How To A Uk CV Template and Example
A strong UK CV is a concise, two-page document that highlights your relevant experience, skills, and achievements in a clear, factual manner. It should be tailored to the specific job, using UK conventions such as no photo, no date of birth, and a professional summary at the top. This guide shows you exactly what to include and how to present it.
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How To A Uk CV example (Professional template)
A full-page example built for this role. Use it as a structure reference — replace every line with your own experience.
Skills hiring managers look for in a How To A Uk
- Policy development
- Legislative drafting
- Impact assessments
- Stakeholder consultation
- Regulatory analysis
- Public affairs
- Parliamentary procedure
- Data analysis (Excel, SPSS)
- Project management (Agile, PRINCE2)
- Report writing
- Briefing senior officials
- Freedom of Information requests
What to include in a UK CV
A UK CV typically includes a personal statement, a skills section, your work experience in reverse chronological order, education, and any relevant certifications or projects. Personal details like age, marital status, or a photo are not required and should be omitted to comply with anti-discrimination guidelines. Contact details should include your email and LinkedIn profile, but not your full address; city and postcode area are sufficient.
- Personal statement: 2-3 sentences summarising your experience and what you offer.
- Skills: a mix of technical and soft skills, ideally matching the job description.
- Experience: paid and unpaid roles, with bullet points focusing on achievements.
- Education: most recent first, including grades if they are strong.
- Certifications: relevant professional qualifications.
- Projects: optional but useful to demonstrate practical skills.
How to write experience bullets for a UK CV
Each bullet should describe a specific action you took and the measurable result. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) but keep it concise. Start with a strong verb and include numbers where possible. Avoid generic statements like 'responsible for' or 'duties included'. Instead, show impact: 'Increased X by Y%' or 'Reduced Z by N days'.
- Led a review of the Regional Transport Bill, coordinating input from 12 stakeholder groups and producing a 60-page impact assessment cited in parliamentary debate.
- Designed and ran a public consultation on bus franchising, receiving over 4,200 responses and reducing processing time by 30%.
- Briefed the Minister for Transport on 15+ occasions, preparing concise briefing packs that informed three key policy decisions.
Skills hiring managers scan for
For policy roles, hiring managers look for evidence of policy development, legislative drafting, stakeholder consultation, and impact assessment. They also value project management, data analysis, and strong written communication. In the UK, familiarity with parliamentary procedure and experience in government or regulatory bodies is highly desirable. Include both technical skills (e.g., Excel, SPSS) and soft skills (e.g., briefing senior officials) but back them up with examples in your experience section.
- Policy development and legislative drafting
- Impact assessments and regulatory analysis
- Stakeholder consultation and public affairs
- Project management (Agile, PRINCE2)
- Data analysis and report writing
- Briefing senior officials and Freedom of Information requests
Common mistakes in UK CVs
Many applicants include irrelevant personal information, use unprofessional email addresses, or write overly long CVs. UK CVs should be no more than two pages, unless you are an academic. Avoid generic phrases like 'hard-working team player' without evidence. Do not include a photo, date of birth, or marital status. Tailor your CV to each job; a one-size-fits-all approach is easily spotted. Finally, check for spelling and grammar errors—they can cost you an interview.
- Including a photo or personal details like age or marital status.
- Writing more than two pages without justification.
- Using vague statements instead of quantified achievements.
- Not tailoring the CV to the specific job.
- Leaving out a personal statement or making it too generic.
- Forgetting to proofread for spelling and grammar.
UK CV format and layout
Use a clean, professional font like Arial or Calibri at 10-12pt. Keep margins consistent and use bold headings to separate sections. Reverse chronological order is standard for experience and education. For creative roles, a simple two-column layout can work, but for policy and corporate roles, a single-column layout is safer. Save your CV as a PDF unless the employer asks for Word. Name the file with your full name and 'CV', e.g., 'Eleanor_Whitcombe_CV.pdf'.
- Font: Arial or Calibri, 10-12pt.
- Margins: 2cm all around.
- Headings: bold and slightly larger than body text.
- Length: two pages maximum.
- File format: PDF unless specified otherwise.
How To A Uk CV — frequently asked questions
How long should a UK CV be?
A UK CV should be no more than two pages for most roles. If you have extensive experience, you can go to three pages, but keep it concise. Academics may use longer CVs, but for industry roles, two pages is the standard. Focus on quality over quantity.
Do I need to include a photo on my UK CV?
No, you should not include a photo on a UK CV. It is not standard practice and can lead to discrimination. Employers in the UK do not expect photos, and including one may even count against you. Omit it to keep your CV professional and compliant with equality laws.
What personal details should I include on a UK CV?
Include your full name, city and postcode area, email address, and LinkedIn profile URL. Do not include your full street address, date of birth, marital status, or nationality unless specifically required for the role (e.g., security clearance). Phone number is optional but often expected; you can include a mobile number if you are comfortable.
How do I write a personal statement for a UK CV?
Your personal statement should be 2-3 sentences that summarise your experience, key skills, and what you are looking for. Tailor it to the job by mirroring the language in the job description. Avoid clichés like 'hard-working team player' and instead highlight a specific achievement or expertise. For example: 'Policy adviser with 8 years of experience in central government, specialising in transport legislation and stakeholder consultation.'
Should I include references on my UK CV?
No, you should not include references on your CV. Instead, you can write 'References available on request' at the end, or simply omit it. Employers will ask for references later in the process, usually after an interview. Having a separate reference list ready is a good idea.