In the UK it is always a CV, never a resume — and two pages is the norm rather than the American single page. The Equality Act 2010 means photos, age, and marital status stay off the document entirely. What replaces the US "summary" is the personal statement: three to four lines at the top that position you for this specific role. British employers also read for British English — if your CV says "organization" and "optimized" when applying to a London firm, it quietly signals a copy-pasted American template.
Quick facts: the United Kingdom CV
| Length | 2 pages standard |
|---|---|
| Photo | Never |
| Personal details | None — Equality Act 2010 |
| Tone | Professional, understated |
| Language | British English |
| ATS screening | Common at large employers |
The rules United Kingdom recruiters expect
- Called a CV, not a resume; two pages is the standard length
- No photo, age, date of birth, marital status, or nationality (Equality Act 2010)
- Personal statement (3–4 lines) at the top instead of a "Summary"
- Include a right-to-work statement only if relevant (e.g., visa holders)
- Reverse chronological, with British spelling (organisation, specialised, optimise)
- Recent graduates can include GCSEs and A-Levels
- "References available upon request" is still acceptable in the UK
- Use DD/MM/YYYY or Month Year date format
Mistakes that get United Kingdom applications rejected
Sending a 1-page US resume
UK recruiters expect two pages of substance; one page can read as thin experience.
American spelling throughout
"Organized" and "analyzed" flag a template that was never adapted for the UK market.
Skipping the personal statement
It is the first thing UK recruiters read — a CV that starts cold at work history wastes its best real estate.
Adding a photo
Under the Equality Act, photos create bias risk; many UK firms remove them before screening.
Skip the manual reformatting. Upload your current CV, pick United Kingdom, and AlterCV rewrites it in the exact local format — rules above included — with a live ATS score.
Applying to other countries too?
Every market has different rules — that's the whole point of AlterCV. Related guides: Ireland CV format · United States resume format · Australia resume format — or browse all 15 country formats.