Complete Australian Resume Guide

1. UK CV Basics

In the United Kingdom the document is always called a CV — using the word "resume" is uncommon and can signal unfamiliarity with the British market.

UK employers are experienced CV readers. A standard hiring manager will spend 6–8 seconds on an initial scan. Your CV must communicate relevance and credibility in that window. Length, clarity, and structure matter as much as content.

The UK job market has its own conventions shaped by the Equality Act 2010, ATS platforms used by most medium and large employers, and professional culture that values understatement and evidence over self-promotion.

2. Format and Layout

3. Equality Act 2010 — What to Leave Off Your UK CV

The Equality Act 2010 protects candidates from discrimination on the basis of nine protected characteristics. Including personal details creates an unnecessary risk of unconscious bias — and most UK employers will flag a CV that includes them as out of date.

Do NOT include on a UK CV

• Photo — never included on a British CV
• Date of birth or age — age discrimination is unlawful under the Equality Act
• Nationality or ethnicity — not relevant at CV stage
• Gender or pronouns — not included on a CV in the UK
• Marital status or children — entirely irrelevant to employment
• Religion or political affiliation — protected characteristic; never include
• National Insurance number — never on a CV

4. The Personal Profile

The personal profile sits at the top of a British CV below your contact details. It is the first thing a recruiter reads — and often the deciding factor in whether they continue.

Its purpose: who are you professionally? What are you best at? What are you looking for? Keep it to 3–4 lines. Write in third-person implied style (no "I").

"Results-driven finance manager with 10 years in FTSE 250 manufacturing, specialising in working capital optimisation and board-level reporting. Reduced debtor days from 52 to 34 and delivered £1.2m in cost savings at current employer. Seeking a Head of Finance role in a growth-focused mid-market business."

Never include in your profile

• Clichés: "hardworking team player," "excellent communication skills," "passionate about..."
• Anything you cannot evidence in the body of the CV
• First person "I" — use implied third person

5. Section by Section

Contact Details

Name (large, at top), city and county or postcode area — not full address, mobile, professional email, LinkedIn URL.

Personal Profile (3–4 lines)

Always include. Always tailor to the role. See Section 4.

Key Skills (optional)

6–8 most relevant technical and professional skills. Mirror job description language exactly for ATS matching.

Work Experience (reverse-chronological)

Most recent role first. Employer, job title, city, dates (Month YYYY – Month YYYY), one-line scope, then 3–6 quantified achievement bullets. Cover the last 10 years in detail; earlier roles can be summarised.

Education

Highest qualification first. University: institution, degree, classification, year. A-levels: grades and subjects. GCSEs: number at grade C/4 or above, plus English and Maths if relevant.

Professional Qualifications and Memberships

See Section 9 for UK-specific qualifications guidance.

References

"References available on request" — do not include referee details on the CV itself.

6. ATS Compatibility

The most common ATS platforms used by UK employers include Workday, Taleo, Oracle Recruiting Cloud, SmartRecruiters, and Greenhouse.

• No tables — table cells are invisible to most ATS parsers
• No text boxes — text inside boxes is frequently ignored
• No graphics, icons, or images in main content areas
• Single column layout only
• Simple section headings — "Experience," "Education," "Skills"
• Mirror job advert language exactly — Some ATS and recruiter-search workflows use keyword matching
• Standard bullet points — avoid unusual symbols

7. British English Spelling

UK CVs must use British English spelling throughout. American spellings are noticed immediately by British employers.

8. Writing Achievement Bullets

British employers are trained to look for evidence, not assertions. The most common CV mistake is describing duties rather than achievements.

Achievement-focused (correct)

• Reduced supplier lead times by 23% through renegotiated contracts, saving £340k annually
• Grew department revenue from £2.1m to £3.4m in 18 months by expanding into public sector accounts
• Delivered ERP implementation 6 weeks ahead of schedule and £180k under budget

Duties-focused (incorrect)

• Responsible for supplier management and procurement
• Managed the sales team and worked on revenue growth
• Involved in the ERP project delivery

9. UK Professional Qualifications

Professional qualifications carry significant weight in the British job market. Include them in your personal profile, skills section, and a dedicated qualifications section.

Include your current membership grade (e.g. "ACCA Member," "CIPD Level 7," "MRICS") not just the qualification name. If in progress, state "ACCA finalist" or "currently completing CIPS Level 5."

10. What Not to Include

• Photo — never on a UK CV
• Date of birth — age discrimination is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010
• Nationality or ethnicity — not required at CV stage
• Marital status or children — irrelevant and potentially discriminatory
• Hobbies and interests — only include if directly relevant to the role; otherwise omit
• References with contact details — write "References available on request"
• Salary history or expectations — never on a CV
• Generic objective statements — "Seeking a challenging role where I can utilise my skills" adds zero value
• Unexplained gaps — gaps of 3+ months should be briefly addressed

11. UK Cover Letter Basics

• Length: One A4 page maximum. Three to four paragraphs.
• Opening: "Dear [Name]," if known. "Dear Hiring Manager," if not. Never "To Whom It May Concern."
• Never open with: "I am writing to express my interest in..." — the most overused opener in UK applications.
• Tone: Professional and direct. British culture values understatement — confident but not boastful.
• Paragraph 1: State the role and one specific, compelling reason you are a strong fit.
• Paragraphs 2–3: Connect two or three quantified achievements to the role requirements.
• Sign off: "Yours sincerely," (used their name) or "Yours faithfully," (used "Hiring Manager").

12. UK Job Boards 2026