Your CV format can make or break your job application. A well-formatted CV is easy to scan, passes ATS systems, and makes a professional impression. This guide covers everything you need to know about CV formatting for UK jobs in 2025.
Why CV Format Matters
Recruiters spend an average of 6-8 seconds on initial CV screening. A clean, professional format helps them quickly find the information they need. Poor formatting can get your CV rejected before anyone reads the content.
📊 Research Shows
75% of CVs are rejected due to poor formatting or ATS incompatibility, even when candidates are qualified for the role.
3 Main CV Format Types
1. Reverse Chronological (Most Common)
Lists work experience from most recent to oldest. Best for: Most professionals with consistent work history.
✅ Advantages:
- • Most familiar to recruiters
- • Shows clear career progression
- • ATS-friendly
- • Easy to scan quickly
2. Skills-Based (Functional)
Emphasizes skills over work history. Best for: Career changers, employment gaps, or varied experience.
⚠️ Use Carefully:
- • Some recruiters are skeptical of this format
- • Can be harder for ATS to parse
- • May raise questions about work history
- • Best combined with chronological elements
3. Combination (Hybrid)
Highlights skills at the top, followed by chronological work history. Best for: Senior professionals or career changers with relevant skills.
💡 Best of Both:
- • Showcases key skills immediately
- • Maintains chronological work history
- • Good for highlighting transferable skills
- • Works well for senior roles
Professional CV Layout Guidelines
Typography & Fonts
✅ Professional Fonts:
- Traditional: Times New Roman, Georgia
- Modern: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica
- Contemporary: Lato, Roboto, Open Sans
- Creative: Garamond, Gill Sans (use sparingly)
❌ Fonts to Avoid:
- Comic Sans (unprofessional)
- Papyrus (outdated)
- Brush Script (hard to read)
- Decorative fonts (ATS can't read)
📏 Font Size Guidelines:
- • Name/Header: 18-24pt
- • Section Headings: 14-16pt (bold)
- • Body Text: 10-12pt
- • Minimum: Never go below 10pt
Margins & Spacing
Margins:
- Standard: 2.5cm (1 inch) all sides
- Minimum: 2cm (0.8 inch)
- Maximum: 3cm (1.2 inch)
- Keep consistent on all sides
Line Spacing:
- Body text: 1.15 or 1.5
- Between sections: 12-18pt
- Between bullets: 6-8pt
- Use white space strategically
Color Scheme
Color can enhance your CV, but use it sparingly:
Conservative
Finance, Law, Accounting
Black & grey only
Professional
Most corporate roles
One accent color (navy, teal, burgundy)
Creative
Design, Marketing, Media
Modern color palette acceptable
❌ Color Mistakes:
- • Using multiple bright colors
- • Colored backgrounds (hard to print)
- • Low contrast text (hard to read)
- • Neon or fluorescent colors
CV Layout Examples
Layout 1: Classic Professional
YOUR NAME
Location | Phone | Email | LinkedIn
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
3-4 sentences about your experience and key achievements...
WORK EXPERIENCE
Job Title | Company | Dates
- Achievement with quantified result
- Another achievement with numbers
EDUCATION
Degree | University | Year
SKILLS
Technical Skills: List here...
✅ Best For:
Traditional industries, mid-senior professionals, straightforward career paths
Layout 2: Modern Two-Column
CONTACT
Phone
Email
LinkedIn
SKILLS
• Skill 1
• Skill 2
• Skill 3
EDUCATION
Degree
University
Year
YOUR NAME
Professional title or summary...
EXPERIENCE
Job Title | Company
Dates
- Achievement 1
- Achievement 2
✅ Best For:
Tech, creative industries, professionals wanting modern look
⚠️ Caution:
Some ATS systems struggle with columns - test before sending
Layout 3: Skills-First Hybrid
YOUR NAME
Professional Title
Contact Information
CORE COMPETENCIES
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Job Title | Company | Dates
- Achievement demonstrating core competencies
✅ Best For:
Career changers, senior professionals, highlighting transferable skills
ATS-Friendly Formatting Rules
92% of UK recruiters use ATS systems. Follow these rules to ensure your CV passes:
Use Standard Section Headings
"Work Experience" not "Where I've Worked" - ATS looks for standard terms
Avoid Tables, Text Boxes, Columns
ATS can't read complex layouts - stick to simple formatting
Don't Put Info in Headers/Footers
ATS often ignores header/footer content
Use Standard Bullet Points
Simple bullets (•) work best - avoid fancy symbols
Save as .docx or PDF
Check job posting - most accept both, some prefer .docx
Include Keywords from Job Description
Use exact phrases from the posting throughout your CV
Common CV Formatting Mistakes
❌ Inconsistent Formatting
Using different fonts, sizes, or bullet styles throughout - looks unprofessional
❌ Too Much Bold/Italics/Underline
Overuse of formatting makes CV hard to read - use sparingly for emphasis
❌ Cramming Too Much Content
Tiny fonts and narrow margins to fit everything - edit content instead
❌ Using Graphics or Images
Charts, graphs, or icons look nice but ATS can't read them
❌ Inconsistent Date Formatting
Pick one format (Month Year or MM/YYYY) and use it throughout
CV Format Checklist
Before Sending Your CV:
Layout:
- Clean, professional appearance
- Consistent formatting throughout
- Adequate white space
- 2 pages maximum (UK standard)
Technical:
- ATS-friendly (no tables/columns)
- Saved as PDF or .docx
- File name: FirstName_LastName_CV.pdf
- Test print to check appearance
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Key Takeaways
- Use reverse chronological format for most applications
- Choose professional fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman)
- Keep consistent formatting throughout your CV
- Ensure ATS compatibility - avoid tables and columns
- Use adequate white space for readability
- Stick to 2 pages for UK CVs