Professional CV writing service UK tips for executives

Executive CV Writing Tips 2025: Top 10 Tips; Essential UK Guide

Improve Your Executive CV With These Essential CV Writing Tips (2025 Guide)

At executive level, there is no margin for error. A sloppy CV — even a small typo or formatting mistake — can undermine your professionalism and cost you an interview.

Your executive CV is more than a career history. It’s a reflection of your communication skills, attention to detail, and credibility as a leader. Recruiters tell us time and again that careless errors or generic language are instant red flags.

Before you send out your CV, run through these 10 essential executive CV writing tips to ensure your document positions you as a top-tier candidate in the UK market.

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1. Provide an Overview of Your Career Highlights

If you’re writing a two-page CV, open with a concise career highlights section that demonstrates your career trajectory and unique value.

Options include:

  • Career Highlights / Executive Summary: Instead of vague, paragraph-style summaries, use 4–6 achievement-based bullet points. Each should show measurable impact (e.g. “Grew EMEA revenues from £120m to £200m within 18 months”).

  • Key Expertise: A two-column list showcasing technical proficiencies, sector knowledge, and leadership skills. Avoid soft skills (“good communicator”), which add little value.

This section acts as your “elevator pitch” — if a recruiter only reads this part, they should already want to meet you.

2. Outline Your Work History Clearly

Always use reverse chronological order. Recruiters expect it, and Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are built to scan it.

For each role, include:

  • Company name, location, dates (month + year, not just years)

  • Position title (break out multiple promotions separately)

  • Concise role overview (1–2 lines)

  • Achievement-led bullet points (see tip 3)

Leaving out months may raise questions about transparency and cause delays when recruiters request clarification.

3. Highlight Achievements, Not Duties

At executive level, recruiters don’t want a list of responsibilities. They want evidence of impact. Ask yourself:

  • Did I increase revenue? By how much?

  • Did I reduce costs? Quantify it.

  • Did I close deals? State how many and their value.

  • Did I lead transformations or projects? What was the outcome?

Achievement-led bullet points differentiate you from candidates who list only duties.

4. Be Specific and Quantify Results

Generic language is the enemy of a strong CV. Phrases like “multiple deals” or “various sectors” don’t mean much. Instead:

✔ “Closed five strategic partnerships across retail, banking, and insurance sectors, generating £10m in new revenue.”

Numbers and scope prove your credibility. They also give recruiters a clearer sense of the scale at which you operate.

5. Write Concisely

Executives often make the mistake of cramming too much onto the page. Recruiters don’t have time to read dense paragraphs.

  • Use bullet points, not blocks of text.

  • Keep each point to 1–2 lines.

  • Remove adjectives that don’t add measurable value (e.g. “ambitious leader,” “highly skilled”).

Clarity and brevity are far more impressive than fluff.

6. Format Neatly and Professionally

Formatting mistakes suggest poor attention to detail. Avoid:

  • Inconsistent fonts, alignment, or spacing

  • Overly tight layouts with no white space

  • “Creative” designs with graphics, icons, or colours

Your CV should be clean, easy to skim, and ATS-friendly. White space is your friend — it helps recruiters process your content quickly.

7. Stick to CV Conventions

We regularly see executives attempt to “stand out” with gimmicky designs. Recruiters consistently say these do more harm than good.

Stick to traditional CV structures: name, summary, work history, education, skills, and professional affiliations. Let your achievements, not your formatting, make the impact.

8. Check Grammar and Spelling Meticulously

Errors instantly damage credibility. They tell recruiters you don’t double-check details — a dangerous signal at executive level.

  • Print your CV and proofread line by line.

  • Use tools like Grammarly (but don’t rely solely on them).

  • Consider a professional CV editing service for complete peace of mind.

9. Don’t Overlook the Basics

It’s surprising how often candidates miss crucial details. Your CV must include:

  • Name + professional designations (e.g. FCA, CFA)

  • Professional email (avoid Hotmail, Yahoo, AOL, MSN — they feel outdated)

  • Direct phone number with a professional voicemail greeting

  • Location (at least your city, as many ATS filter by geography)

  • LinkedIn URL (customised, and consistent with your CV content)

A missing digit in your phone number or a casual email address can quietly cost you opportunities.

10. Print and Review on Paper

On-screen, it’s easy to skim over errors. Print your CV, review it slowly, and even read it aloud. This “old-fashioned” step catches mistakes that digital checks miss.

In Summary

Recruiters repeatedly tell us that the best executive CVs are fact-based, achievement-driven, concise, and impeccably presented. By following these tips, you’ll avoid the common pitfalls that hold candidates back — and create a document you can submit with total confidence.

If you’re applying for senior leadership roles and not securing interviews, it may not be your skills holding you back — it’s your CV. That’s where a professional executive CV writing service UK can give you the edge.

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