![CV Layout: How to Lay Out a Professional CV [5+ Examples]](https://cdn-images.zety.com/pages/cv_layout_uk_9.jpg?fit=crop&h=250&dpr=2)
CV Layout: How to Lay Out a Professional CV [5+ Examples]
A CV layout may look complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ll walk you through finding and designing the perfect CV layout for you.
Job application, ready. But wait. They have to see that attachment. Just say please find attached my CV right? Not so fast. There's a better way.
Admit it, if you’ve ever sent a job application you’ve written these immortal words.
I’ll put my hands up, I’m just as guilty. It’s a phrase so ingrained into job hunting that you include it without thinking. But take a look again.
Please find attached my CV.
You’ve got to admit, it looks awkward. But you’re about to learn what to do instead.
This article will show you:
Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.
Sample CV made with our builder—See more CV examples here.
Before you attach your CV make sure you’ve written it perfectly. Take a look at some of our CV writing guides and examples.
If we take a narrow view, there’s nothing wrong with the phrase per se. It’s grammatically correct. Let’s break it down and see (don’t worry I’ll be brief, this isn’t a grammar lesson).
You want the recruiter to find your CV. So you politely bring this to their attention. Please [adverb] find [verb] attached [adjective] my [determiner] CV [noun]. The grammar and sentence structure is fine.
But it feels really odd and old-fashioned when you think about it. If you were a character in Downton Abbey, then maybe it’d work. But I suspect even the Dowager Countess would dismiss it as dreadfully common and archaic.
Or how about the next most popular alternative? Please find my CV attached. Again, the best you can say about it is that it’s quaint. But that’s being generous. It’s just as bad.
Think about it, the hiring manager hasn’t lost anything and they don’t need your help finding it. This is recruitment, not the hot and cold game.
And please don’t try to get around this by using similar phrases, they’re awful too. Here they are so you can erase them from your vocabulary.
Ok, I made that last one up, but each on that list is worse than the next. What’s more, according to a survey by UCL in conjunction with a popular writing blog, the please find attached formulation is a very British phenomenon. We need to follow the example of our American friends and be more simple and direct.
When making a resume in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional resume template here for free.
When you’re done, Zety’s resume builder will score your resume and tell you exactly how to make it better.
It’s easy actually. Don’t use a hackneyed phrase that looks like it was written by a time traveller from the 19th century. Make it sound natural and modern. Here’s how.
Arguably, you don’t need to even mention it at all. When you’re sending an email job application your intent is obvious and we all know how to spot an email attachment without being told.
But—
We’ve all forgotten to attach a file before and some email clients may not show attachments clearly. Sod’s law and all that. So, here’s an alternative approach to the problem. Show your CV is attached by asking the hiring manager to get in touch if they don’t see it.
Use whichever approach you feel more comfortable with. And to make it easier for the hiring manager, make sure you do two things. Name your CV file correctly and get your email subject line right.
And don’t stop at please find attached my CV. There are plenty of tools and resources available to ensure all of your CV and cover letter text is easy to read. The plain English campaign has a great selection of guides and the Hemingway Editor helps you make your writing ‘bold and clear’.
And that’s all there is to it!
You should always attach a good cover letter too. Here’s how to write one: How to Write a Cover Letter: Complete Guide
Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:
See more cover letter templates and start writing.
Here’s what you need to know about the dreaded please find attached my CV:
Thanks for reading. Have you ever been tempted to use old-fashioned oddities like further to our telephone conversation please find attached my cv? Have you got any other modern alternatives to suggest? Share your thoughts in the comments section and I’ll be happy to help.
A CV layout may look complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ll walk you through finding and designing the perfect CV layout for you.
Don’t leave your CV design to chance. Rest easy, and be confident you’ve included every element you need with these 18 creative and effective CV templates.
Don’t settle for a good CV template, get the best CV template in the world. Ten of the best in fact. All expertly chosen to do the job of getting you a job.