Top CV tips from recruiters to get your application noticed in the UK

Standing out in the competitive UK job market requires more than just listing your qualifications. An outstanding CV can be the difference between landing your dream job and getting lost in the pile. Here’s a detailed guide, based on our expert insights from Employment Hero’s UK recruiters, on creating a CV that captures attention in 2025.

Why a strong CV matters in 2025

The job landscape in the UK has shifted significantly, making a polished CV more crucial than ever. With fierce competition for jobs, automation and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) filtering applications, presenting yourself effectively is vital.

Here are some of the main reasons to focus on creating a standout CV:

• Automation in Job Applications: ATS automatically scans CVs, filtering out those that don’t meet specific criteria. If not optimized with keywords, your CV may never reach human eyes.
• Economic Factors: With the job market growing more competitive, every detail matters. Your CV should clearly highlight your unique value.
• Recruiters’ Limited Time: On average, recruiters spend just 6-8 seconds on an initial scan of your CV. Making an immediate impact is essential.

CV do’s and don’ts: According to UK recruiters

Recruiters have clear expectations when reviewing CVs. Here’s what they recommend:

CV do’s

• Tailor Your CV to the job description. Align skills and experiences with the role’s requirements to stand out.
• Use Keywords from the job ad to optimize your CV for ATS.
• Quantify Achievements whenever possible. For example, “Boosted sales by 20% in one quarter” demonstrates impact.
• Keep It Professional with a clear layout, readable fonts like Arial or Calibri and no unnecessary graphics.
• Limit Personal Information to your name, contact details, and LinkedIn profile link.

CV don’ts

• Avoid unnecessary details such as age, marital status, or a photo—these aren’t required on UK CVs.
• Don’t exaggerate your qualifications or achievements as they’ll likely be verified during interviews.
• Forget to proofread. Spelling and grammar mistakes can harm your credibility.
• Avoid overloading with irrelevant content. Keep the CV concise and directly relevant.

How to get your CV noticed by recruiters

To break through the barriers of ATS and stand out to hiring managers, you need a strategic approach:

• Use Action Verbs like “developed,” “led,” or “implemented” to add energy to your descriptions. 
• Format for ATS by sticking to clean layouts. Avoid columns or heavily stylized design elements that might confuse ATS scanners. 
• Match Keywords from the job posting to demonstrate alignment without making your content appear robotic. 
• Tailor Content for Each Role by rewriting your CV to highlight the most relevant skills and experience for every application. 
• Keep it Scannable for human readers by ensuring key achievements are easy to spot.

Recruiter-approved CV tips 

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what UK recruiters look for in a CV:

Personal information

When creating your CV, always include your full name, mobile number, email address, and LinkedIn profile. It’s best to avoid including photos, your date of birth, or other personal details, as the focus should remain professional.

Professional summary

Write a short, impactful paragraph at the top of your CV summarising your experience, key skills and career objectives. Use this section to grab attention immediately.

Work experience

When detailing your work experience, start with your most recent job and work backward. For each role, include your job title, the company name, the dates you worked there and (most importantly) what you accomplished, not just what you did.

Skills and qualifications

For your skills, separate them into two groups: “hard skills” (like knowing how to use specific software or tools) and “soft skills” (like communication or teamwork). Make sure to point out any skills that are particularly important for the job you’re applying for, especially if they involve specific tools, technologies or ways of doing things.

Education

For your education and qualifications, highlight your highest achievements and those directly related to the job you’re applying for. It’s generally best to skip listing your GCSE results unless the job specifically asks for them or if you are just starting your career.

Formatting and design

When creating your CV, it’s best to keep the layout simple with clear headings to make it easy to read. Use bullet points to highlight your information, which also helps with readability. Remember to save your CV as a Word document or PDF, depending on what the recruiter prefers.

Common red flags to avoid

• Large gaps in employment without explanation. 
• Spelling or formatting mistakes. 
• Outdated information.

Bonus tips

Add a statement of hobbies or interests only if it will enhance your candidacy (e.g., leadership in volunteer activities or relevant certifications).

Curriculum Vitae writing tips for different industries

Different jobs expect different things from a CV. It’s a good idea to change your CV for each job you apply for.

Creative jobs (like design or marketing):

• Show off your artistic side! You can make your CV look nice with some visual elements.
• If you have examples of your work, include a link to your online portfolio.
• Make sure your CV can still be easily read by computer programs that sort applications (ATS).

Technical jobs (like IT or engineering):

• Highlight your technical skills clearly.
• List the programming languages you know, the tools you can use, and any special certificates you have.

Professional jobs (like finance or law):

• Keep your CV neat and easy to read.
• Focus on your achievements and use numbers to show your success whenever possible (e.g., “Increased sales by 15%”).

For any job, make sure your LinkedIn profile (if you have one) matches what’s on your CV. This helps show you are reliable and professional.

Final checks before submitting your CV 

Before sending your CV, go through this checklist:

• Proofread for errors with tools like Grammarly. 
• Check formatting for ATS compatibility. 
• Ensure consistency between your CV, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile. 
• Save properly as a PDF unless otherwise specified. 
• Revisit keywords to ensure your CV aligns with the job description. 

Create your profile today for more opportunities 

Looking for a faster, smarter way to prepare your CV for the UK job market? Thousands of job seekers are using cutting-edge tools to craft professional documents that land interviews. Start your career transformation today by creating a profile at Employment Hero Jobs and start searching.