RefineCV Blog
Guides for recruiters who format CVs
Practical, plain-English advice on CV formatting, candidate presentation, and the tools that save your agency time.
Should a Candidate CV Include a Photo?
For UK, US, Canada and Australia roles, a candidate CV should usually have no photo. Some countries expect one, so default to removing it.
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How to Format a Spec CV to Market a Candidate
Build a spec CV that markets a strong candidate: anonymise it, add a sharp headline and 3 to 5 strengths, key facts, and your agency contact only.
How Much Time Can Your Agency Save on CV Formatting?
Work out your real CV formatting time savings. Use a simple formula, your own numbers, and compare a tool's cost against consultant time.
Add Availability and Day Rate to a Contractor CV
Put availability, notice period, day rate, location and work status in a short block near the top of a contractor CV so clients see the commercial facts first.
Stop reformatting CVs by hand
RefineCV turns any resume into your branded house template in seconds. Start free with 10 CVs, no credit card.
How to Make a Candidate CV ATS-Friendly
Make a candidate CV ATS-friendly with a single-column layout, real text, standard headings, and a text-based PDF or Word file your client's ATS can read.
How to Add Your Agency Branding to a Candidate CV
Agency branding on a candidate CV: build one branded CV template, add your logo and colours, and keep ATS readability intact.
What to Remove From a CV Before Sending to a Client
Remove the candidate's direct contact details first, plus salary expectations, referee contacts, irrelevant personal data, other agency branding, and file metadata.
GDPR and Candidate CVs: What Recruiters Must Handle
A practical UK GDPR guide for recruitment agencies handling candidate CVs: lawful basis, privacy notices, retention, security, and candidate rights.
9 CV Formatting Mistakes Recruiters Make (and Fixes)
The 9 CV formatting mistakes that cost recruiters placements, from multi-column layouts that break ATS to leaving candidate contact details on a client send.
How to Write a Candidate Cover Sheet for Clients
A candidate cover sheet is your short intro page in front of the CV. Learn what to include and how to write one that gets a fast yes.
Free CV Formatting Tools for Recruiters (2026)
RefineCV is the best free CV formatting tool for recruiters in 2026: 10 free CVs, no card, never expire, plus a free self-service template builder.
How to Format a Graduate CV With Little Experience
Format a graduate CV that wins clients: lead with education, turn projects and placements into achievement bullets, and surface transferable skills.
How to Present Contract and Freelance Work on a CV
How to present contract work on a CV: group short engagements under one heading, label each as contract, and show client, dates, outcomes, day rate, and availability.
CV Parsing Explained: How It Works for Recruiters
CV parsing is software that reads a CV and pulls the details into structured fields. Here is how it works and how to get clean results.
Reverse-Chronological vs Functional CV: Which to Use
Use reverse-chronological by default. Choose functional or hybrid only for career changers or big gaps, and know the risks first.
How Long Should a Candidate CV Be?
Two pages suits most experienced candidates and one page fits early-career CVs. Scale length with relevance and seniority, not padding.
How to Format Multiple Candidate CVs Fast
Format candidate CVs at volume by building one reusable branded template, letting AI parsing handle data entry, then checking content only. Batch the work.
Why Recruitment Agencies Reformat Candidate CVs
Agencies reformat candidate CVs to brand them, protect the fee, anonymise for fair hiring, fix weak layouts, and meet client and ATS needs.
How to Turn a LinkedIn Profile Into a CV
Save the candidate's LinkedIn profile to PDF, reformat it into your branded CV template, fill the gaps, and tailor it to the role.
How to Format an Executive CV for Client Submission
Format an executive CV with a strong summary, leadership scope, P&L, and quantified results. Two pages, clean layout, agency contact block.
The UK Recruitment CV Format: What Clients Expect
A UK CV runs to two sides of A4, with no photo, age or date of birth, and standard sections. Here is the format clients expect from your candidates.
CV Template in Word vs a Formatting Tool for Agencies
A Word CV template is free and fine for low volume. A formatting tool wins on speed, consistency, parsing, and ATS-safe output at volume. How to choose.
How to Proofread a Candidate CV Before Sending
Proofread a candidate CV with a fixed checklist: run spellcheck, read slowly, then check dates, names, titles, and your agency contact details.
Keep CV Formatting Consistent Across Your Team
Keep CV formatting consistent across your team with one shared template, a short style guide, clear ownership, and a quick review before client send.
The Real Cost of Reformatting CVs by Hand
Reformatting candidate CVs into your house template takes hours each week. See the true time cost, the hidden risks, and how to get the time back.
PDF or Word CV: Which Format Should You Send?
PDF or Word CV? Send a text-based PDF to a direct client contact, and a .docx when a portal asks for Word. A quick decision guide for recruitment agencies.
How to Write a Candidate Profile Summary for a CV
Write a candidate profile summary that wins the 7-second read. Use the headline + strengths + proof + fit + logistics formula, with weak vs strong examples.
How to Handle Employment Gaps on a Candidate CV
Present employment gaps on a candidate CV honestly: show years not months, add one true reason, never falsify dates. A recruiter guide with a before/after example.
How to Write Strong CV Bullet Points (With Examples)
Write strong CV bullet points with one formula: strong verb + what they did + a real result. See weak vs strong examples so clients read on in seconds.
Client-Ready CV Checklist for Recruiters (5 Stages)
Run every candidate CV through this 5-stage client-ready checklist before you send: before you start, branding, content, redaction, format. Protect your fee.
Best CV Formatting Software for Recruitment Agencies (2026)
We compared the top CV formatting tools for recruitment agencies on price, templates, formats, and team pricing. See which one wins for your agency.
How to Format a Candidate CV for Client Submission
A step-by-step guide to formatting a candidate CV for client submission: get agreement, use one template, redact details, proofread, and send a clean branded PDF.
How to Anonymise (Anonymize) a CV for Blind Recruitment
A step-by-step guide to anonymise a CV for blind recruitment: what to remove, the GDPR caveat, the honest limits, common mistakes, and FAQs for recruiters.
Recruitment CV Template (Free for Agencies)
A recruitment CV template is your reusable, branded house format for candidate CVs. See what a great one includes, the ATS rules that matter, and build yours free.
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