CV templates

Just writing your CV can be daunting enough – without having to create an attractive CV template too! You’ll find more than 200 CV templates on our website, all free to download for personal use. Each of our CVs has been created by professional designers to help give your curriculum vitae the edge!

On this page we share some of our most popular CV layouts and formats. All of our CVs are in Microsoft Word format – although we often provide a PDF preview so that you can check how the layout should look. Each CV format is easy to edit and use, showcasing your skills and experience in the best possible light.

What CV layout should I use?

There are three possible CV layouts to choose from: chronological, functional or combination.

In the UK, chronological is by far the most common. With this type of layout, you give your work history in reverse chronological order (i.e. most recent first), followed by your qualifications also in reverse chronological order.

By contrast, a functional CV lists all the skills that are required by the role and details underneath how you have acquired and/or used those skills. The detail may result from paid work experience, voluntary work experience, freelance work, studies or something else entirely. The focus is on proving you have the necessary skills.

A combination CV uses a bit of both of the above approaches. It might feature a substantial skills section but also include a chronological work history.

For UK candidates, we'd recommend you use either chronological or combination. Functional CVs are less familiar in the UK.

What sections should I include in my CV?

No matter which CV template you choose, you should ALWAYS include the following information:

Full name e.g. Jack Johnson
Postal address
Phone number
Email address (ensuring it's professional, rather than something silly like jacklovescheese@hotmail.com)
Work history (usually in reverse chronological order, i.e. most recent first)
Education

You can OPTIONALLY include:

Twitter and/or LinkedIn handle if these are used in a professional context
Website address if you have one (and it is professionally relevant)
Personal statement which sets out in 3 - 4 lines how you meet the requirements of the job advert
Skills section, which should be relevant to the job role
Details of publications such as blogs and articles you've written, if professionally relevant
Memberships of relevant professional organisations, if applicable
Hobbies and interests
References

You should NEVER include any personal information that may cause an employer to discriminate against you during the recruitment process - for example: your age, race, or religion. See our article 'Was I discriminated against during the recruitment process?' for a reminder of the type of information to leave off your CV.

Points to note:

  • Choose a template that’s ATS-friendly – i.e. if the employer uses software to initially screen your CV, it can be read by the machine. All of the templates on this page are ATS-friendly.
  • Avoid using fancy fonts – not only because choosing a standard font ensure that your CV is easy to read, but in addition, if the recipient doesn’t have the fancy font installed, the computer will try and sub in an alternative font, which may break the layout and spacing.
  • Send your CV to potential employers in Microsoft Word format (again, in case the employer uses an ATS which may not be able to read PDF files).