CV articles

How to list extracurricular activities on your CV

Finding a job when you're a student or recent grad can be tough, especially if you don't have much work experience to show. That's where adding extracurricular activities to your CV can help. In this article, we'll show you how to use extracurricular activities to showcase key skills and offer some examples of activities that can allow you to stand out from other entry-level candidates.

Listing language skills on your CV

In today’s international environment, language skills are an asset. Businesses are always looking to expand their customer base, and one of the fastest ways to do so is to employ staff who can speak other languages. That's why adding a foreign languages on your CV can give you an edge over other similarly qualified candidates. In this article, we'll look at how to list languages correctly on your CV.

Adding hobbies and interests to a CV (30+ examples)

Adding hobbies and interests to your CV is optional, and it's entirely up to you if you include them. However, they can be a valuable way of showing your skills outside paid employment, especially if you lack relevant work experience. So, which hobbies and interests are valuable to your CV, and when and how should you include them? Read on to find out.

PDF or Word: Best CV Format for Job Applications

Once you’ve created your CV, it can be confusing to know whether to send it as a PDF or a Word document. Both formats have their advantages and disadvantages, and it’s important to understand the difference so that you choose the best option for your job application. In this article, we'll explain how to choose between a PDF and Word document, the pros and cons of each, rules to consider and guidance for different types of application. Ready to find out which document format is right for your CV? Then let's get started.

Including References in Your CV

References help employers learn more about your skills and work ethic and are sometimes part of the hiring process. While it's no longer common practice to list references in your CV unless an employer specifically requests them, there are a few situations when you should include them. In this article, we'll walk you through all of the details on how and when to add references to your CV.

Adding LinkedIn and Social Media Links to Your CV

LinkedIn has become an essential element to include on your CV in order to show recruiters some of the finer details that make you the right choice for the job. But there is a right and wrong way to add your LinkedIn profile to your CV. In this article, we'll discuss everything you need to know about putting LinkedIn and other social media accounts on your job applications.

A Guide to CV Order: How to Organise Your CV

There is no 'one-size-fits-all' CV order. Whether you should lead with your experience or your skills depends entirely on your career stage and the role you’re targeting. To impress employers, you need a layout that is built for speed and clarity. We break down the essentials of formatting your CV—from chronological to hybrid—and show you exactly how to order your sections to grab a hiring manager’s attention.

How to make a CV in Word with free templates

Microsoft Word is one of the easiest and most accessible tools for creating a professional CV. Whether you’re applying for your first job or updating an old document, Word offers templates and user-friendly, familiar formatting tools. In this article, we’ll guide you through how to create a CV in Word and share best practices to make sure your CV looks polished, easy to read, and ready to impress recruiters.

Personal Information on a CV: UK Guide & Examples

Your personal information is the first thing a recruiter sees, but it is also where many candidates make avoidable mistakes. From GDPR compliance to avoiding unconscious bias, the way you present your 'basic details' matters more than ever. Whether you're wondering about postcodes or profile links, here is the definitive guide on what to add, what to bin, and where it all belongs.

How to Write a CV: Step-by-Step Guide & Tips for 2026

To stand out and succeed in the job application process, you need a strong CV. The job market is a competitive place, so it's essential to write a CV that's easy to read, engaging and shows your best skills and experience. In this article, you'll learn how to write a CV that impresses recruiters and hiring managers, with tips and examples that break the CV writing process down into simple, easy-to-understand steps. Are you ready to create your winning CV? Let's get started.

How to Write a Strong CV Personal Statement

Your CV's personal statement is a concise, engaging summary paragraph with essential information about your strongest qualities and career achievements to help recruiters quickly assess your suitability for the job. But with just a few sentences to make your mark, how can you stand out from other candidates? In this guide you'll find everything you need for a tailored personal statement that makes a strong first impression, with expert tips and examples to inspire your job applications.

Google Docs CV Templates: How to Use & Customise Them

Looking for a free, fast way to create a CV? Google Docs offers built-in templates, and you can create it directly from your mobile or tablet. But is it your best option? In this article we look at how to create a CV in Google Docs and discuss some of the best alternatives.

