Free online CV builder

Step by step

Open the builder, choose UK CV or US resume, and pick a template. Fill in your name, job title, contact details and a short personal statement. Add your experience using one block per job — the first line is “Job title | Company | Dates”, followed by bullet points starting with a dash. Add education and skills, check your CV score, and download a PDF.

What makes a good CV builder

• Live preview so you see changes instantly.
• Clean, ATS-friendly templates.
• Guidance and examples, not just empty boxes.
• Easy PDF export without watermarks.
• Privacy: your personal data should not be harvested.

Formatting tips that work everywhere

• Use a clean, readable font at a comfortable size.
• Keep consistent date formats and alignment.
• Use bold sparingly for job titles and headings.
• Leave enough white space so the page breathes.
• Export to PDF to preserve formatting.
• Name the file clearly, e.g. FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf.

Tailoring your CV to each job

A single generic CV rarely performs as well as one tailored to the role. Read the job advert carefully and highlight the essential skills and responsibilities. Reorder your bullet points so the most relevant achievements appear first, adjust your personal statement to mention the role and sector, and mirror the employer’s language where it accurately describes your experience. Keep a master CV with everything, then trim it for each application.

Choosing the right format for your situation

Most people should use a reverse-chronological layout, listing the most recent role first. If you are changing careers or have gaps, you can lead with a strong skills section before your employment history to highlight transferable experience. Graduates can put education first and include relevant projects, placements and part-time work. Whichever you choose, keep it honest and easy to scan.

Keeping your CV up to date

Update your master CV every few months, even when you are not job hunting. Note new responsibilities, achievements and training while they are fresh, along with any numbers you can verify. When an opportunity appears you will be ready to tailor quickly rather than trying to remember what you did a year ago.

Writing your experience section in the builder

Each job is one block. The first line holds the job title, employer and dates separated by vertical bars, for example “Sales Assistant | Boots | 2022 – Present”. Each following line that starts with a dash becomes a bullet point. Leave a blank line between jobs. The live preview formats everything for you, so you can concentrate on the words rather than the layout.

Education and skills

List education with the most recent qualification first, using the same “Qualification | Institution | Year” pattern. Skills go in a comma-separated list; aim for the ones that appear in the job advert and that you can demonstrate in an interview. Avoid long lists of generic skills — six to ten relevant ones are usually enough.

Downloading and sending your CV

Click Download PDF and choose “Save as PDF” in your browser’s print dialog. The builder sets A4 for UK CVs and Letter for US resumes automatically. Name the file clearly, such as “Jane-Smith-CV.pdf”, and check it opens correctly before you attach it to an application. If an employer asks for Word format, copy the text into a word processor and keep the same structure.

Your data stays with you

There is no account and nothing is uploaded. Your CV is saved in your browser on this device only, so it will not appear on another computer or phone unless you rebuild it there. Use Clear to remove it from a shared computer.

Choosing a template for your sector

Creative roles can carry a little more color, so the Modern template suits marketing, design and tech. Law, finance, academia and the public sector tend to favor restraint, which suits Classic. Minimal is a safe choice anywhere and prints well in black and white. Whatever you choose, the content matters far more than the design, so pick quickly and spend your time on the words.

Templates explained

Modern uses a colored header for a contemporary look that suits most roles. Classic uses a serif font and understated headings — good for traditional sectors such as law and finance. Minimal strips everything back for maximum readability. All three print cleanly in black and white.

Frequently asked questions