The short answer
Before you send a CV, check four things: that it’s easy to read, that nothing important is missing, that it’s relevant to this particular job, and that it’s safe to share. Tick through the lists below with your CV open next to you. Your ticks are saved only in this browser, and you can print the page instead.
How to use this
Open your CV and the job advert side by side. Work through each group. If you can’t tick something, the link under each group goes to the lesson that helps you fix it.
This checklist is about clarity, completeness and care. It doesn’t predict what an employer will decide. Employers look for different things, and a CV that ticks every box can still not be the right match for a particular role. That’s not a verdict on you.
Readable
8 items
Help with this: designed CV or plain CV?
Complete
7 items
Help with this: your first CV and education, gaps and references
Relevant to this job
8 items
Help with this: tailoring your CV, skills and describing your experience
Help with this: tailoring your CV, which covers file formats and personal details.
Why these details matter
- Personal information. GOV.UK warns against sharing your National Insurance number with anyone who doesn’t need it, and the National Careers Service suggests leaving age, date of birth, marital status and nationality off a CV. Prospects suggests leaving your home address off any CV you post online.
- Spelling and grammar. It’s on the National Careers Service list of things to check before submitting, and it’s one of the easiest things to fix.
- Truth. If it’s on the page, you may be asked about it. An interview is much easier when every line is yours.
Try
One improvement
When you’ve ticked through, pick the single most useful thing to fix now.
Your answers are saved in this browser only. Nothing is sent to us.
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Build my CVSources and further reading
- CV sections National Careers Service
- How to write a CV Prospects
- How to write a CV UCAS
- Application form advice National Careers Service
- Your National Insurance number GOV.UK
Checked against these sources on 14 November 2026. Rules and rates change: if something here looks out of date, tell us at hello@cvbuffed.com. How we check our guidance.