How to improve a CV - the ultimate guide to standing out and getting interviews in 2026

You've got a basic CV ready to send out, but will it get the results it should? In a competitive job market, your CV needs to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. Improve your CV by adding, deleting, editing and tailoring, until you have a document that you can be proud of.

CVs have come a long way since the generic, typed lists of responsibilities and personal details that used to do the job. Explore best practice and what matters now, to ensure you're putting your best foot forward.

1.    Basic tips to improve a CV

The golden rule to improve a CV is to keep it recent, relevant and results oriented. This ensures you retain a laser focus on what's important. Let go of anything that may not influence the hiring manager, however interesting or time-consuming it was for you personally.

Create a master draft

If you haven't already, get your basic CV outline  in place. Think of your CV as your own personal sales document. If there’s something from your career, past or present, that would sell you into a role, it should go on the CV. Important information for a CV includes contact details, career history and education.

Top tip: Creating a master CV enables you to keep all the relevant detail in one place. Add to it as your career progresses, even when you're not job hunting, and save a new version for each application you make.

Remove irrelevant detail

The most effective CVs are focused on a particular type of job, so remove anything irrelevant to the role you're applying for. Things your reader doesn’t need to know include your family situation, your National Insurance number and your dog’s name (I have seen all of these and more in my years as a professional CV writer!). As a general rule, if it doesn’t affect your ability to do a job, you don’t even need to think about it when writing a CV - let alone include it.

Add missing detail

It's easy to get so bogged down in the detail of your day-to-day work that you forget to add details that actually matter. I've seen many, many CVs without contact details, for example! But assuming you've got the basics sorted, consider what you can offer that other candidates might not.

Things like languages, internal courses and voluntary work often add a little bonus to an application, so – as long as it shows a skill that could add value in your target role – add it on!

The structure of a CV isn't set in stone, so if you need to add a new section to highlight something that doesn't fit neatly anywhere else, feel free.

Remove graphics

Graphics aren’t recommended on a CV. That includes icons, photos, logos and skills charts. Software doesn't read them well and they can look unprofessional. Most recruiters prefer plain CVs that enable them to locate the information they need quickly.

Ignore CV myths

As you start to improve your CV, ensure you're not inadvertently adding red flags. There's a lot of CV advice out there on the internet, and not all of it is good advice! If you've read about hiding text in a white font or tried to squeeze a 30-year career onto one page, it would be wise to check your sources.

Approaching CV writing with honesty and common sense is far more likely to create the right impression than trying to find shortcuts.

2.    Professional tips to improve a CV

There's some CV advice that applies to almost every CV I see. These expert moves will improve a CV faster than you can say "hired"!

Add achievements

It’s so important to show a potential employer not just what you do every day, but also how you’ve excelled. If you’ve gone above and beyond in your previous roles, it can reassure a recruiter that you’ll do the same for them and prove yourself to be a worthwhile hire.

Have a think about how you’ve really contributed to the business, in terms of profit, reputation, cost saving, service, and so on. These are the details that can really improve a CV and set it apart from the rest of the pile. Separate your achievements from your responsibilities in each role, to draw attention to them.

Add metrics

An easy way to improve a CV is to throw a few numbers in. Primarily, you should use them to quantify your achievements – that way, they’ll come across as credible and concrete, rather than as vague, unjustifiable claims. Think “increased sales by 35% within the first 2 months”, as compared to just “increased sales”.

Numbers are also handy to build an understanding of the scope of your role. “Led a team” doesn’t explain much, but “led a team of 18 staff across 3 departments” enables a recruiter to understand more about the level you’ve been working at and the extent of your remit. Bear in mind, though, that the one number you shouldn’t include on your CV is your salary.

Edit ruthlessly

No need to overshare! A CV is your personal marketing tool, so there’s no need to include every little detail, especially if it doesn’t help to build a compelling case to hire you. No-one needs to know if you were made redundant, had a paper round 20 years ago or dropped out of uni. Gloss over the less relevant parts of your life and focus only on the positives.

3.    Expert tips to improve a CV

With a strong master CV in place, it's time for the final finishing touches.

Tailor your CV to a specific role

To truly make a positive first impression, master CVs should be tailored to the role you're applying for. Don't worry, that doesn't mean you need to start over from scratch. If your master CV is comprehensive enough, it can be as quick as deleting the parts that aren't relevant to the advertised position.

The most important part of the job advert is the Person Specification (sometimes called Requirements or similar). They tell you exactly what the company is looking for, so your CV should prove that you tick those boxes.  

Show attention to detail

The presentation of your CV matters, as it will often form someone’s first impression of you. If your dates are in different formats, your headings are different sizes, your margins aren’t consistently justified, and you’ve used multiple fonts, it really doesn’t say a lot about the time, care and attention you’ve put into the application.

Proofreading is time well invested. As well as checking your own CV, rope in friends and family and use free online tools to pick over it until it hits perfection.

Present a consistent story

Your CV should tell the same story as your LinkedIn profile, which in turn should tell the same story as your cover letter or application form. Inconsistencies in dates, company names, and focus don’t just say volumes about your lack of attention to detail – they’re also a red flag to readers who may think you’re being flexible with the truth.

Special circumstances

Not all careers fit neatly into the same outline. Some require different treatment to ensure they avoid biases and assumptions.

Explaining a career break

It's perfectly normal to have a break at some point in your career, and it's unlikely you'll be penalised for it, but how you treat it on your CV matters.

Most importantly, the career break should be explained, very briefly, within your career chronology. Frame it positively and outline what productive or interesting things you've done whilst away from work.  

Explaining redundancy

The easiest way to deal with redundancy on a CV is – don't! There's no reason to give a reason for leaving any role – people move on, it happens, and no-one will be surprised or put off because you've changed jobs.

If the redundancy resulted in a long period of unemployment, treat it as you would a career break, with a focus on the positives.

Explaining minimal work experience

Everyone has to start somewhere, so don't worry if you have no formal career to write about on your CV. Focus instead on skills gained elsewhere, including in education, whilst volunteering, or doing hobbies.

FAQs to improve a CV

How can I improve my CV in one minute?

The quickest way to improve most CVs is to add quantifiable achievements to each role. This helps the reader to understand the impact you can have on a business.

How can I improve my CV for the UK job market?

As a general rule, CVs in the UK are two pages long, written in British English and contain no personal details such as nationality or date of birth.

Is it worth paying someone to improve my CV?

A professional CV writer can add polish to most CVs. If you choose to work with a pro, do your research to find the one can meet your needs, deadlines and budgets.

Can I use AI to improve my CV?

Many recruiters are pushing back against the use of AI for CV writing, as they are being inundated with near-identical CVs from applicants that are ultimately unsuitable for their vacant roles. Rather than writing a generic CV and applying in bulk, you're more likely to get noticed with a tailored and well-thought-out CV for roles you're a close fit for.

The short version

By writing for your reader and telling them what they want to hear, it's easy to make a few small tweaks that result in a huge improvement in your CV.

For a professional layout, why not use Word Dragon's basic CV template?

The easiest way to improve your CV

Rather than making constant changes and never being quite sure if they're hitting the mark, why not ask a professional to take the strain for you? Word Dragon will provide feedback on your CV or even write your CV from scratch! Get in touch to find out more.

Updated 2026