space. For more information on academic CVs, have a look at Academic CV example | Prospects.ac.uk.

Global applications

Global Applications

The advice we provide is based on the UK labour market. Although employers across the world will all use a CV in the same way, the formalities of what to include and the expected length of the CV might change slightly.

If you are applying for a non-UK role, have a look at the country career guides on GoinGlobal to see CV advice for many different countries.

Get 1:1 feedback

If you would like feedback on a CV or other application documents, you can book a Job Search and Application Advice appointment through myAdvantage. You’ll see we have different options available including email appointments (where you’ll receive written feedback on your documents), MS Teams appointments (where you can chat online to an adviser) or in-person appointments if you want to meet us on campus. Just book for whatever is right for you.

As each CV and application document will need to be adapted for each role you apply to, you’ll get the most out of an appointment if you are applying for a specific role. When you book, make sure you include the link to the opportunity you are applying for and we can give you tailored feedback on whether you are showcasing your skills and experience effectively for that role. Please note that we won’t proof-read your applications for spelling or grammar errors (although we will always mention if we see specific issues occurring) but will be commenting on the content and tailoring.

If you are a recent graduate, you can use this feedback service for up to two years after you finished your course. For more information see: Graduates.