When to Use a Skills-Based CV and How to Create One

A skills-based or functional CV focuses on your skills, qualities and accomplishments rather than your work history. It is structured according to your individual skills to draw attention to your career achievements. So, when is a skills-based resume right for you? And how do you create one?

Adding Skills to Your CV: Guide, Tips, 90+ Examples

A CV that shows you've got the skills for the job is one of the most critical parts of any application. Around two-thirds of UK hiring managers say skills are the first thing they check on a CV, so it's essential that your skills help you stand out from the crowd. In this detailed guide, you'll learn which skills to list to maximise the impact of your CV with UK recruiters and ATS software. So let's take a look at the best hard and soft skills to include on your next CV.

How to Include Core Competencies in your CV

When you're writing a CV, it can be tricky to know what to include and what to leave out for maximum impact. But did you know key skills are what 64% of recruiters look for first? (1) You'll want to highlight your best qualities while matching the job description, which means some tough decisions about what to focus on. In this article, we'll explain what core competencies are and how you can place them for the strongest impact, with examples and industry tips that can make your CV truly stand out.

Soft Skills on CV: A Complete Guide, with Tips

Your soft skills can have a big impact on your chances of success in the jobs market. These personal qualities show employers how you’ll fit into their team and interact with customers and colleagues. Showcasing your soft skills effectively on your CV is crucial for your job applications. In this article, we discuss the top soft skills for your CV and how to present them to maximise your chances of success.

How to Write a CV in English

Whether you want to apply for a job in an English-speaking country or a job where English is required, you’re going to need an English CV. Preparing your CV in English doesn't have to be complicated. An English CV is not very different in terms of structure from most European CVs. We’re here to answer any burning questions you may have about the structure, content and qualifications.

Top Strengths for CV to Boost Your Profile

Your CV is first and foremost a summary of your career achievements, but it’s also a valuable showcase of your personal strengths and qualities. Highlighting strengths on your CV can help set you apart from other candidates by showing employers the unique qualities you can bring to a role. In this article, we discuss how to add strengths to your CV and introduce several key strengths that can help your chances of job application success.

Tips for Optimising Your CV for ATS

Many companies use ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) to sort through the large volumes of applications they receive. As such, it’s vital that your CV can be scanned and read easily to avoid being rejected in the first round. In this article, we’ll share a number of tips for optimising your CV for ATS to increase your chances of going through to the next stage of the application process.

Top Technical and Hard Skills for Your CV

Your technical and hard skills can make or break your chances of job search success. If you can show on your CV that you have the right hard skills for the job, employers are far more likely to see you as a viable candidate. In this article, we’ll show you how to identify your most valuable technical and hard skills for UK job applications, as well as how to showcase and tailor hard skills for your CV.

Should You Include a Photo on Your CV?

‘A picture says a thousand words’ and this is certainly true of the CV photo. Personal photos can reveal a lot more about you than words ever can — your gender, your ethnicity and physical characteristics. So, should you include a photo on your CV? It’s certainly not mandatory and in many countries, laws prohibit employers from requesting too much personal information from a candidate. However, opinions remain divided.

How to Write a CV Without Work Experience

You might think that applying for a job with no experience would mean padding out your CV with exaggerated skills and tenuous achievements. But it’s entirely possible to create a CV with no experience that’s engaging, persuasive and showcases relevant skills. Following the traditional CV format can expose your lack of experience, but there are plenty of ways to show employers that you have the right skills to thrive in the role. Are you ready to create a CV that shows employers the best of your qualities, despite your lack of experience? Read on to find out how.

Indicating Your Gender on Your CV

Should you state your gender on your CV? In the contact details section, you enter necessary details such as your first and last name, address, telephone number and email address. However, other personal information such as your date of birth, place of birth, nationality, marital status, number of children and gender is usually not necessary. However, there are exceptions.

Including Your Address On Your CV

In the past, including your address in your CV was standard practice, as applications were sent by post and employers would reply accordingly. Nowadays, most applications are sent online, which begs the question: Do you still need to include your address on your CV? There are pros and cons that we’ll discuss in this article.

Including Your Marital Status on Your CV

Whether you’re married or in a civil partnership, you may be wondering whether you need to mention your marital status on your CV. In the olden days, it was fashionable and even mandatory to do so; however, this is no longer the case. In fact, most employers won’t care about your marital status.

