CV and job application guides
Everything we have learned about getting a CV past an applicant tracking system and in front of a person — written for UK job seekers, with no filler.
ATS formatting rules: what actually breaks a CV
The formatting choices that stop an applicant tracking system reading your CV properly, and the plain-text structure that always parses.
Read guideCV keywords that matter, by industry
How to find the keywords an employer's ATS is actually scoring for, with worked examples across tech, finance, healthcare, marketing and operations.
Read guideHow to tailor a cover letter in ten minutes
A repeatable four-paragraph structure for tailoring a cover letter to any job ad without rewriting it from scratch each time.
Read guideUK CV vs US resume: the differences that matter
Length, personal details, photos, references and spelling: what to change when you send a UK CV to a US employer or the other way round.
Read guideWriting a graduate CV when you have no experience
How to build a credible graduate CV from coursework, projects, part-time jobs and volunteering, without padding it out.
Read guideWhy applications get rejected before a human reads them
The most common reasons a CV never reaches a recruiter, from failed parsing and knockout questions to applying too late in the cycle.
Read guideStop guessing whether your CV fits
Score your CV against a real job ad in seconds — free, no account needed.