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CV Format UK Guide — The Right Layout for Every Role in 2026

📅 March 2026 · ⏱ 5 min read · 🇬🇧 UK Job Market

The format of your CV is just as important as the content. The wrong layout can confuse ATS systems, bury your best experience, or simply make a poor first impression. This guide explains the three main UK CV formats and when to use each one.

The Three Main CV Formats UK

1. Reverse Chronological CV (Most Common)

Lists your work experience starting with the most recent role and working backwards. This is the standard CV format used across most UK industries and is preferred by the vast majority of recruiters and ATS systems.

Most recent role at the top — what recruiters want to see first
Clear career progression visible at a glance
ATS-friendly and universally understood
Best for candidates with a consistent career history

✓ Best for: Most professionals, graduates, career changers with relevant experience

2. Functional / Skills-Based CV

Leads with a skills section and places less emphasis on chronological work history. Useful when your skills are more relevant than your specific employers, or when you have significant employment gaps.

Highlights transferable skills over specific roles
Less effective with ATS — many systems struggle to parse it
Some recruiters are suspicious of functional CVs

✓ Best for: Career changers, those returning from long career breaks, freelancers with varied project history

3. Hybrid / Combination CV

Combines a strong skills summary at the top with a reverse chronological work history below. Growing in popularity, especially in tech, creative and professional services sectors.

Best of both worlds — skills visibility and career history
Works well for mid-to-senior candidates
Can run long — discipline is needed to keep it to two pages

✓ Best for: Mid-to-senior professionals, technical roles, anyone with strong transferable skills to highlight

Which CV Format is Best for ATS UK?

The reverse chronological format is most reliably parsed by ATS software. If you are applying to large companies using ATS (most do), avoid functional or heavily designed CVs. Use standard section headers, avoid tables and text boxes, and keep formatting clean and simple.

CV Font and Spacing UK

Font: Arial, Calibri or Garamond — sizes 10–12pt for body, 14–16pt for your name
Margins: 1.5–2cm on all sides
Line spacing: 1.15–1.5 for readability
File format: PDF for most applications (preserves formatting) or Word if specifically requested

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⚖️ Important — Not Legal Advice

Doxly provides document templates for general guidance only. We are not a law firm and nothing on this site constitutes legal advice. Our templates are starting points and may not be suitable for every situation. For matters involving significant financial, employment or legal risk, we strongly recommend consulting a qualified solicitor. Find a regulated solicitor at solicitors.lawsociety.org.uk.