Choose a layout · Edit online · Export your CV
Compare free UK CV templates, from a traditional British CV format to a modern skills-sidebar layout, plus simple, graduate and part-time job options. Preview a real example, pick a template, then use our free CV maker to add your details and download a PDF. No registration required.
Downloads follow editing in the builder; these are not direct Word-template downloads.
Compare the layouts
Start with London British for a traditional A4 CV or Manchester Modern for a skills sidebar. The other layouts are adaptable alternatives: their samples are not all UK-specific, and their local PDF exports use US Letter rather than A4.
Traditional · single column
A restrained heading and one reading column keep work history prominent. A starting point for business, finance and other applications where a plain layout is useful.
Local PDF: A4 · DOCX: standard layout
Modern · skills sidebar
A dark sidebar separates contact details and skills from the main work history. Consider it for marketing or digital roles; check the exported reading order before an online application.
Local PDF: A4 · DOCX: standard layout
Classic · single column
A centred header, brown rules and compact work-history entries give this layout a traditional feel. Useful when you want experience, rather than decoration, to lead.
Local PDF: US Letter · DOCX: standard layout
Simple · single column
A left-aligned header, light blue accents and a clear skills section keep the design understated. Consider it when you want an easy-to-scan alternative to a sidebar.
Local PDF: US Letter · DOCX: standard layout
Graduate · single-column preview
A straightforward layout with a UK graduate sample showing a placement and course-representative experience. Use projects, part-time work or volunteering to evidence your own skills.
Local PDF: US Letter · DOCX: standard layout
Creative · two columns
Purple and magenta accents, a sidebar and timeline styling suit a more visual presentation. Keep a simpler version for application systems that struggle with multiple columns.
Local PDF: US Letter · DOCX: standard layout
Previews show the existing templates with sample content, not downloadable blank files. Your own content determines the number of pages.
Not sure which to choose? Read our UK CV examples, the graduate CV guide or the student CV guide.
Many UK employers and recruitment agencies use applicant tracking systems to read and store CVs. A simple single-column layout with standard headings, real text rather than images, and dates in a consistent format is the usual starting point.
For parsing guidance, see our ATS template guide and full gallery or run your CV through the free ATS resume scanner. For role-specific ideas, browse accounting CV layouts or nursing CV layouts.
Resume Earth works as a free CV builder as well as a template gallery. Pick a layout, type your details into the online editor, watch the preview update and download a PDF. There is no account, payment or watermark. Optional AI tools can help with your profile and bullet points.
From a blank starting point
Choose Edit this CV. On your first visit, the form fields are empty; sample candidates in the previews are not added to your draft. Returning visitors keep their saved browser draft, even when changing layout.
Fill in the sections relevant to the vacancy. Use the preview to check page breaks, contact details and readability. Remove empty or irrelevant sections and use British English consistently, such as ‘organised’ and ‘analysed’.
Use Download PDF on mobile or desktop. The desktop toolbar also has DOCX and TXT. The DOCX file opens in Word and imports into Google Docs, but uses a standard layout; it does not reproduce the design you selected.
People often search for a “free CV template UK gov” or “GOV.UK CV template”. Resume Earth is independent and not affiliated with GOV.UK, and we do not know of a single official government CV template. The National Careers Service publishes free advice on what to put in each CV section.
You can follow that advice with any layout on this page: contact details, a short profile, work history, education and skills, with no age, date of birth, marital status or nationality. Start with London British for a plain, traditional format.
A conventional UK CV format brings together contact details, a short profile, relevant experience, education and skills. Adapt the order to your experience and the role. One page can work for a short history; two pages is common for experienced applicants, while specialist CVs may need more.
Illustrative wording, not a real customer or a claim about employment outcomes. Only use figures and experience you can support.
The profile states relevant experience; the achievement explains an action, its scale and a result. Replace both with evidence for your target vacancy.
For fuller samples, read UK CV examples, or learn how to write a CV step by step.
Before sending, check dates, links and British spelling. Keep text readable rather than squeezing it onto one page, and check for isolated headings or unexpected page breaks.
The National Careers Service’s CV guidance explains contact details, introductions, education and work history, and advises leaving out age, date of birth, marital status and nationality.
In the UK, “CV” is the normal word for the document you send with a job application. “Resume” is understood too, especially by international employers and recruitment platforms. The two usually mean the same thing in a UK application, so a UK resume format and a UK CV format are largely interchangeable.
A British resume template differs from a typical US one in a few ways: British spelling, A4 paper, no photo, no date of birth or marital status, and a personal profile instead of an objective. Length is usually one to two pages. If the vacancy says “resume”, use the same structure and match its wording.
See worked samples in our UK CV examples, or read how to write a CV.
Read the Privacy Policy for details. Learn about Resume Earth or contact us about an export or template problem.
The builder and its PDF, DOCX and TXT exports are free, with no account, payment or watermark. There is no paid template tier or download quota in the builder. Online services can still have technical rate limits or temporary errors.
You can pick a template, fill in your details in the online editor and download the finished CV as a PDF for free. There is no ready-made blank Word or PDF file to download from this page. The desktop toolbar also exports an editable DOCX that uses a standard layout.
Start with the London British CV in the online editor. On a first visit the fields are empty; the gallery examples are not copied into your CV. If you have used the builder before, it keeps your saved browser draft. There is no ready-made blank Word or PDF file to download from this page: fill in your details, then export.
The desktop builder toolbar offers an editable DOCX export which you can open in Word or import into Google Docs. It uses a standard document layout, not the selected template’s visual design. Check formatting after import. TXT is also available in the desktop toolbar; on mobile the builder shows PDF download. Continue editing the selected design in the online builder rather than treating the PDF as an editable template.
There is no single best one. For most applications a simple single-column layout such as London British or Pure Minimal is the safest choice. Use Manchester Modern or Aurora Creative only where a visual design suits the sector, and keep a plain version for online portals.
It depends on what you need. Resume Earth offers a free online CV maker with PDF export, no account and no watermark, plus editable DOCX and TXT on desktop. Compare any builder on whether it charges at download, adds watermarks or requires an account.
A standard UK CV format is contact details, a short personal profile, work experience (most recent first), education and qualifications, then skills. It is usually one to two pages on A4, in British English, with no photo, date of birth or marital status.
A simple single-column layout is a sensible starting point when a portal gives no design guidance. The local PDF exporter produces text rather than a screenshot, but that alone does not establish compatibility with every applicant tracking system. Follow the requested file format, copy the exported text into a plain-text editor and check names, dates and section order. No template guarantees an ATS pass or an interview.
One page may be enough for a first job or a short relevant history; two pages is common for experienced applicants. Academic, clinical and other specialist CVs can be longer. The amount of content controls pagination, not the template name. Follow any employer instructions and avoid shrinking text just to fit a page limit.
Resume Earth is independent and not affiliated with GOV.UK, and we do not know of one official government CV template. The National Careers Service publishes free CV advice on what to include. You can follow it with any layout on this page, for example London British. See the GOV.UK section above.
In the UK, ‘CV’ is the usual word for the document you send with a job application, and ‘resume’ is often used to mean the same thing, especially by international employers. UK CVs tend to use British spelling, leave out a photo and personal details such as date of birth, and run to one or two pages. Check the vacancy wording and match it.
Choose a simple single-column layout and lead with your profile, education, and any part-time work, volunteering or projects. One page is usually enough. Graduate Launch and Pure Minimal are straightforward starting points; replace the sample wording with your own evidence.
Start with a clear structure, add evidence for the role and check your downloaded file before applying.