15 Best CV Templates to Download for the UK in 2024

Job-hunting is survival of the fittest, where only the strongest will succeed. And your main weapon in that struggle is your CV. You can’t just settle for average, you can’t even stop at good, you need the best CV template to make sure you’re the one on top of the recruiter’s yes pile. 

To help you get there we’ve used a combination of career expert knowledge and standout design to bring you 15 of the best CV templates in the world. We’ve even made a few recommendations for the types of job some of the examples would be best suited for.

But don’t feel limited by this, our best CV templates are versatile. Whichever one you choose, you can be confident that it’ll work.

Create an effective CV in minutes. Choose a professional CV template and fill in every section of your CV in a flash using ready-made content and expert tips.

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The LiveCareer online CV maker lets you build a professional CV fast and download it as a PDF or DOC.

Want to use different CV templates? See these guides:

• Basic & Simple CV Templates
• Best CV Designs for Any Profession
• Blank CV Templates for Any Job
• Creative CV Templates You May Like
• Free CV Templates to Download Now
• LaTeX CV Templates & Why Use Them
• Model CV Templates Worth Checking
• Modern CV Templates That Look Really Good
• Visual CV Templates & What Are They
• Word CV Templates You Can Use With Ease

The best CV template example

OK, now you know what makes a good CV. Here's a selection of best CV templates for the 2024:

1. Light blue creative

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We start our selection of the best CV templates with one of our more creative examples. It combines artistic looks with sensible design, guaranteed to get you noticed for all the right reasons.

The CV header is left entirely to your name. CVs are like an advert and the brand is you, so it pays to make your identity stand out loud and proud.

Your personal details move to the left-hand column, accompanied by CV icons to make them crystal clear. You’re then left with ample room to list your professional skills.

We’d suggest it’s perfect for writing the best IT CV template where a long list of technical skills is often needed. 

2. Red modern

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The next of our best CV templates takes the traditional CV format and makes the simple addition of a splash of red.

With its associations with confidence, comfort and warmth it’s an excellent choice for professions where those qualities need to come to the fore.

And the darkness of the tone keeps it looking professional and elegant. And it’s not all about looks. We make the whole process as simple as possible.

All you have to do is enter your content and our CV builder gives you perfect results every time.

3. Orange creative

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If you like the warmth and vitality of orange then this is the best CV template for you. Starting with that bright splash of color, it uses a combination of grey and black CV fonts to really make your name stand out. This is especially effective when applying for a creative industry and writing a marketing CV, for example.

And like all of our CVs it’s been designed to be fully ATS compliant. ATS stands for applicant tracking system and it’s the software that scans your CV when you email it or submit it online.

If it can’t read your CV then it gets rejected and your job application is dead in the water. Stick with Live Career’s templates and you’ll be certain of pleasing humans and computers alike.

4. Creative green

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Now for a move to the cooler end of the colour spectrum. This example uses green to give an impression of freshness and vitality.

With its connotations of new growth we’d recommend it as the best CV template for graduates. That said, it’s a versatile choice for any career.

This example shows just how much room is available for your CV work experience section, so it’s a perfect choice for more experienced candidates too.

5. Blue modern accents

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Now we move along the rainbow to blue. This is the best CV template to choose if you aim for a cool and calming effect, for example, when writing an administrator CV.

A great choice for more traditional corporate roles. The one-column format gives you plenty of room to work with, particularly in the CV summary, so you can make a strong start. And it’s not just about the templates.

The real benefit lies in our CV maker. You even get expert CV tips as you write, and it doesn’t get any better than that.

6. Blue modern header

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We continue with a blue theme but this template makes an even bolder statement. Your name appears in bright white against a striking blue header.

So if you really want to stand out from the crowd this is the best CV template for you. And once again our CV builder makes your job incredibly easy.

Whatever changes you make, the CV layout will stay in mint condition. No more struggling with a word processor to get good results.

