CV & Cover Letter

How long should a CV be when you send it to a client?

The candidate's CV and the version you send a client have different readers and different jobs. Rules of thumb by level, what to trim, what never to cut, and when the client's format wins.

Scott Burns·7 min read·1 Oct 2026

Ten CV formatting mistakes that lose agencies placements

A dropped role, a wrong date or another agency's logo in the footer costs more than one interview. The ten reformatting mistakes seen most often, and the check that catches each one.

Scott Burns·6 min read·1 Oct 2026

Setting a CV standard for your agency: one template, one process, every consultant

Clients describe agencies by their CVs before they describe the consultants. The nine decisions an agency CV standard should cover, and how to make it stick across the desk.

Scott Burns·7 min read·1 Oct 2026

What to strip from a candidate's CV before it goes to a client

The CV a candidate sends you and the CV you send a client are different documents. What comes out, why, and the short list of things a recruiter must never touch.

Scott Burns·7 min read·1 Oct 2026

UK GDPR and candidate CVs: what recruitment agencies need to get right

Every CV in your database is personal data. A recruiter's working guide to lawful basis, privacy notices, sharing with clients, retention, subject access requests and transfers to the Gulf.

Scott Burns·8 min read·1 Oct 2026

Blind CVs: what to remove, what to keep, and how to send them without losing the candidate

A blind CV done well reads like a normal CV with a reference where the name was. Here is what to remove, what to keep, and how to handle the employer-name problem.

Scott Burns·7 min read·1 Oct 2026

10 CV action verbs and accomplishment statements that make recruiters call you

Carly Burns·6 min read·29 Sept 2026

10 CV optimisation tips that get you more interviews

Carly Burns·8 min read·28 Sept 2026

10 Common CV Formatting Mistakes That Prevent Interviews

Formatting is not cosmetic. A well formatted CV guides a recruiter to the facts that matter. Poor presentation hides achievements, creates parsing errors with applicant tracking…

Carly Burns·8 min read·25 Sept 2026

10 Actionable Ways to Tailor Your CV to Job Descriptions (and Get More Interviews)

Carly Burns·8 min read·18 Sept 2026

Top CV Keywords and Phrases That Help You Beat Applicant Tracking Systems

Scott Burns·8 min read·13 Sept 2026

7 Proven CV optimisation tips to pass recruiters' filters

CV optimisation tips matter because strong candidates frequently fail to progress beyond the initial screen. Recruiters and ATS systems decide whether your application is seen by…

Carly Burns·7 min read·1 Aug 2026

10 CV Tailoring Techniques to Beat Applicant Tracking and Land Interviews

Sending the same CV to every role is the single biggest reason candidates get no response. Recruiters and hiring managers receive dozens or hundreds of applications, and both…

Scott Burns·8 min read·18 Jul 2026

10 CV Formatting Mistakes That Keep You Out of the Interview Room

Hiring managers and recruiters spend very little time on a CV at first glance. If your document is hard to scan or looks disorganised, your experience will be missed before anyone…

Carly Burns·8 min read·14 Jul 2026

10 CV Optimisation Techniques That Triple Your Interview Rate

Many strong candidates receive few interviews not because they lack ability, but because their CV does not communicate value clearly. Recruiters and hiring managers make a…

Scott Burns·10 min read·9 Jul 2026

10 CV optimisation tips that get you past recruiters and algorithms

CV optimisation tips are no longer about clever layouts or buzzword lists. Hiring teams now combine automated filtering with quick human screening. A CV that is unclear, poorly…

Carly Burns·9 min read·2 Jul 2026

10 Actionable CV optimisation tips to land more interviews

Carly Burns·7 min read·22 Jun 2026

Tailoring Your CV for Different Roles: A Step-by-Step Guide to tailor CV for job applications

Sending the same CV to every vacancy is why many strong candidates get few responses. Recruiters and hiring managers make split-second judgements. A CV that looks generic will not…

Carly Burns·8 min read·17 Jun 2026

How to tailor CV for job applications: a step-by-step checklist

Carly Burns·6 min read·3 Jun 2026

How to Build an ATS-Friendly CV: Formats, Keywords and Examples

ATS-friendly CV is the practical label recruiters use for a CV that both application tracking systems and hiring managers can read without stumbling. Many applicants never reach a…

Scott Burns·9 min read·2 Jun 2026

CV Examples That Get Interviews

Scott Burns·7 min read·27 May 2026

How to Write an ATS-Friendly CV: 10 Steps to Pass the Filters

Carly Burns·7 min read·19 May 2026

How to Build an ATS-Friendly CV: A Step-by-Step Guide

Carly Burns·6 min read·15 May 2026

10 Proven CV Optimisation Techniques That Get Recruiters' Attention

CV optimisation tips matter because recruiters decide quickly whether an application is worth further time. Many capable candidates are overlooked because their CV does not…

Scott Burns·8 min read·12 May 2026

How to Write an ATS friendly CV: 10 Steps That Get Past Recruiters' Filters

Scott Burns·7 min read·4 May 2026

10 Actionable CV Bullet Points Examples That Make Recruiters Call

CV bullet points examples that show results rather than routine tasks change how a recruiter reads a CV. Most applications fail at this stage because bullet points list duties…

Carly Burns·7 min read·1 May 2026

Step-by-Step Guide to Tailoring Your CV for Each Job Application

Scott Burns·7 min read·28 Apr 2026

How to Create an ATS-Friendly CV That Passes Every Screen

Scott Burns·7 min read·25 Apr 2026

Create an ATS-Friendly CV: Step-by-Step Guide

Carly Burns·7 min read·19 Apr 2026

10 CV Optimisation Tricks Recruiters Notice in 10 Seconds

CV optimisation tips matter because the first impression of a CV is formed long before an interview. Recruiters spend a few seconds scanning for fit, then decide whether to read…

Carly Burns·8 min read·15 Apr 2026

How to Write an ATS-Friendly CV: Formatting and Keywords That Pass Filters

Many applications never reach a human reviewer because the document fails automated screening. An ATS-friendly CV increases the chance your application appears in shortlists by…

Scott Burns·7 min read·14 Apr 2026

How to Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter for Each Job: Templates & Checklist

Sending the same CV and cover letter to every vacancy will reduce your interview invites. Recruiters and hiring managers read for fit, not for your life story. When your documents…

Carly Burns·9 min read·17 Mar 2026

Common CV Mistakes That Stop You Getting Interviews (and How to Fix Them)

If you have been applying and hearing nothing back, you are not alone. Many strong candidates fail to progress because of CV issues that prevent hiring teams from seeing the value…

Scott Burns·9 min read·17 Mar 2026

How to Write an ATS friendly CV: Formatting, Keywords and Templates

Many applicants never reach a human reader because their CV fails automated screening. An ATS friendly CV is not a design brief; it is a document formatted and worded so parsing…

Carly Burns·10 min read·17 Mar 2026

10 CV Optimisation Techniques Recruiters Actually Read

10 CV Optimisation Techniques Recruiters Actually Read Most CVs land in the bin not because candidates lack experience but because they are poorly presented for both recruiters…

Scott Burns·8 min read·14 Mar 2026

How to Make Your CV ATS-Friendly: Formatting and Keyword Strategy

How to Make Your CV ATS-Friendly: Formatting and Keyword Strategy Many applicants assume a strong CV alone wins interviews. The reality is different. Employers increasingly filter…

Carly Burns·7 min read·14 Mar 2026

How to Beat ATS: CV Tips from a Recruiter

Most CVs are rejected by software before a human ever sees them. Here's how to get past ATS screening.

Carly Burns·8 min read·8 Apr 2026