How to Write an Effective CV Objective

With your CV, you want to show recruiters and employers that your unique combination of skills, experience, personal traits and hobbies or interests make you the ideal candidate for the position. However, your CV is also an opportunity to share your goals and ambitions. Not only does this show that you think ahead, but answers the question ‘Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?’ which will inevitably come up in interview questions.

How To List Volunteer Work Experience On Your CV

Including volunteer experience on your CV can help potential employers understand more about who you are as a person, what your interests and passions are, and your skills and experience. Even if your volunteering experience isn’t directly related to the position that you are applying for, it can show that you are altruistic and involved in your community.

What are hard skills? Examples and CV tips

Adding hard skills to your CV shows employers and recruiters that you have the technical ability for the job. Learning how to list hard skills effectively on your CV gives you a far better chance of success in your job search. In this article, we discuss hard skills for your CV, giving examples of in-demand hard skills and explaining how best to showcase them in your job applications.

Creating a Blind CV: What You Need to Know

If you’re worried that your personal background might be unfairly harming your job prospects, a blind CV could make all the difference. This type of CV omits all information relating to age, gender, ethnicity, and any other personal characteristics. This removes the potential for unconscious bias in the recruitment process. In this article, we discuss why blind CVs can be an important tool for jobseekers, and explain how to write one.

Tailoring your CV to the job description

When it comes to job applications, quality is better than quantity. Many candidates use the same generic CV to apply to as many jobs as possible in the hope that at least one employer will respond. But this approach makes you look unfocused and also gives the impression that you don’t care about the job you’re applying for. To ensure that your CV will pass ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems), you need to make sure that your CV is tailored to each job application.

Tips for Writing a Chronological CV

A chronological CV, which is the most common type of CV used by job hunters, presents your work experience and academic qualifications in reverse chronological order. By listing your most recent experience first, you allow recruiters to quickly see your career progression and determine your suitability. When is it appropriate to use a chronological CV and how do you write one?

Mentioning your date of birth on your CV

It is not mandatory to include your date of birth with your personal details on your CV. In many CV templates available online, the date of birth is a standard field. While there’s nothing wrong with putting your date of birth and place on your CV, it's not expected by employers. The choice is up to you unless you’re applying for a job in a country where employers expect to see your date of birth on your CV. When do you need to include your date of birth and when is it best avoid mentioning it altogether?

Writing a Narrative CV: A Step-by-Step Guide

CVs tend to be heavily focused on lists and bullet points. While this can make them easy to read and assess at-a-glance, it leaves little scope for candidates to fully explain their experience, skills and achievements. The narrative CV moves away from the metrics-focused approach of a traditional CV towards a storytelling format. In this article, we offer a detailed definition of the narrative CV, discuss its key benefits and provide a step-by-step guide to creating one for your applications.

Best Colour for CVs: A Complete Guide with Tips

If you want your job application to stand out from the crowd, you might consider adding colour accents and highlights to your CV. While the best CV designs are simple and understated, subtle use of colour can catch the attention of the reader and gently influence the opinion recruiters and employers form. In this article, we dig into the psychology of colours on a CV, and discuss colours to add to your CV to boost your chances of success.

How to Write a CV title - with Examples

You only have a few seconds to make an impression with your CV. How can you stand out from the crowd and convince recruiters and employers to keep reading on? With a powerful CV title.

Mentioning Your Nationality On Your CV

Should you mention your nationality on your resume? Including your nationality is not a mandatory requirement for most resumes. However, in certain scenarios, highlighting your nationality can offer distinct advantages to your application. While basic contact information like name, address, phone number, and email address are typically adequate, specifying your nationality can prove beneficial in specific contexts. We’ll share tips on when to mention your nationality and when to leave it off your CV.

Resume and CV: What Are the Differences?

It’s usually thought that a CV and a resume are one and the same document. While this is true in some countries, in other countries, major differences exist between the two.

Writing a CV Headline for UK Job Market Success

A well-crafted CV headline can set the tone for your job application and instantly give the reader an impression of your suitability for a role. Hiring managers and recruiters might not read a CV in its entirety, but an insightful CV headline is more likely to grab their attention and encourage them to read on. In this article, we’ll discuss how to write the perfect CV headline for UK job applications, with tips and examples to use for your CV.

