CV Template

What is the difference between a CV and a resume?

In the UK, a CV is the document you send for any job. In the United States, a resume is the short document for industry jobs, and a CV is the longer record for academic, research and grant applications. Our CV vs resume guide compares length, contents and photos country by country, with sources.

For a US industry job, use our resume templates or the resume builder. For the UK, another country that asks for a CV, or an academic post, use the templates on this page. Not sure which you need? The guide walks through each case.

How do I write a CV?

Start with your name and contact details, then add a short personal profile that says who you are and what job you want. List your work history and education with the most recent first, add skills, and finish with a references line. The National Careers Service advises tailoring the CV to each job advert.

1. Pick a template above and press Fill in. The builder opens with CV section titles and extra sections ready.
2. Type your name and contact details. Leave out your age, date of birth, marital status and nationality.
3. Write a personal profile of a few lines for the job you want.
4. Add each job under Work experience: employer, job title, dates and two or three lines on what you did and achieved.
5. Add Education, Key skills and any sections your field expects.
6. Check the page count beside the button, then press Download PDF or choose Word (.docx).

What should a CV include?

The National Careers Service says a CV should include contact details, an introduction, education history, work history and references. It advises against listing your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality, and against printing another person's contact details: write that references are available on request.

The same service suggests a clear font such as Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri at size 11 or bigger, with one style throughout. The templates here start at 10 or 10.5 pt, so raise Text size to 11 pt in the builder if you want to match that advice. Prospects adds that vague interests such as "reading" will not catch a recruiter's attention, while relevant ones give you something to talk about at an interview.

What is the best CV format?

Reverse chronological is the standard format: your latest job first, then earlier ones, each with employer, job title, dates and two or three lines of results. The National Careers Service says to put education first only if you are early in your career or have little work experience. Use one font and one style throughout.

In the builder, the arrows beside each section heading change the order, so a graduate can put Education above Work experience. The Classic CV uses a centered serif layout, the Modern CV a sans-serif layout with a color bar, and the Academic CV puts dates in a column on the left.

How long should a CV be?

Prospects quotes a university careers service that recommends CVs of no more than two A4 pages, with academic CVs slightly longer. MIT puts a US academic CV at 2 to 4 pages for a younger professional and 4 to 7 pages for someone with more experience, because completeness counts for more than brevity there.

The builder shows the page count as you type. For a UK CV it gives a tip, not a warning, once you pass two pages. For the Academic CV it says nothing about length.

Should I put a photo on my CV?

Check the job advert first, because the answer depends on the country and the job. Prospects says that unless you are applying for acting or modeling work, you do not need to include a photograph. MIT notes that photos are generally not preferred on US resumes. The Modern CV shows a photo only if you add one.

To add one, press Fill in Modern CV, then use Add photo under Photo (optional). The picture is resized in your browser and printed beside your name in the Harbor, Meridian and Chronicle designs.

What goes in an academic CV?

MIT lists the common headings as education, research experience, fellowships, grants and awards, teaching, mentoring, presentations and publications, with patents, service and skills added when they apply. Publications go in reverse chronological order, and a conference presentation needs the title, the event, the location and the date.

The Academic CV template starts with Appointments, Education, Publications, Grants and fellowships, Teaching, Conference presentations, Service, Awards and References. A year at the end of a line moves into the date column, so a list of papers reads as a timeline. Sections stay hidden until you fill them in.

How do I get my CV in Word?

Press Word (.docx) next to Download PDF in the builder to save an editable file with your words in order and simpler formatting. The PDF keeps the design exactly as you see it, so send the PDF unless the employer asks for Word. Open the Word file and check it before you send it.

You can also convert a finished PDF with PDF to Word, or shrink a large file for an upload form with Compress PDF.