How to make your CV stand out to UK businesses: 8 tips and ideas.

Experience? Check. Enthusiasm? Check. Willing to go the extra-mile? Check. You’ve got everything ready to apply for a new role – but how do you make your CV stand out to employers? When it comes to job hunting in the UK, these CV ideas can help you to cut the mustard.

Learn more with our handy guide to optimising your CV and impressing potential employers. Who knows – maybe your dream job is just a few CV tweaks away.

1. Keep it simple.

Seconds – that’s the time employers take to look at your CV. You need to get your information across succinctly and clearly – that starts with making it easy for employers to read. Here are some tips to help you focus your CV:

• Use simple language. Keep text concise and cover the main points. Don’t overdo it – less is more. If your CV is over-complicated, potential employers may not even bother reading it.
• Ensure the formatting is correct. You may think complex formatting makes your CV stand out, but it can have the opposite effect. With simple CV formatting, your content speaks for itself.
• Don’t use unusual fonts. Something simple like Aileron or Basic Sans works fine. Try to use a size 11 or 12 font at a minimum – but don’t make the text too big, either.
• Have clear headings. These help signpost the reader to different sections of your CV. Clarity is king – avoid ambiguity and vagueness, be as specific as you can.

Remember – the content of your CV is key so ensure it’s easy to find and read.

2. Tailor it to the job.

One-size-fits-all doesn’t always work when it comes to job applications. Don’t use the same generic CV for every job application. Instead, you should personalise your CV to the job and industry you’re applying for.

But who’s got time for that, right? Don’t worry – it’s easier than you think:

• Have a ‘master copy’ CV with your main details, then make multiple copies when applying. Edit and tweak them to match your skills to the job you’re applying for.
• For CV ideas, read the job ads for the position(s) you’re applying for. Look for keywords they’ve used and match your current CV to this.
• Highlight any previous experience and transferable skills relevant to that specific job description. This doesn’t have to be a long, arduous process – a few tweaks here and there will do.

Here are some examples to help you get started.

3. Personal statement ideas for your CV.

Don’t go straight into your skills and experience. Write a short personal summary at the top of your CV with your ideas, experience, and what you’re looking for. For example, something like, “I am a passionate creative with experience in both the B2B and B2C sectors, looking to further my career in marketing” can tell an employer a lot.

Get started on your personal statement with these tips to help you stand out:

• Your personal statement will always be based on your experience. If you’re a school leaver then it’ll be different to someone with five years’ experience. That’s okay – lean into what makes you special. Consider it your unique selling point.
• Though personal statements are about you, they should still be tailored to the job role. Think about the skills that make you right for the role and tailor your writing to that.
• Try to make this catchy – but don’t oversell it. It’s a chance to grab the reader’s attention and pique their interest before they look at the rest of your CV.

4. Check for errors.

This sounds obvious, but always proof-read your CV. If employers see spelling errors, they might just bin it. Read, read, then read some more – and if you can’t, ask a friend to help. They may even come up with some useful suggestions.

Searching for errors is about more than proofreading, though:

• Print off your CV and check the paper copy to add a different perspective. Sometimes, you might spot things here that you may overlook on-screen. It’s also a chance for you to see how it looks on paper, as employers will sometimes print it.
• Ensure spellcheck is on when writing your CV and check the language is relevant to the job – you don’t want US spelling on a UK CV.
• Explore online tools that can proofread your work and double check your grammar.

How to use these CV tips to create engaging designs.

5. Big up yourself.

There’s a time to be humble – but it’s not when you’re writing a CV.

You may be tempted to talk solely about your duties and responsibilities, but it’s essential to highlight your achievements, too. This applies to awards you’ve won, of course, but also the wording of your skills. For example:

• Instead of saying “worked on balance sheets”, word it like “helped the company analyse their current financial position using balance sheets”.
• Don’t talk about what you were told to do – discuss the results your work achieved. Did you manage to upsell a client? Or maybe you implemented a process that created efficient change – don’t downplay it, shout about it.

Discussing how you’ve helped your previous workplaces, rather than just listing the things you’ve done, will help grab an employer’s attention. They’ll see you’re keen to make a positive contribution to their organisation, rather than just wanting the job for the sake of getting paid. Try to frame your CV to show how you could become an invaluable asset to your future employers.

6. Don’t re-invent the wheel.

Start with a template. They provide a basic structure and guideline to get the ball rolling, which is sometimes the hardest part. Begin filling in the template, then it’s one thing to another, and next thing you know – you’ve written the first draft of your CV.

Also, you might not be starting from scratch. Maybe you already have a CV. But there’s always ways to improve it. Change up the format and try a fresh approach by transferring your existing one into a new and engaging CV template.

7. Talk a bit about your hobbies.

Do you swim in your spare time? Are you a bookworm who loves getting lost in a novel? Whether it’s these or others – add your personal interests and hobbies to your CV at the bottom (after the education and work experience sections). It helps to show the employer the person behind the CV. After all, we’re human. We work and we play.

Try to include meaningful things you like to do in your spare time. But be careful. Don’t include things like “I like to socialise with friends on the weekend”. That may not be a bad thing, but an employer could misinterpret this. Take the safe approach – use a few simple hobbies. It doesn’t have to be extravagant, something like walking or cooking works just fine.

8. Add your LinkedIn.

Adding your LinkedIn credentials to your CV is an opportunity to connect with potential employers. It gives them a chance to see if you have any mutual connections. You may also have written recommendations from past colleagues on your profile. Maybe you’ve published articles on LinkedIn or shared some meaningful content. These can take your efforts beyond the standard CV. Ensure your LinkedIn matches your CV, any discrepancies between the two could raise suspicions – so make sure the core content aligns.

Using Adobe Express to create an eye-catching CV.

With Adobe Express, you can easily design your own CV. Open Adobe Express in your web browser and create a new project. The template library provides numerous designs to help your get started. Use the Generative AI function to write a prompt that creates a template based on your description. Whether you’re a student, teacher, marketer, or other professional, we have customisable templates tailored to different industries to give you profile ideas for your CV. Pick a template and start on yours for free. Design it however you like. Once you’re happy, download and use. Enjoy simple, free and easy CV design with Adobe Express.

Try Adobe Express for free now

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