Best CV templates

Landing interviews requires a strong CV – especially when you are competing for that dream job.

Writing your own CV can be difficult and time consuming, so a strong CV template can really help.

So, I’ve provided my 7 best CV templates for a wide range of different experience-levels and situations, to help you make a start on your own interview-winning CV.

They are all proven CV templates which have helped hundreds of candidates get noticed by recruiters and land the jobs they want.

 

 

Best CV template – General / experienced

If you need the best CV template to apply for a wide range of jobs, then this CV template is the ideal option.

Best CV template 1

Best CV template 1

 

As you can see from the example CV above, the layout and format create a pleasant reading experience for busy recruiters, alongside a professional appearance.

This will help you to highlight you in-demand talents and prove your suitability for roles quickly.

 

CV builder

 

How to use this CV template…

 

Profile and core skills

Use the profile and core-skills section at the top of the CV to catch recruiters’ attention by packing them with plenty of your most valuable skills, qualifications and knowledge.

The profile should act as an introductory paragraph and encourage readers to delve deeper into your CV.

You should try to reflect the key requirements of your target roles in your profile – doing some research on relevant job sites beforehand will help.

 

Work experience

Use your work experience section to demonstrate your ability to apply your skills in the workplace.

Head your role descriptions with a brief intro to show what the employer’s business is, and what the overall purpose of your role is/was – this builds context for recruiters and hiring managers who are reading your CV.

List your responsibilities in short easy-to-read bullet points so that readers can pick out the information they need quickly.

Fill the roles with your vital workplace and industry specific skills, and demonstrate how your efforts contribute to the wider success of your employer.

Quick tip: If you struggle with spelling and grammar, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder

 

Achievements

Detail some impressive achievements and back them up with numbers if possible – this will prove your value to employers.

 

Education

Round your CV up by listing your most important qualifications.

This section should be detailed if you are a junior candidate, but shorter if you are experienced.

End the CV with a note stating that references are available on request – no need to add reference details as they will not be needed until offer stage.

Download CV template

 

(Check out some example CVsAdminproject managercustomer serviceteachernursing – hairdresser)

 

 

Best graduate CV template

As a graduate you face lots of competition for graduate roles, so a strong CV (Curriculum vitae) is crucial if you want to get your career off to a flying start.

 

Best graduate CV template 1

Best graduate CV template 2

 

This CV template will allow you to highlight your studies and expertise, whilst also showcasing your workplace skills and extra-curricular work.

 

How to use this CV template…

 

Profile/personal statement

A graduate’s profile (or personal statement) needs to entice recruiters by giving them a snapshot of their most impressive educational achievements, subject matter expertise, and soft skills that could be valuable in the workplace.

The core skills and achievements section helps you to catch busy employers’ attention by using short points that really jump out of the page.

For best results, focus on skills and achievements that relate to the roles you are applying for.

 

Notable projects

If you’ve worked on some notable projects (in University or in your own time) that could prove your aptitude in your chosen field – add a Projects section to highlight them.

 

Education

As a graduate, your education will be of great interest to employers and recruiters.

List your degree/degrees in plenty of detail, showing modules and papers to show your level of subject matter expertise.

 

Work experience

As a graduate you may not have a lot relevant work experience, but you can use part-time roles, volunteer positions or even Uni work placements if you like.

Head your roles with an intro to build context for readers and bullet point your responsibilities to demonstrate a blend of industry specific skills and personal skills.

Note: If you have some work experience which is highly relevant to the roles you are applying (for example a university work placement) then you should list that above your education section, as it will be more impressive to employers.

 

Interests and hobbies

Interests and hobbies can be beneficial to a graduate CV if they are:

a) Related to the roles you are applying for i.e. If you write a personal blog and are applying for writing positions.

b) Impressive achievements such as marathon running or event organising.

 

CV builder

 

Best school leaver CV template

As a school leaver, writing your first CV for the world of work can be a daunting task; especially if you have little or no experience.

Best school leaver CV template

 

This school leaver CV template will provide you with the best head start to jump on the career ladder.

 

How to use this CV template…

 

Profile

Use an introductory profile containing your most valuable skills and highest level of qualifications to show recruiters that you are competent and well educated.

Focus on qualifications that are relevant to the jobs or apprenticeships you are targeting (e.g. maths for finance roles) and soft skills that match up too.

Quick tip: If you struggle with spelling and grammar, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder

 

Education

As a school leaver you will need to highlight your education and give some details into achievements such as sports club membership and positions of responsibility.

 

Work experience

If you have any work experience (even if it is part time or voluntary work) then detail your responsibilities to showcase your skills and workplace contributions.

 

Hobbies

Hobbies and interests can be added to the bottom of your student CV if they relate to the jobs you are targeting, or if they are particularly impressive.

Download CV template

 

CV builder

 

Best technology CV template

As an IT professional your CV must blend your technical knowledge and business skills in an easy-to-read manner.

Best IT support CV template 1


Best IT support CV template 2

 

This IT CV template makes it simple for you to create a simple yet professional layout for your CV like the sample above.

 

How to use this CV template…

 

Profile

Populate the top of your CV with a profile which quickly highlights your technology expertise, business skills, qualifications and industry experience.

