How long should a CV be in the UK?

The short answer: two sides of A4 is the UK standard for most people. It's long enough to show real evidence of your experience, and short enough that a busy recruiter will read it.

But "two pages" is a guideline, not a rule. Here's how to judge what's right for you.

When one page is right

• School leavers, graduates and early-career candidates with limited work history. A tight, well-evidenced single page beats two pages of padding.
• Career changers where most past experience isn't relevant to the new field. Lead with transferable skills and keep older, unrelated roles brief.
• Some speculative applications and networking, where a short overview is more likely to be read.

When more than two pages is fine

• Academic CVs, which list publications, grants, teaching and conferences, are routinely longer.
• Senior medical, scientific and some technical roles, where the employer expects detail on specific procedures, projects or qualifications.
• Senior executive roles with long, highly relevant histories, though many executives still keep to two pages and put the detail on LinkedIn.

If the advert or application guidance specifies a length or format, follow it. That beats any general advice.

The UK CV is not a US résumé

In the UK, "CV" usually means the standard document for job applications, typically two pages. In the US, the equivalent is a résumé, often one page, while "CV" there tends to mean the longer academic version. If you're applying to UK employers, write a UK CV.

A few other UK conventions:

• No photo (unless you're applying for acting or modelling work).
• No date of birth, marital status or nationality. They aren't needed, and leaving them out avoids unconscious bias.
• "References available on request" is unnecessary. Employers assume it, and the space is better used for evidence.

What to cut when your CV runs long

If you're over two pages, trim in this order:

1. Older roles. Anything more than 10 to 15 years ago can usually be reduced to job title, employer and dates, unless it's directly relevant.
2. Duties that don't match the job. Every bullet should help make the case for this role.
3. Repetition. If three roles say you "managed stakeholders", keep the best example and cut the rest.
4. Generic phrases. "Hard-working team player with excellent communication skills" takes a line and proves nothing.
5. Hobbies and interests, unless they're relevant to the role or show something your work history doesn't.

What should never be cut is evidence: the specific, measurable things you achieved that match what the employer is asking for.

Length matters less than relevance

A two-page CV full of evidence relevant to the advert will beat a perfectly formatted one-pager that doesn't address what the employer needs. Get the content right first, then edit for length.

Check your CV free to see how well it fits a specific advert. It scores clarity and structure alongside six other dimensions, and its rewrites aim for one to two pages of the most relevant content.