How to format a CV

Create a clear hierarchy

Use your name as the document title, followed by contact details. Divide the CV with descriptive headings such as Profile, Employment, Education and Skills. Make headings visually distinct in one consistent way. Keep body text at a readable size; the National Careers Service suggests a clear font at size 11 or larger.

Use one typeface or a restrained pairing and consistent spacing. Align dates predictably. Bullets help readers scan achievements, but each should still communicate a complete idea. Avoid decorative rating bars for skills because they do not explain what a rating means.

• Name at the top, larger than section headings.
• Consistent heading levels and date format.
• Comfortable margins and space between sections.
• Short bullets with visible outcomes.

Control length through editing

Prospects reports a common recommendation of no more than two A4 pages for standard CVs, while noting that circumstances differ and academic CVs may be longer. Treat that as an editing prompt, not a reason to shrink text until it is difficult to read.

Remove repeated claims, irrelevant older detail and lists of obvious tools first. Give the latest relevant role the most space. A school-leaver CV may fit one page; a research CV may need additional pages for publications and teaching. Check for a single stranded line spilling onto a new page.

• Shorten older roles before recent evidence.
• Remove weak interests before useful achievements.
• Combine repetitive bullets.
• Keep citations readable in an academic CV.

Keep the structure robust

A simple single-column flow is easy to edit and usually survives movement between word processors. If you use columns, text boxes, icons or tables, test the exported document carefully because content can move, disappear or be read in an unexpected order. Write contact details as text rather than relying only on icons.

Use standard headings and meaningful link text. Colour should have sufficient contrast and should not be the only way information is communicated. A design can still have character through typography, spacing and a restrained accent.

Check the file you will send

Follow the vacancy instructions for PDF, DOCX or an application form. Save the source document separately, then export the tailored version. Use a professional filename such as Maya-Thompson-CV rather than Document1 or Final-CV-NEW.

Open the exported file on its own and inspect every page. Check page breaks, bullet alignment, live links, special characters and whether contact details remain selectable text. If possible, view it at normal zoom on another device. The file that opens correctly in your editor is not necessarily the file the employer receives.

• Confirm the requested file type.
• Reopen the exact attachment before sending.
• Check spelling, dates and links after the last edit.
• Keep an editable master and a separate tailored copy.