7. Electric blue creative

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More blue you say? Well it’s for good reason. A survey by the renowned market research firm. Yougov, revealed that blue is the world’s favourite colour.

Blue really is the best CV template colour. This shade is on the brighter end of the colour chart, so it’s more energetic and refreshing in its feel. A safe bet for awakening and energising an overworked hiring manager.

8. Centred executive

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Our next set of examples prove that you don’t need flashy colours and graphics to make the best CV template for a CV. With the use of a good CV structure, layout and formatting, even plain black text on a white background can look brilliant.

This template makes a very simple adjustment to the CV header, using centre alignment for a professional feel. Then the alignment is offset for the main body of the page, all the way down to the CV skills section.

It helps add a sense of flow and separation. We also think this template lives up to its name and would make the best CV template for executive.

9. Corporate business card

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You can just picture it. A business card with subtle off-white colouring, tasteful thickness, perhaps even a watermark. That’s the feeling that this best CV template aims to evoke. The subtle use of capital letters, bold fonts in the headings, and fine lines all contribute to a sense of elegance. Use this template for a teacher's CV to appear professional and confident.

What’s even better is that if you use our CV generator you don’t need the writing skills of a corporate highflyer. We’ve got thousands of pre-written examples for you to use as inspiration, so anyone can produce a perfectly written CV.

10. Business professional

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We took design cues from traditional UK business letter format in this example. The CV header and personal details are right-aligned which adds a touch of stylish asymmetry to the layout.

It's so smooth and stylish that we consider it the best CV template for any job in the UK. You simply cannot go wrong with this kind of understated class. It's also a great choice if you're changing careers (and writing a career change CV).

And let me reiterate that every one of our CV templates is recruiter approved, so you’ll be sure to impress the people who matter most.

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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11. One page modern

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Once again, the hint is in the name. This is the best CV template ever if you really need to stick to a one-page CV, which is the ideal length for a CV.

We’ve shrunk the header section containing the candidate’s name and placed it right at the top of the page to increase room for the other CV sections. That way it’s easier to include everything on the first page, all the way down to extra sections, such as CV hobbies and interests.

But even though it’s compact it retains its readability. The last thing you want to do is force the hiring manager to have to squint at a crowded page full of illegible text.

12. Professional minimalist

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Here we have the best CV template for the UK with pure, stripped-back minimalism. It has all the bare-bones brilliance of a Philip Glass composition without any distractions or complications.

The simple additions of fine lines to highlight headings and judicious use of text alignment create an easy reading masterpiece. That's what a good CV looks like!

Take a look at our CV maker to try it out for yourself. We pride ourselves on a ‘try before you buy’ philosophy, so you can be certain that our builder meets your needs.

13. Simple scanner

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This example is the best CV template for taking advantage of viewing behaviour. Put simply, it’s the way our eyes scan a page as we read. We recommend it for those writing a support worker CV or care assistant CV, as it effectively guides the reader's attention to key information.

This template helps to ensure the reader scans back and forth across the page as the alignment changes from left, to centre, to right. Recruiters are incredibly busy and tend to just skim CVs. So any feature that helps to focus their attention gives you an advantage.

14. Classic professional

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Our Classic Professional template is the best choice if you're looking for a safe and neutral option that suits any career, whether it's a hospitality CV or an accountant CV.

All the necessary elements are present for job hunting success. And like all of our templates, using our CV builder makes it easy to adapt the CV format to your needs. Whether it’s a traditional chronological CV or a skills-based CV, you’ll find it a breeze. 

15. Bold professional

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We finish our list of best CV templates for the UK with a more bold statement. Splitting the candidate’s name into bold and standard weight is a striking way of creating emphasis (what a great choice when crafting a manager's CV!). It also makes use of a generous splash of white space to include a timeline for the work experience section, an excellent way of creating a sense of progression.

And that’s it, now you can be confident that you’ve chosen the best CV template in the world. 

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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Thanks for reading. If you’re still not sure how to choose the best CV template then please do ask in the comments section and I’ll be happy to answer.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.