Mentioning You Have Children on Your CV

If you have kids, do you mention them on your CV? Naturally, they’re a huge part of your life and you want to tell the world about them. Yet that does not automatically mean that you have to give your children a place on your CV. Your CV is about your professional life. On the other hand, listing your parenting skills could boost your application and give you an edge over other candidates.

Writing the Perfect Dubai CV, a Guide with Tips

Working in Dubai offers many benefits, from tax-free income to luxury lifestyles and warm weather. As a result, the jobs market is competitive. You’re likely to be up against hundreds of applicants from all over the world. If you want to stand out from other applicants in the Dubai jobs market, spending time tailoring your CV is essential. In this article, we explain how to write a Dubai CV and some of the factors to consider when applying for jobs in this ever-popular jobs market.

Your CV and the GDPR: Everything You Need to Know

In the context of a job search, a lot of information is shared and exchanged between candidates and recruiters. This can be your name, address, date of birth and your contact details. Application data provided by a candidate is regarded as personal data. All personal data exchanged falls under the GDPR, the General Data Protection Regulation. Find out how the legislation protects your data and what you are entitled to expect regarding the processing of your personal information.

Writing an Effective Spanish CV

Do you want a job in the Spanish sun or an internship in Spain? Are you planning to apply for a job at a Spanish-speaking company in your own country? Then, you need a Spanish CV. How do you go about creating one? Which rules apply for preparing a successful Spanish CV? We’ve gathered all the points you need to consider when creating a CV in Spanish.

The Risks of Lying on Your CV

It can be tempting to exaggerate your qualifications or stretch the truth when writing your resume, especially if you are having trouble scoring interviews. However, it’s always a good idea to stick to the truth and focus on presenting the facts in the most flattering light possible rather than outright lying.

The best fonts for your CV

You naturally want to create a great first impression with your CV. That’s why it’s worth giving some thought to the font that you use on your CV. While the content of your CV is important, presentation also matters. Given that recruiters only spend a few seconds skimming through your CV, the wrong font could mean that your CV is discarded without a second glance if it makes everything look unreadable — even if you do have the relevant skills and experience. So which fonts should you use on your CV and which ones should you give a wide berth? Here are some best practices.

Writing the Work Experience Section of your CV

The ‘Work Experience’ or ‘Employment History’ section is one of the most important parts of your CV. It’s where you list current and previous jobs, and highlight relevant skills and accomplishments.

Your CV Checklist - Everything You Need to Check

You only have one chance to make a first impression. With the average job attracting 250 candidates, and recruiters spending mere seconds scanning CVs, all it takes is a small mistake for your CV to be rejected. Therefore, it’s essential that you check your CV carefully before dashing off applications. Have you included everything you need to? Is everything factually correct? And is your CV well laid out? Those are the most important questions to ask yourself. We’ve prepared a handy checklist for you to make sure you don’t overlook anything.

How to Write a CV for Australia Job Applications

Australia provides an attractive lifestyle, with competitive salaries and relatively low taxes. While living expenses are high, you get the benefit of generally excellent weather and a relaxed pace of life. If you’re considering applying for jobs in Australia, it can pay to understand what employers expect you to include in your CV. In this article, we provide a guide to writing your Australian CV, to give you the best chance of success in your job search down under.

How to write a CV for USA jobs, including tips

Working in the USA can provide exciting opportunities across a range of industries and professions. If you’re considering applying for jobs in the USA, it’s worth taking the time to understand what employers expect from your CV. In the USA it’s more common to use the word ‘resume’ than ‘CV’, but the terms may be used interchangeably by employers or recruiters. A well-structured, well-written CV is essential for US job applications, and taking note of the customs and trends in US CVs can help your chances of success. CVs in the USA tend to be one-page summaries of your work history and skills. Read on for further tips about the structure and content of your USA CV.

How to Write an Effective Academic CV

An academic CV is an important marketing tool for applying for jobs in higher education. It’s also useful for applying for funding or other professional development opportunities in academia.

