Your CV is your first impression. In the UK market. where recruiters skim in seconds and ATS filters screen aggressively, tiny errors can quietly kill your chances. Avoid these ten common mistakes with the examples and fixes below.
1) Sending the Same CV for Every Job
What it is: A one-size-fits-all CV that doesn’t reflect the specific role.
Why it costs you interviews: UK recruiters and ATS expect clear alignment with the job advert. A generic CV looks unfocused and gets filtered out.
Bad vs Better
Bad: “Customer Service professional seeking any opportunity.” Better: “Retail Customer Service Associate with 3+ years in high-volume London stores, 95% CSAT, and experience with Zendesk & Shopify POS.”
Fix tip: Mirror the language of the job advert. Prioritise 8-12 role-specific keywords (skills, tools, industry terms). Reorder bullets so the most relevant achievements appear first.
2) Poor Formatting & Layout
What it is: Dense paragraphs, tiny fonts, odd columns, or inconsistent spacing.
Why it costs you interviews: Poorly formatted CVs are hard to scan on desktop and mobile. ATS may struggle with complex layouts.
Bad vs Better
Bad: Large text blocks with no white space; multiple columns with graphics. Better: Single column, clear H2 headings (Profile, Skills, Experience, Education), 10–11 pt professional font, bullet points, consistent dates (Jan 2023 – Present).
Fix tip: Use a clean, single-column layout, 1–2 pages max. Keep margins ~1.5–2 cm, line spacing 1.0–1.15, and consistent date formats (e.g., “Aug 2022 – Jun 2024”).
3) Listing Duties Instead of Achievements
What it is: Describing what you were “responsible for” without outcomes.
Why it costs you interviews: Employers hire for impact. Achievements prove value.
Bad vs Better
Bad: “Responsible for managing social media accounts.” Better: “Grew Instagram from 6k to 18k in 9 months; increased average engagement from 2.1% to 4.8%; delivered 3 viral campaigns for UK retail clients.”
Fix tip: Use the STAR frame (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Start bullets with action verbs and include numbers, £ amounts, % improvements, or time saved.
4) Typos, Grammar Errors & Inconsistent UK Spelling
What it is: Spelling/grammar slips, US vs UK spelling mismatches.
Why it costs you interviews: Attention to detail matters, especially in roles involving writing, compliance, or client communication.
Bad vs Better
Bad: “Organized events”; “color coding”; “recieved” Better: “Organised events”; “colour coding”; “received”
Fix tip: Proofread aloud. Use a spellchecker set to English (UK). Keep verbs in the same tense per role (past for previous roles, present for current).
5) Irrelevant or Sensitive Personal Info
What it is: Including date of birth, photo, marital status, full address, excessive GCSE details, or outdated roles.
Why it costs you interviews: UK CVs don’t require personal details and long, irrelevant sections waste space. Risk of unconscious bias increases with photos/DOB.
Bad vs Better
Bad: Photo, DOB, full postal address, “References available on request”, five GCSE lines. Better: City & postcode (e.g., “Manchester M1”), mobile, professional email, LinkedIn URL, 2–4 most relevant GCSEs (if early career), or just “GCSEs incl. Maths & English (A–C)”.
Fix tip (UK-specific): Omit photo, DOB, NI number, marital status, and full address (city/postcode is enough). Include right-to-work status only if it strengthens your application.
6) Buzzwords Without Evidence
What it is: Empty phrases like “hard-working team player” or “results-driven”.
Why it costs you interviews: Recruiters gloss over clichés. Evidence gets attention.
Bad vs Better
Bad: “Excellent communicator and team player.” Better: “Facilitated weekly cross-functional stand-ups with 12 stakeholders; reduced project blockers by 30% across two product squads.”
Fix tip: Replace soft claims with proof: numbers, scope (team size/budget), tools, timelines, and outcomes.
7) Not Optimising for ATS
What it is: Fancy templates, images, tables, or missing keywords that confuse parsers.
Why it costs you interviews: If ATS can’t read it or can’t match keywords. it never reaches a human.
Bad vs Better
Bad: Two-column graphic CV with icons and text boxes; job titles hidden in images. Better: Standard headings (Profile, Skills, Experience, Education), keyword-rich bullet points, no images/tables, saved as .docx or PDF (as requested).
