Free UK CV template, and how to fill it in
An A4 CV template in the UK format, free to download for Word, Google Docs or Pages. Single column and plain headings, so screening software reads it cleanly.
Free UK CV template (Word, Google Docs, Pages)
Download the Classic template free: an A4 CV in the UK format, single column, with example text in every section showing what goes there. Replace the example text with your own, delete what you don't need and save it as a PDF before you send it.
Download the free CV template (.docx)Get all 3 CVs + cover letter on Etsy
How to write a UK CV, in eight rules
- Leave off the photo, date of birth and marital status. A UK CV is judged on what you can do. Your town and postcode area are enough for an address.
- Two sides of A4 at most. One is fine early in a career.
- Start with a short profile. Three or four lines: what you do, what you are good at, what you want next. Write it last.
- Most recent job first. Job title, employer, town, dates in month and year, then three to five bullets.
- Bullets start with a verb and end with a result. "Cut invoice errors by a third by introducing a weekly check" beats "Responsible for invoices".
- Match the advert. Use the job advert's own words for the skills you really have. Screening software and busy managers both look for them.
- Keep the layout plain. One column, standard headings, no text boxes or tables. Send it as a PDF unless the employer asks for Word.
- References: you don't need to list them. Employers ask when they're ready to offer.
Which template suits you
- Classic (free): serif, centred, traditional. Office, finance, public sector, anything formal.
- Modern: clean sans serif with shaded headings. Most private-sector roles.
- Graduate: education first, with room for projects and part-time work. School leavers, graduates and career changers.
Keep track of every application
Most job searches stall on follow-ups, not CVs. The Job Application Tracker in the kit logs every application with its status and follow-up date, flags the ones to chase, and gives you a two-minute check-in every Friday: applications sent against your weekly goal, scored honestly. It opens in Excel, Google Sheets or Apple Numbers.
The full CV kit on Etsy (£3.59)Job Application Tracker on Etsy
Free help with your CV
Free, official careers advice: the National Careers Service (England), My World of Work (Scotland), Careers Wales and nidirect (Northern Ireland). If you claim Universal Credit or Jobseeker's Allowance, your Jobcentre work coach can help with it too.
The example names, companies, schools and contact details in the templates are invented. Templates written and designed with AI assistance and checked by hand.
Questions
Should a UK CV have a photo?
No. For most UK jobs a CV has no photo, no date of birth, no marital status and no nationality. Employers are expected not to discriminate on those grounds, and leaving them off keeps the page for your skills. Acting and some modelling roles are the usual exceptions.
How long should a UK CV be?
Usually two sides of A4 at most. A school leaver or graduate can often fit on one. Cut older, less relevant roles down to a line each before you shrink the font.
What does ATS-friendly mean?
Many employers load CVs into applicant tracking software before a person reads them. A single column, plain section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), real bullet points and no text boxes, tables or images give that software the best chance of reading your CV in the right order. All three templates are built that way.
Does it work in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the .docx to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs, or open it in Microsoft Word or Apple Pages. The free Classic template works the same way.
Is the free template the same as the paid kit?
The free download is the Classic CV on its own. The Etsy kit adds the Modern and Graduate CVs, a cover letter with a note in every paragraph, a one-page UK CV guide and a Job Application Tracker spreadsheet, for £3.59.