Common Words and Phrases On Your CV

When it comes to your CV, it’s not just what you say, it’s also how you say it. You’ll want to present your skills, expertise and accomplishments in the best possible light, which means paying attention to your words and using strong action verbs for maximum impact. In this article, we discuss some of the best words and phrases to add to your CV, as well as a few to avoid.

How Long Should Your CV Be?

Your CV is intended to give employers and recruiters a brief snapshot of your career history. As busy people, recruiters and employers don’t have the time to skim through reams of text. By keeping your CV to a reasonable length, you allow them to quickly see what kind of person you are, what you can do and how your experience and skills tie in with what they’re looking for. So, how long should your CV be?

How to End a CV: Expert Tips for a Polished CV

Crafting the perfect CV takes a lot of thought and effort. However, it’s common to concentrate on the main sections of your CV and neglect the end of the document. Thinking about how you sign off your CV can leave a positive impression on the reader and increase your chances of success. In this article, we’ll discuss techniques and approaches for ending a CV that make an impact with employers and help you to stand out from the crowd.

A Guide to Adding Computer Skills to Your CV

Computer skills are a key requirement for most jobs. Digital literacy encompasses everything from the use of basic, everyday software to advanced, technical applications that require specialist qualifications. Whatever your career stage, it’s likely you’ll need some computer skills to get by, so it’s essential to include these on your CV. In this article, we discuss how to write a CV that showcases your computer skills, with a list of the key skills to include.

How to write a CV for Qatar job applications

If you’re considering applying for jobs in Qatar, you’ll need to make sure your CV is ready. Qatar offers various benefits to employees, including high salaries for professional roles and no personal taxes. As such, the jobs market in Qatar can be competitive and attract applicants from all over the world. The process of applying for jobs in Qatar is similar to many other countries, and as such, your CV is critical to your chances of success. In this article, we discuss how to make a CV for jobs in Qatar. We provide tips and guidelines on best practice, and what employers expect to see in your document. Read on to learn more about how to write your CV for Qatar job applications.

Explaining an Illness-Related Gap on Your CV

Returning to work is never easy after a period of illness, but should you mention it on your CV? By law, you’re not required to provide details about your health or anything related to your personal life as this can lead to discrimination. However, if a gap arises in your CV because of illness, you can be sure that you will be asked questions about it. What’s the best thing to do then if you were ill for a long period of time and were unable to work as a result? And what if you’re chronically ill? As every situation is different, there are no ready answers. Here are some tips to help you on your way.

Top Personal Skills for CV Success (with Examples)

Personal skills are growing in importance across the job market. More than ever, employers are seeking candidates with excellent personal skills, rather than focusing on technical skills and previous experience. If you want to achieve success with your job applications, it’s a good idea to learn the top personal skills for CVs. In this article, we discuss what are the most effective personal skills for your resume, with examples on how to showcase them.

Oxford CV: Tips and Templates for Success

If you’re applying for roles with an academic focus, you might want to use the Oxford CV format. Oxford CVs combine your academic and professional experience, giving more weight to your achievements in academia than some other CV formats. In this article, we’ll explain the Oxford CV, providing tips and examples on what to focus on and how to structure your document, to help you make a strong impression with your academic applications.

Mentioning Your Driving Licence on Your CV

Do you have a driver’s licence and if so, should you mention the fact in your CV? Generally, it’s not necessary to refer to your driving licence or lack thereof, unless it’s directly relevant to the job you’re applying for. However, in some situations, your driving licence may give you an edge over other candidates.

The Europass CV - Your Ticket to Europe

As many other people, you may have ambitions or studying, working or doing an internship abroad. Living abroad brings you closer to other cultures, helps you learn or refresh existing language skills and creates great opportunities for personal and professional development. But what is the easiest way to apply to an international university or company? The Europass CV.

Tips for Writing a German CV

If you’re applying for a job at a German company in your home country, you will, in most cases, need to create a CV in German. While each country has different rules for what makes an effective CV, the first prerequisite is, of course, that you have a good command of the German language. But what else do you need to pay attention to? Here are a number of tips for writing a strong German CV.

Emailing your CV: Subject, Writing and Tips

Email is one of the most practical ways of applying for jobs. It’s quick, easy and your application goes directly to the recruiter or hiring manager. However, while they’re relatively straightforward, it’s essential to make sure your email applications are professional and make a positive impression on employers. In this article, we discuss how to write a strong job application email, including tips on setting up a professional email address.

