Details Which Should be Included on a CV

What is Best Practice to Include on a CV

Our team of writers review hundreds of CVs each week and there are many things which should and should not be included. CV writing is a very subjective thing and there are always a breadth of opinions on how a CV should be structured and contented - but there are certain points which are generally accepted as best practice.

Should I include age on my CV?

Date of birth should not be included on a CV - the Equality Act 2020 means that it is forbidden for recruiters and hiring managers to discriminate or shortlist candidates based on their age, hence you should not detail this. You should be assessed solely on your capability to undertake the role being advertised and not any other factors. Another reason for excluding date of birth is for mitigation against any potential identity fraud. Naturally, you will be posting your CV online and uploading it to various job portals / recruitment sites. Although all sites adhere to GDPR and data protection regulations, your information will be in the public domain, so it is best practice to keep date of birth details private, away from the prying eyes of fraudsters.

Is Marital Status Appropriate to Include?

You do not need to include details of marital status. It is not relevant to any job application as to whether you are single, married, co-habiting or divorced. Likewise, you do not need to include information on your gender or any dependents you have, as this will not impact the job application / recruitment process in any way.

Home Address on a CV

What about your full home address? Whether or not to include this, is a matter which raises many opinions. A lot of candidates do include their full address including postcode, and there is no problem with this, if you are comfortable with it. You can also include town or city only if you wish, and also completely exclude this information. There is no right or wrong in this instance, however it can be beneficial for ATS systems to pick up details of your location to assess your suitability for a position based on travel (if it is a hybrid / on-site role).

Employment Gaps on a CV

It is good practice to address any employment gaps, especially if recent and more than six months. You would not need to include reasons particularly, however it can be beneficial to write whether it was to raise a family, travelling or for professional development for example.

References on a CV

Details of references do not need to be included on a CV. You can state 'References available upon request' at the end of the CV, and it is only when you have interviewed and accepted a job offer that your prospective new company will contact your current or previous employer for a reference. If they need details of individuals to contact, they will generally advise you at this point.

Spacing on a CV

Use space in an efficient way on your professional CV. Write things in a concise way, do not include any irrelevant or duplicated information and always keep it focused on your skills, capabilities, expertise and career experiences.