Fix tip: Use standard section names, spell out acronyms once (e.g., “Customer Relationship Management (CRM)”), and include exact keywords from the advert naturally. Avoid headers/footers for critical info.
8) Outdated or Unprofessional Contact Details
What it is: Old phone number, novelty email, missing LinkedIn, or no location.
Why it costs you interviews: Recruiters can’t contact you quickly or question your professionalism.
Bad vs Better
Bad: [email protected] | https://uk.linkedin.com/in/yourname | No location Better: [email protected] | Linkedin (with hyperlink) or linkedin.com/in/yourname | “Birmingham B1”
Fix tip: Use a professional email and active UK mobile. Add a customised LinkedIn URL with a matching headline and photo (LinkedIn photo is fine, just not on your CV).
9) A Vague Personal Statement
What it is: A generic summary that could apply to anyone.
Why it costs you interviews: The top of page one must hook the reader and set your narrative.
Bad vs Better
Bad: “Motivated professional seeking growth opportunities.” Better: “Data Analyst with 3+ years in FMCG and retail, advanced Excel/SQL/Power BI, and a track record of reducing stockouts by 22% across 120 UK stores.”
Fix tip: In 3–4 lines, state your role, sector focus, top strengths/tools, 1-2 signature wins, and target role. Keep it employer-centric, not a wishlist.
10) Skipping (or Misusing) the Cover Letter
What it is: No cover letter, or a copy-paste template.
Why it costs you interviews: Many UK employers still expect a short, tailored cover letter, especially in professional, public sector, and graduate roles.
Bad vs Better
Bad: “Please see my CV.” Better: 3 short paragraphs: 1) Why this role & company (reference 1–2 specifics from the advert). 2) 2–3 bullet achievements directly mapped to the job criteria. 3) A polite close with availability to interview.
Fix tip: Keep it to one page. Mirror the job’s key requirements, show evidence, and address it to the hiring manager if named. If the application portal says “CV only”, don’t attach one.
UK CV Quick Rules (Bookmark These)
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Length: 1–2 pages (2 is standard for experienced candidates).
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Style: No photo or DOB; use UK spelling.
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Dates: Month YYYY - Month YYYY (or “Present”).
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Education: Put degree classifications (e.g., 2:1) and key modules only if relevant.
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Skills: Prioritise role-relevant tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Sage, Salesforce).
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Location: City + postcode area (e.g., “Leeds LS1”).
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File naming: Firstname-Lastname-Role-CV.pdf (or .docx as requested).
Example Snippets You Can Reuse
Achievement bullet (sales)
Closed £1.2m in new B2B revenue in FY24 by opening 14 enterprise accounts across UK&I; exceeded target by 28%.
Achievement bullet (operations)
Cut average fulfilment time from 3.8 to 2.1 days by redesigning pick-pack workflow and implementing barcode scanning.
Profile (marketing)
Performance Marketing Executive with 4+ years across D2C and marketplace brands; £250k quarterly budgets; ROAS consistently 4–6x via Meta, Google Ads, and TikTok.
Quick Fix Checklist (Run This Before You Apply)
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Tailored keywords match the advert (8–12 exact terms).
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Top 6–8 achievements quantified and relevant.
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Single-column, ATS-safe layout; clean headings and spacing.
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UK spelling; zero typos; consistent tense & dates.
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Professional contact details + LinkedIn URL.
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No photo/DOB/marital status; city/postcode shown.
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Cover letter tailored (if allowed/requested).
FAQ (UK-Specific)
Should I include a photo on my CV?
No. Photos aren’t standard in the UK and can introduce bias.
PDF or Word?
Follow the application instructions. If unspecified, PDF preserves layout; some portals prefer .docx for parsing.
How many pages?
Two pages for experienced candidates; one page is fine for grads/early career.
Do cover letters still matter?
Often, yes. especially for professional/graduate roles or when the advert asks for one.
Need a CV That Wins UK Interviews?
Resume4Pro can tailor your CV and LinkedIn profile to the exact roles you’re targeting, ATS-friendly, data-backed, and recruiter-approved.
If you’d like, I can also produce:
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A condensed version for job boards (1 page)
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A keyword audit against 2-3 live UK job adverts
Say the word and I’ll draft them now.
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