Quick Answer
A standard CV format in English for tech jobs: one or two pages (one page is the US norm for a resume), margins of about 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1 inch), a plain font at 10–12 pt for body text, one column, clear section headings, reverse-chronological experience, and a PDF file. Use A4 paper size for the UK and Europe and US Letter for the US.
CV format standards at a glance
| Element | Common standard | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1–2 pages | Recruiters scan a CV in seconds; page 3 is rarely read |
| Margins | 1.5–2.5 cm (0.6–1 inch) on all sides | Enough white space to scan; smaller looks crowded |
| Body font size | 10–12 pt | Readable on screen and when printed |
| Headings | 13–16 pt, bold | Makes sections easy to find |
| Font | Calibri, Arial, Helvetica, Garamond or similar | Plain fonts survive PDF conversion and ATS parsing |
| Columns | One column | Two-column layouts often break applicant tracking systems |
| Paper size | A4 (UK, EU) or US Letter (US) | Prints and previews correctly in the target country |
| File type | PDF, unless the job asks for Word | Keeps your layout exactly as you designed it |
| File name | Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf | Easy to find in a recruiter's downloads folder |
| Summary | These are common recruiter expectations, not legal rules. If a job advert asks for something different, follow the advert. | |
How long should a CV be?
In the UK and most of Europe, two pages is the normal maximum for an experienced candidate. Graduates and people with under three years of experience usually fit on one page.
In the US and Canada, a resume is usually one page, and two pages is acceptable for senior engineers with ten or more years of relevant experience. A US “CV” means a longer academic document, so call yours a resume when you apply there.
If you are over two pages, cut before you shrink the font: remove jobs older than 10–15 years, merge short roles, and delete duties that do not show a result.
Keep a longer “master CV” with everything, then tailor a short version for each job. Our guide to analysing job descriptions shows what to keep.
Margins, font and spacing
Margins
- Use the same margin on all four sides: about 2 cm (0.75 inch) is a safe default.
- Do not go below about 1.27 cm (0.5 inch) to fit more text; the page will look crowded and may be cut off when printed.
- Word's “Normal” margin (2.54 cm / 1 inch) is fine if your content fits.
Font and spacing
- One font for the whole CV. Body text 10–12 pt, your name 18–24 pt, section headings 13–16 pt.
- Line spacing of 1.0–1.15, with a little extra space before each section heading.
- Bold for job titles and company names, not for random words inside bullet points.
- No text inside images, icons for contact details only if they are also written as text.
Layout and section order
A reverse-chronological layout (most recent job first) is what most international tech recruiters expect. A typical order for an experienced engineer:
- Name, job title, city and country, email, phone, LinkedIn and GitHub
- Summary: two or three lines on who you are and what you are looking for
- Experience: company, title, dates, then 3–5 impact bullets per role
- Skills: grouped (languages, frameworks, cloud, data)
- Education and certifications
- Languages, with a level (for example “English: C1, Spanish: native”)
For the reasoning behind each section and when to change the order, read software engineer CV structure for international jobs.
UK vs US vs EU differences
| UK | US | EU (varies by country) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Name | CV | Resume | CV (Europass is accepted in some countries) |
| Length | Up to 2 pages | Usually 1 page | 1–2 pages |
| Paper size | A4 | US Letter | A4 |
| Photo | No | No | Common in Germany, Austria and Switzerland; optional elsewhere |
| Date of birth, marital status | Leave out | Leave out | Often left out now; some countries still expect it |
| Spelling | British English | American English | Either, but be consistent |
For full templates for each market, see international CV templates: US vs UK vs EU format and a model CV for international tech jobs.
English details recruiters notice
Small things that make a CV read as native-level
- Start bullet points with a past-tense verb and no “I”: “Reduced API latency by 40%”, not “I was responsible for reducing latency”.
- Use one spelling system throughout: “optimised” (UK) or “optimized” (US), never both.
- Write dates the same way everywhere, for example “Mar 2022 – Present”.
- Translate job titles to the closest international equivalent, and do not invent seniority.
- Write numbers as digits in bullets (“3 teams”, “12 services”) so they stand out.
If your CV started in another language, the free CV translator to English gives you a clean first draft. Then run it through the free resume grader for a score on impact, English and structure. More on wording: how to write a resume as a non-native speaker.
Final checklist before you send it
- 1–2 pages (1 for a US resume unless you are senior)
- Margins about 2 cm / 0.75 inch, the same on every side
- One plain font, body text 10–12 pt
- One column, no tables or text boxes for important content
- A4 for the UK and Europe, US Letter for the US
- Every bullet starts with a verb and most include a number
- Consistent spelling and date format
- Saved as Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf
Interview tip
Your CV gets you the interview; your spoken English decides the next step. When the interview is booked, start with our step-by-step guide to preparing for a job interview in English.
FAQ
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