ATS CV template (UK)
The exact structure parsers read cleanly. No sidebars, no icons, no skill bars. Copy it into Word or Google Docs and you're done.
Reviewed by Anthony, founder · Updated
The structure
Firstname Lastname
City, UK · firstname.lastname@email.com · 07xxx xxx xxx
linkedin.com/in/yourname
Profile
[Job title] with [N] years in [sector]. [One sentence on top skill / specialism]. Seeking [target role] in [sector / setting].
Experience
Job Title · Employer
Mar 2022 to Present · City
- [Action verb] [what you did] [measurable outcome where possible]
- [Use a noun phrase from the job ad you're applying to]
- [Repeat 3-5 bullets]
Previous Job Title · Employer
Jul 2019 to Feb 2022 · City
- [Bullet]
- [Bullet]
Education
BSc [Subject], University · 2015 to 2018
[Qualification: QTS / NMC PIN / ACCA / CIMA / GMC] · Year
Skills
[Skill 1] · [Skill 2] · [Skill 3] · [Skill 4] · [Skill 5]
Why this works
Single column. Parsers read top to bottom. No risk of fields ending up in the wrong order.
Standard section headings. Profile, Experience, Education, Skills. Every UK ATS recognises these.
Contact info in the body, not the header. Headers and footers are often skipped on parse.
Plain dates. "Mar 2022 to Present" parses into tenure. "2022-Now" sometimes does not.
Hyphen bullets. Standard character. No emoji, no icons, no decorative dingbats.
Skills as a single line. Dot separators keep the parser from confusing the list with prose.
What to avoid
Two-column layouts and sidebars (Canva, Etsy templates).
Tables for layout (job title left, dates right).
Photos, logos, icons, emojis as bullets.
Skill bars, star ratings, infographic blocks.
Fancy fonts (Bebas Neue, Garamond Italic, anything decorative).
Text inside text boxes.
Don't want to rebuild it manually?
Upload your current CV, paste the job description. Sausage Dog returns an ATS-friendly version in this exact structure, with the right keywords woven in. Free tier covers one a day.
Quick checklist
Single column, no sidebars.
Standard font (Arial, Calibri, Times).
10-11pt body text.
Contact info in body, not header.
Plain dates with month and year.
Hyphen or dot bullets only.
No images, icons, or photos.
Section headings: Profile, Experience, Education, Skills.
Saved as .docx or Word-exported PDF.
Filename: Firstname-Lastname-CV.docx.
Frequently asked
Do I need to pay for an ATS CV template?+
No. Most paid templates from Canva, Etsy, and template marketplaces use two-column layouts and design flourishes that actively break ATS parsing. The structure below is free, plain, and works.
What file format should I save my CV as?+
Save as .docx by default. PDFs from Word or Google Docs are fine. Avoid PDFs exported from Canva, Figma, or InDesign. The text is positioned graphically and parsers can scramble it.
How long should an ATS CV be?+
Two pages for UK roles with more than five years of experience. One page for early career or graduate applications. Length does not affect ATS parsing. It affects the human reading it afterwards.
Will this template work for NHS jobs?+
Yes, but the NHS Jobs system also asks you to fill in a separate application form with supporting information. Use the same wording in both. Your CV becomes your record; the form is what the panel scores.