How we score your CV
Last reviewed: 4 November 2026
Your score out of 100 is made of three parts: readability (30), structure (30) and content (40). Every check below is based on published UK careers guidance or, for software, an employer's own guidance on how its systems read CVs. Where the sources disagree, we do not mark you down hard for it.
What "readability" means here. It is about whether software can read your file properly, not how easy your sentences are to read. We do not use a reading-ease formula such as Flesch. We look for layout features that employers say scramble text, such as tables, columns, text boxes and details hidden in headers.
The score is a guide. It does not predict how any employer or system will treat your CV, and it is not a guarantee of interviews or job offers.
Readability (30 points)
Can software read your CV in the right order?
| What we check | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Tables, columns, text boxes, graphics, and contact details in a header or footer | Roche says to avoid tables, text boxes, columns and graphics and to keep all text in the document body (Roche careers, resume parsing FAQ). Prospects (Jisc), how to write a CV says images cannot be read by applicant tracking systems. |
| A file with almost no readable text (for example a scan) | Same guidance: software needs real text, not a picture of text. |
Structure (30 points)
Is the CV set out the way employers expect?
| What we check | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Standard headings such as Education and Work Experience | Roche careers, resume parsing FAQ: use conventional headings. |
| Contact details | National Careers Service, CV sections: name, phone, email and a professional profile link. |
| A short profile at the top | National Careers Service, CV sections, Prospects (Jisc), how to write a CV and Indeed UK, what to include in a CV all recommend one. Reed, how long should a CV be suggests about 100 to 150 words. |
| Length of one to two pages | Prospects (Jisc), how to write a CV: no more than two A4 pages. Reed, how long should a CV be: two pages is the sweet spot, one for graduates. Indeed UK, what to include in a CV says there is no fixed limit, so we only reduce the score for more than two pages or a very high word count. |
| Employment gaps | National Careers Service, CV sections: gaps are normal and can be explained. Prospects (Jisc), how to write a CV: unexplained gaps are a mistake. |
| Headings and bullet points rather than dense blocks | National Careers Service, CV sections: use headings and bullets. University of Reading careers, top 10 CV mistakes: dense text is hard to scan. |
| Document title | Prospects: use your name as the title, not "CV". |
Content (40 points)
Does the CV give evidence rather than claims?
| What we check | Where it comes from |
|---|---|
| Action verbs, results and numbers | National Careers Service, CV sections (describe duties using the STAR method), Indeed UK, what to include in a CV (focus on achievements) and University of Reading careers, top 10 CV mistakes (unsupported claims give no reason to shortlist). |
| Duty-style wording such as "responsible for" | Indeed UK, what to include in a CV: achievements, not daily responsibilities. |
| Generic phrases such as "team player" and "hard working" | Prospects (Jisc), how to write a CV and University of Reading careers, top 10 CV mistakes: generic claims without examples. |
| "I" at the start of bullet points | Reed, how long should a CV be: drop "I" from bullet points. |
| Personal details such as age, date of birth, marital status or a photo | National Careers Service, CV sections: leave out age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. Prospects (Jisc), how to write a CV: no photo unless acting or modelling. |
| Job advert keywords (only if you paste an advert) | Our own comparison of your CV with the advert. Not from a third party, and it only suggests terms you can honestly use. |
Role modes
If you choose a role type before checking, we add advice and a few extra checks for it. Each one is from the source named beside it.
| Mode | What we add | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Graduate or first job | Education details expected; bullets ideally no longer than two lines; two pages at most. | TARGETjobs, graduate CV FAQs |
| NHS | Advice to tailor to the person specification, explain gaps and give referees. Gaps lose points. | Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, application tips |
| Civil Service | Advice only: the application form comes first, and applications are assessed against Success Profiles. | Civil Service Careers, how to apply |
| Teaching | Training and development shown; gaps explained because unexplained gaps can raise safeguarding questions; two pages at most. | Tes, how to write a must-read CV |
| Trades, construction or labour | Tickets, cards and licences present; CSCS card with its expiry date; qualifications in full; two pages. | Randstad UK, CV for trades and labour roles |
For the Civil Service, the NHS and similar employers, the application form or supporting statement often matters more than the CV. We check the CV only.
"What software sees"
This view shows your CV as plain text, with the headings and contact details we can find. It is our own simple reading of your file, not a copy of any employer's system. Real systems differ.
What we do not score
Fonts and sizes (they cannot be read reliably from the file text), spelling and grammar, "references available on request", how professional your email address sounds, and hobbies. Sources disagree on some of these, and others are too subjective to score fairly.
Limits
These sources are general UK guidance, not rules set by every employer. Different employers and systems behave differently. If a job advert asks for something specific, follow the advert.