CV Format 2026: The Best Simple CV Format for Any Job

The right CV format makes it easy for a recruiter to find what they need in seconds: who you are, what you've done and why you fit the job. The wrong format hides your best experience — or confuses the applicant tracking system (ATS) before a person ever sees it. This guide shows you the simple CV format that works for almost any job in 2026, with an example you can copy.

The best CV format in one minute

• Reverse-chronological: most recent job first.
• Single column: no sidebars, tables or text boxes.
• Clear section order: contact details, summary, experience, education, skills.
• One to two pages: one page for freshers, two for experienced candidates.
• Standard font at 10–12 pt: such as Helvetica, Arial, Calibri or Times New Roman.
• Text-based PDF: unless the employer asks for Word.

The standard CV format: section by section

1. Name and contact details — full name, job title or headline, phone number, email, city and country, and a LinkedIn or portfolio link.
2. Professional summary — two to four sentences about your experience, strengths and goals. See our CV summary examples.
3. Work experience — job title, employer, location and dates, with three to five achievement-focused bullet points per role.
4. Education — degree, institution, location and graduation year, plus grades or honours if they help.
5. Skills — the hard and soft skills that match the job. Our list of skills for your CV can help.
6. Optional sections — certifications, languages, projects, volunteering or awards.

If you are a student or recent graduate, swap sections 3 and 4 so your education comes first. Our guide to making a CV for freshers explains this in detail.

Simple CV format example

You don't need to design this yourself. Free CV Maker uses exactly this format: fill in the form, and the layout, spacing and headings are done for you.

The three types of CV format compared

CV formatting rules that recruiters notice

• Margins: about 1.7–2.5 cm on every side, so the page doesn't look crowded.
• Headings: use standard names like “Work Experience”, not creative ones.
• Dates: one format everywhere, for example “Mar 2021 – Present”, aligned to the right.
• Bullet points: short lines that start with an action verb — see our action verbs for your resume.
• Consistency: the same font, sizes and spacing for every section.
• File name: FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf, never “cv-final-new2.pdf”.

CV format by experience level

Freshers and students

One page. Education first, then projects, internships, part-time jobs, volunteering and skills.

Mid-level professionals

One to two pages. Summary, then experience with measurable results, then education and skills.

Senior professionals

Two pages. Focus on the last 10–15 years, leadership, budgets, team size and business impact. Shorten older roles to one line.

Academic and research roles

A longer academic CV with publications, research and teaching. Our guide on CV vs resume explains the difference.

Does the CV format change by country?

The core format stays the same everywhere, but personal details vary. In the UK, US and Canada, photos and personal details such as age or marital status are usually left out. In the Gulf, details like nationality, visa status and a professional photo are common. Read our CV format for Gulf jobs if you are applying in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar or nearby countries.

Common CV format mistakes

• Two-column templates that applicant tracking systems can't read.
• Skill bars, icons and charts instead of clear text.
• Long paragraphs instead of bullet points.
• Three or more pages for a non-academic role.
• Mixing fonts, date formats or bullet styles.