Highlight your most important technical skills so that employers can quickly see which hardware and software you are confident working with.

 

Career summary

Role descriptions should be headed with an outline to tell readers what the employer in question does, and what the overall function of your role is.

Then list your responsibilities in short sharp bullet points to allow recruiters to read them quickly and digest the information within them easily.

 

Qualifications

Finish the CV by providing a list of your qualifications, with a focus on technical skills – and a technical skills matrix to ensure you CV is found in plenty of searches.

Download CV template

 

CV builder

 

Best career change CV template

Changing career can be a big challenge, especially during the job hunting process – but the right CV will make it a lot easier.

Best career change CV template

 

The career change CV template is similar to a standard CV template, but the way you populate the content will differ greatly.

 

How to use this CV template…

 

Profile

Your profile and core skills should be heavily tailored towards you new chosen profession by including new qualifications you may have picked up, and an explanation of your desire to move into the new field.

 

Work history

Be selective when adding your work experience and focus on roles that relate to you new field, even if they are voluntary roles or personal projects.

Roles from your current/old profession probably won’t be of much interest to recruiters, so keep them brief.

 

Education

In your education section, you should prioritise any new qualifications you have achieved in your new profession.

Download CV template

 

 

Best academic CV template

Academic CVs tend to be longer than most CVs and contain some extra information in the way of publications, studies and professional memberships.

However, the main structure and format of the CV should remain largely the same.

 

Best academic CV template 1


Best academic CV template 2

 

How to use this CV template…

 

Profile

Kick your academic CV off with a persuasive profile to sell your subject matter expertise and academic work experience along with any notable achievements.

 

Work experience

Your work experience should demonstrate your ability to apply your academic expertise to the benefit of your employers.

Rather than simply listing your activities, you should expand to show how they make an impact to your employer, students and colleagues.

 

Education

Education is very important in academic roles, so list your degrees in plenty of detail and showcase your expertise.

You should also list a handful of notable publications, and perhaps have a separate document for the full list of them.

Download CV template

 

 

Best temp CV template

As a temp, one of the biggest challenges you face is listing lots of different roles without appearing like a “job hopper”.

Temp CV template page 1


Temp CV template page 2

 

The temp CV layout is similar to a standard CV template, but the way in which the roles are listed is the main difference.

 

 

How to use this CV template…

 

Profile and core skills

Head your temp CV up with a profile that summarises all of your temp work experience, the types of firms you have worked for, and the valuable skills you can bring.

Your core skills section should include plenty of in-demand skills to create a snapshot and catch the eye of busy recruiters and hiring managers.

 

Work history

When writing role descriptions as a temp, you should avoid listing every single post you have undertaken separately – as this will take up lots of space, and could make you appear as somebody who changes jobs too often, and cannot hold down a role for very long.

So, instead of listing every role individually, you should group multiple roles into batches.

For example, 5 different roles working under the umbrella of one temp agency could be batched into one role description on your CV.

This will save space on the CV and make you appear as a much more reliable candidate.

Quick tip: If you struggle with spelling and grammar, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder

 

Education

Finish the CV by listing your education – focus on your most relevant qualifications in relation to your target roles.

Download CV template or see Google Docs CV template

 

 

CV writing tips

If you want to ensure that you attract recruiters and land the interviews that you want, use the following tips to stay on track.

And don’t forget to introduce yourself with an effective cover letter to ensure your CV gets opened. Learn how to write a cover letter here.

 

Do your research

Before you type one word on your CV, it’s vital that you research the roles you are hoping to apply for.

Visit a few job websites and run searches for the job titles that you will be applying for.

Job advert

 

Browse through the job adverts, pick out the most important candidate requirements and make a list of them.

Then you can look to reflect that list as closely as possible when writing your CV, in order to meet recruiters’ expectations.

 

CV builder

 

Use a simple font

The key to a successful CV, is making it as easy to read as possible – so that recruiters and hiring managers can digest the information quickly, when faced with scores of other CVs to review.

Don’t be tempted to use an elaborate font to make your CV look different or flashy – it will just make the CV a tough read and might mean that your CV gets skipped over.

 

Keep your CV under 2 pages

Both recruiters and hiring managers are busy people, who often have to review over 100 CVs per day. If your CV is too long, it probably won’t get read in full, and important points could be missed.

Keep your CV concise to get your point across quickly and cater for modern attention spans.

 

Break text up as much as possible

Big chunks of text are a massive headache for readers.

Who wants to read a big block of text like the one below?

 

Big paragraph

 

Keep text broken up with short paragraphs and bullet points throughout your CV to keep readers happy and ensure the information is digested.

 

Include numbers

If you really want to prove your value as a candidate, you must get some numbers into your CV.

Numbers backup your claims and provide scale to readers, so they can understand the true impact you make.

For example,

Don’t just say that you manage a budget

Say “I manage a budget of £100k”

Using numbers gives readers a much more accurate picture of your work.

 

 

Best CV templates – Get started

Download my best CV template now and make a start on your own interview-winning CV.

Don’t forget to bookmark StandOut CV – we have lots of CV advice and job hunting tips to help you

Good luck!