How to Write First Class Honours on CV: A Guide

If you’ve achieved a first class honours CV, you’ll want to showcase it on your CV. Gaining the highest possible grade for your undergraduate degree is no mean feat, and in a competitive job market it can help set you apart from the average candidate. In this article, we discuss how to write first class honours on your CV, with tips and examples to highlight your educational achievements for maximum impact.

A Complete Guide to Using AI to make a CV

The power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming the way we live and work. AI tools can take the burden of various tasks away from you and make your everyday life more efficient and productive. You can also improve your chances of success in the job market by using AI tools to enhance your job applications. In this article, we discuss how to use AI to make a CV, while also addressing the ethical issues it raises.

How to Write a CV for Canada: A Guide, with Tips

It’s easy to see the appeal of moving to Canada for work. A higher average salary than the UK, a slightly lower cost of living and generous in-work benefits all combine to make Canada an attractive prospect. Meanwhile, Canada offers spectacular scenery and some of the world’s most liveable cities, while remaining culturally similar to the UK. All this contributes to making Canada’s jobs market extremely competitive. As such, it’s critical to ensure your CV is up to standard for Canadian applications. In this article, we discuss how to write a strong CV for Canada, so you can start applying for your dream job abroad.

The Layout of Your CV

When writing your CV, it’s easy to only focus on the content; however, the layout is just as important. Recruiters spend on average 5-7 seconds scanning CVs before they decide to read further. This means they’ll notice the layout of your CV first before they read its content. We share best practices for a CV layout that will get you noticed and increase your chances of landing an interview.

How to Write An Effective CV in French

If you’re applying for a job in France or with a French company, you’ll need a French CV. However, drawing up a CV in French can be trickier than creating a CV in English. You’ll, of course, need to speak French well on a professional level, but what else do you need to consider? Does a French CV differ in layout, sequence and content from an English CV? Which sections do you need to include and which can you leave out? Here are some tips.

How to Mention Education on your CV

It’s easy to only focus on your work experience in your CV, but it’s also important to mention your qualifications as well as any training courses you’ve taken. For some professions, such as journalism, extensive training is preferred and employers will specify this in job descriptions as a way to sort out unqualified candidates. However, education is a broad concept and doesn’t only include your secondary (school) or higher (university or college) education. Vocational or other training courses also fall into the education category. How do you mention your education on your CV and does it come before your work experience? We have the answers to your questions.

The 10 Most Common CV Mistakes to Avoid

Your CV is the first impression an employer or recruiter will have of you. If that first impression is not a good one, you can say goodbye to landing an interview. However, no matter how carefully you look over your CV, a mistake is easily made. So what should you pay attention to? To help you on your way, we’ve compiled the 10 most common CV mistakes.

Showing Teamwork Skills on Your CV: A Guide

Teamwork is one of the most essential and valuable skills you can bring to the workplace. Most jobs require you to interact with colleagues, collaborating with other employees to achieve common goals. How well you prove your teamwork skills on your CV can go a long way to determining job hunt success. In this article, we’ll discuss how to showcase teamwork skills on your CV for maximum impact with employers.

How to Include Your Phone Number on Your CV

When writing your CV, it’s not just your work experience and your education sections that you need to pay attention to. You may have the perfect mix of skills, experience and accomplishments, but none of that will matter if your contact details section doesn’t include the necessary information - your name, address, e-mail address and most importantly, your contact number.

Tips for Creating A Video CV

Creating a video CV is a great way to stand out from the crowd. When done well, it can give potential employers a glimpse into your personality and qualities such as communication skills, warmth and humour - all the things a traditional CV can’t convey. However, a video CV isn’t intended to replace your traditional CV. Instead, it’s all about your enthusiasm and how much passion you have for the job you’re applying for. What should you pay attention to when creating a video CV? Here are some tips.

Writing an Effective Italian CV

If you've been dreaming about La Dolce Vita in Venice or fashion shows in Milan and you want to apply for a job in Italy, then it’s time to put your language skills to the test and create an Italian CV. The same applies if you’re applying for an Italian job in your own country. How do you write a CV in Italian? What points do you need to consider? We give you the lowdown.

