Whether you’re hunting down your first job or looking for something new, it’s time to revamp your CV! Use a simple, clean CV template that allows prospective employers to quickly and easily find the information that they’re looking for, without any graphics, fancy fonts or other unprofessional elements that get in the way of the important information.
When you’re ready to start, here are a selection of CV templates that are totally free for you to download and open up in your favourite word processing software. All are created in Microsoft Word but you can edit them in other software packages such as Open Office.
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Basic CV template - this is a really simple, basic CV template – it’s clean and well laid out with a simple, acceptable font and no unprofessional graphic elements (download this CV template). Choose this CV template over graphical or cluttered CV templates, for most professional jobs and you’ll make the right impression. |
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Basic CV template (2) (our alternative version) – another version of our basic, professional CV template for you to use (download this CV template). Again this template keeps it clean and simple, allowing HR to find the skills and characteristics that they’re looking for straight away, without having to wade through waffle. |
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Basic CV template (3) – if you’re looking for a little styling on your CV, look no further than this one – whilst everything’s kept clean and simple, it makes use of some lines to add some style to your curriculum vitae (download this CV template). |
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Stylish CV template – whilst there’s no fancy fonts or in-your-face colours, this is a stylish CV template with a bit more character – presenting your personal information on the left and your employment and education information on the right (download this CV template). |
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CV template for clinical jobs – finally, a basic CV template with some extra headers for those applying for clinical jobs (download this CV template in Word format). The only difference to our basic template is the additional sections that are appropriate to this type of job. |
CV advice
- Don’t overload your CV with unnecessary information and waffle. It’ll make it harder for HR to find what they really want to see. Use the headings provided and tailor what you put into the CV to the job position you’re applying for. This makes you look more suited to the role than you would if you just sent out a generic CV.
- Be cautious about the personal information you offer. For example, does your prospective employer really need to know that you’re married with 3 kids, or you’re 50? This type of information might say to your employer that you have a lot of out-of-work commitments that might get in the way of the job, or that you might not be as in touch with the latest developments in your area of expertise as somebody younger. It’d be lovely to think that people don’t exercise any of their prejudices and view all CVs without any discrimination but the fact is, we’re only human. The aim of the game is to get your foot in the door and secure an interview, giving you the chance to impress them in person. So don’t give them any reason to reject you at CV stage.
- Check out our free guide on ‘How to write a CV’ (or ‘How to write a CV for clinical jobs‘) and view examples of CVs.
- Check the requirements of applying for the job carefully – messing up on small details like applying to the right person, getting their name right, and including the information they’ve asked for in your application, can be the difference between getting the interview and seeing your CV end up in their bin.