Classic CV Template (UK, 2026)

Chronological layout with clean section dividers

The Classic CV template is a reverse-chronological, single-column UK CV: personal statement, then work history newest first, then education and skills. It suits anyone whose career has moved steadily forward, because it puts your most recent role and its results at the top where recruiters look first.

Classic layout

Best for: Progressive career paths

Family: Professional

Exports as: Classic PDF (single-column, ATS-parseable)

When the Classic template fits

Reach for Classic when your last job is your strongest and your history reads as a clear line of progression. It is the format the largest number of UK recruiters expect by default, so it is the safe choice when a job advert gives no styling steer. It is the wrong choice only if you are hiding a gap or a career change, where Hybrid leads with skills instead.

How it is structured

Name and contact details on one line, no photo and no date of birth (UK convention).
A 50 to 80 word personal statement naming your role, years of experience and one headline result.
Work experience, most recent first, each role with two to four achievement bullets that carry a number.
Education below experience once you have more than two years of work behind you.
A short skills line and any relevant certifications to close.

Will it pass an ATS?

Classic is single-column and parses cleanly in every applicant tracking system: no sidebars, tables or text boxes to confuse the parser. Vouch exports it through the Classic PDF layout, which is plain text an ATS reads field by field.

Making it work

The template is only as strong as the top third. Spend your effort on the personal statement and the first two bullets of your current role, and make every bullet an outcome (what changed, by how much) rather than a duty.

Build a Classic CV without starting from a blank page

Vouch interviews you about your experience, then writes each section in your own words and lays it out in the Classic design. It never invents anything you did not say, and it exports a clean, single-column PDF an ATS can read.

Build this CV with Vouch

Frequently asked questions

Is a chronological CV still the best format in the UK?

For most applicants, yes. UK recruiters read top to bottom and expect recent experience first. Only switch to a skills-led format if you are changing career or explaining a gap, and even then keep a dated work history somewhere on the page so nothing looks hidden.

How far back should the work history go?

Ten to fifteen years, or the last four or five roles, whichever is shorter. Older jobs can be a single line each under an "Earlier career" heading. Detail belongs on the roles that match the job you are applying for now.

Not sure this is the right design? Browse all twelve UK CV templates, check your draft against the free ATS CV checker, or read the UK CV conventions guide.