A Guide to Mentioning a Career Break on Your CV

Occasionally it’s necessary to take a career break. Other times, you might choose to take an optional break to pursue important interests, such as family or travelling. But do you need to mention your career break on your CV, and if so, how do you highlight it without making problems for yourself? In this article, we’ll discuss how to handle a career break on your CV, providing tips to help improve your chances of job application success.

Creating a CV Using a PowerPoint CV Template

Creating job applications using a PowerPoint CV template can help you show employers your creativity and presentation skills. PowerPoint offers a flexible format that enables you to create a visually appealing CV, and as such, it can be useful for creative and design roles. In this article, we discuss why you might choose a PowerPoint CV template, along with a detailed guide to creating your PowerPoint CV and alternatives for a creative, design-led CV and cover letter.

How to Explain Gaps in Your CV

Nowadays, a gap in your CV can occur for any number of reasons such as illness, parental leave, sabbatical leave or simply unemployment. Most employers are understanding when it comes to CV gaps; however, gaps longer than a few months tend to raise questions or concerns. To make sure that unemployment breaks don’t derail your job search, here are some tips for presenting them in a positive light.

Listing Courses and Certificates on your CV

Including certifications on your CV can demonstrate your skills and experience to potential employers and help set your application apart from others. When is it useful to list courses on your CV? That depends on the position you’re applying for, how much space you have on your CV and the stage of your career and in which section of the CV should you list them? Here’s what you need to know.

Qualities on CV: A Comprehensive Guide with Tips

Adding personal qualities to your CV can transform your applications from a dry, factual account of your career to an insightful window into your personality and working style. Qualities and character traits can elevate your CV above other candidates by showing how you’ll fit into the team and the wider company culture. In this article, we discuss qualities for your CV, including the top traits employers seek in candidates and how to showcase them in your applications.

Uploading Your CV Online

If you’re looking for work, it’s helpful to distribute your CV as widely as possible to increase the chances of recruiters and employers finding you and eventually landing a job. So, how do you bring your CV to the attention of recruiters, recruitment agencies and employers? What are your options and what do you need to pay attention to? Here are some useful tips.

Additional Information on Your CV: A Guide

Additional information can help to show employers you have the skills and experience for the job. While work experience, skills and education are the traditional main sections of a CV, additional information sections are just as valid a way of showcasing relevant achievements and activities, particularly if you don’t have much work experience. In this article, we’ll discuss what to include in your CV’s additional information, with tips on making the most of these sections.

LinkedIn CV: Using LinkedIn for Job Applications

Your LinkedIn profile can be one of the most useful job application tools. With digital applications and recruiter screening of social profiles on the rise, LinkedIn can give employers more in-depth insight into your career experience, achievements and skills. But how do you make the most of your LinkedIn profile for job applications? In this article, we explain how to create a LinkedIn profile that stands out to employers, either as an alternative, or an enhancement to a traditional CV.

Top Interpersonal Skills to Enhance Your CV in 2026

The importance of soft skills is growing all the time in the UK job market. With technology evolving and shifting the technical demands of various roles and industries, employers are increasingly looking to candidates who display the right soft skills for the job. Interpersonal skills are some of the most valuable soft skills because they impact your ability to communicate with customers and collaborate with clients. In this article, we discuss the top interpersonal skills to add to your CV.

The Best Combination CV Format To Get You Hired

Choosing the right CV format is a big decision that can have a major impact on your chances of job application success. If you want to emphasise both your skills and your experience, a combination CV could be ideal. This hybrid format is easy to read and combines the best of reverse-chronological and functional CV structures. In this article, we discuss how to write a combination CV to get your applications noticed.

Creating a Creative CV

When applying for a job, you want your CV to create a long and lasting impression. In particular, if you’re applying for a job in a creative industry (design, art, media, and so on), a traditional CV may not cut it. That’s when a creative CV can help you stand out from the crowd. Creative CVs showcase design skills and a creative mindset, and can show employers that you have the necessary skills and qualities for creative roles. Positions and industries where a creative CV might make a strong impact include graphic design, photography, filmmaking, web design, marketing and any role in media.