5 CV Design Mistakes to Avoid in 2025
5 CV Design Trends You Should Avoid in 2025
Research shows that recruiters spend just 7–8 seconds initially scanning a CV. In those few seconds, they’re not looking to be dazzled by design gimmicks — they’re deciding whether you are a credible candidate worth shortlisting.
When it comes to CVs, you’re being hired for your ability to do the job, not for your ability to create a flashy, Instagram-worthy document.
Yet many job seekers are still tempted by “modern” CV templates they find online — packed with multiple columns, bright colours, graphics, and skills rating bars.
We strongly advise against these trends. While they may look appealing at first glance, they often:
- Confuse Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
- Waste valuable space on the page
- Make recruiters question your professional judgement
Instead, you want a format that is modern, clear, and conservative. Your CV should look professional, read easily, and most importantly, showcase your achievements.
If you’re ready to take the guesswork out of job applications and
give yourself a genuine competitive edge, our CV Reviews and
CV Template Bundles are designed to help you stand out in even
the toughest hiring markets.
CV Reviews – Save £60
If you’re not sure your CV is truly working for you, our
Professional CV Review Service provides in-depth, recruiter-level
feedback on content, structure, and ATS compatibility. You’ll receive
a personalised action plan showing exactly what’s holding you back
and how to fix it, so you can apply with confidence. Use discount code
PCVR60 at checkout to save £60 and give your next application the
competitive edge it deserves.
CV Template Bundles – Save £40
Prefer to write your own CV but want a proven framework? Our
CV Template Bundles include an ATS-friendly, recruiter-approved
template, plus our storytelling framework, metrics tracker, CV checklist,
and scorecard - everything you need to create a document that sells
your skills and achievements. Use discount code CVTB40 to get
£40 off and start building a CV that gets noticed for all the right
reasons.
These tools pull back the curtain on the hiring process, cutting
through the smoke and mirrors so you understand exactly what
employers and ATS systems are really looking for
Here are five CV design mistakes to avoid in 2025:
1) Colours
A splash of colour may seem like a way to stand out, but in practice, it can backfire.
Recruiters want to absorb key details quickly: your roles, achievements, and skills. Bright headers and distracting colours often get in the way. Worse, they can look unprofessional in industries where credibility and authority matter most.
👉 Better approach: Use bold headings, bullet points, and white space to guide the reader’s eye. Let your experience do the talking, not your colour palette.
2) Tables and Multiple Columns
Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) — used by almost every large organisation — often struggle to read CVs that use tables or multi-column layouts.
If your details are parsed incorrectly, your application may never reach a recruiter. Even if it does, cramped columns waste space you could use to highlight measurable achievements.
👉 Better approach: Stick to a single-column, chronological CV format with clearly labelled sections (Work Experience, Education, Skills). It’s the safest way to pass ATS scans.
3) Skills Ratings
Many CV templates now include “rating bars” — stars, dots, or percentages that claim to measure your abilities. For example: ★★★☆☆ in Excel or 60% fluent in Spanish.
Recruiters dislike these for two reasons:
- They’re subjective and meaningless — what does 3/5 really tell an employer?
- They highlight your weaknesses rather than your strengths.
👉 Better approach: Demonstrate your skills through specific examples. For instance:
- “Built automated Excel dashboards to reduce reporting time by 30%”
- “Delivered presentations in Spanish to international clients”
Concrete evidence always trumps arbitrary ratings.
4) Photos and Graphics
Unless you’re applying for modelling or acting roles, photos don’t belong on a UK CV.
Including a headshot not only takes up space but can raise discrimination concerns under the Equality Act. Recruiters don’t want the legal liability, and ATS systems often fail to process images properly anyway.
👉 Better approach: Leave the photo off your CV and ensure your LinkedIn profile photo is polished, professional, and up to date — that’s where employers will look if they’re curious.
5) Unconventional Fonts
Your font choice influences credibility more than you might think. Quirky or playful fonts (Comic Sans, cursive scripts) immediately reduce your professional impact.
👉 Better approach: Stick with standard, easy-to-read fonts such as:
- Serif: Book Antiqua, Georgia, Times New Roman, Cambria
- Sans-serif: Arial, Calibri, Helvetica, Verdana
Recruiters should focus on your content, not struggle with readability.
In Summary
Your CV is a professional document — not a design experiment. While graphic CVs may feel modern, they often hurt rather than help.
By avoiding unnecessary gimmicks and focusing on clear, achievement-driven content in a recruiter-approved format, you’ll maximise your chances of passing ATS scans and impressing hiring managers in those critical first seconds.
When in doubt: keep it classy, conservative, and content-focused.
To find out more, visit our website www.cvpilots.co.uk If you have any further questions, you can either book a consultation call with one of our team, or get in touch via email on team@cvpilots.co.uk
