CV Format 2026

The section order that works everywhere

1. Header (name, role title, contact block).
2. Professional summary (3–4 lines).
3. Experience — reverse-chronological.
4. Projects (optional, recommended for junior & tech roles).
5. Education.
6. Skills, grouped by category.
7. Certifications & languages.

This order mirrors how recruiters read. They start with "who are you and what do you do", confirm recent experience, and only then review skills, education and extras. Putting Skills first (still common in US creative-industry templates) pushes Experience below the fold, where it often isn't read.

Length: one page, two pages, or more?

• 0–5 years experience: one page.
• 5–15 years: two pages is ideal. Never pad.
• 15+ years or senior leadership: two pages with an optional third page for publications, patents or speaking history.

The worst length is 1.25 pages — a second page with only a few lines looks unfinished. Either trim to one, or add substance to fill two.

Typography that parses cleanly

Dates: always month + year, always both ends

Recruiters scan dates for gaps. A role listed as "2023" is ambiguous — was it one month or twelve? Format every role as Feb 2023 – Jul 2024. Use "Present" for your current job. If there are gaps longer than six months, explain them in one short line (study, parental leave, freelance) — unexplained gaps raise flags.

The header block

• Name — large, bold, plain text. No decorative graphics.
• Target role under the name (e.g. "Senior Backend Engineer"). This is an ATS-friendly keyword slot.
• Contact — phone, email, city + country, LinkedIn, portfolio. Plain text, one or two rows.

Photos: depends entirely on country

• Include a photo: Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Spain, Italy, most of Eastern Europe, Middle East, parts of Asia.
• Do NOT include a photo: United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, Australia — equal-opportunity laws make photos actively unwanted.
• If including one, use a neutral, professional headshot. Infographic icons or stylised illustrations do not replace a photo.

Hyperlinks and contact details

Links in a CV must be clickable in the exported PDF and legible on paper. Display the readable domain form (linkedin.com/in/yourname, github.com/yourname) rather than a full URL with tracking parameters. Do not replace your phone number with an icon — some ATS parsers discard image-only contact elements.

Colour use in 2026

Accent colour only on: your name, section headings, and optionally a subtle horizontal rule. Never on body text, bullets, or skill chips. Stick to a single accent hue — two or more colours feel dated and reduce scannability.

Filename conventions

Recruiters save dozens of CVs per day. A filename like CV-final-v3.pdf gets renamed or lost. Export as FirstName-LastName-TargetRole-2026.pdf. It is searchable, it is polite, and it quietly signals attention to detail.

Quick 2026 format checklist

1. Single column, full-width content.
2. Reverse-chronological experience.
3. Max 2 pages for 15 years or less.
4. Month + year dates on every role.
5. One accent colour, used sparingly.
6. Standard font, 10–11 pt body.
7. Plain-text contact block, top of page.
8. Filename with your name and target role.
9. Exported as text-based PDF, not a scan.