UK CV Length: Should Your CV Be 1 or 2 Pages?

91% of UK recruiters prefer two pages of A4. Here's when one page works, when two pages are essential, and when three is acceptable.

Quick answer

Two sides of A4 is the British standard. Here's the data, and the exceptions worth knowing.

The CV-length question is the most-debated topic in UK careers advice. Here's what the data, and 91% of British recruiters, actually say.

The UK standard: two pages of A4

Two sides of A4 has been the British convention for over two decades. Recruiter surveys consistently put preference at over 90% for two pages.

When one page is acceptable

School leavers and apprenticeship applicants
Recent graduates (within 12 months of graduating)
Internal promotion applications where context is already known

When three pages are acceptable

Executive and C-suite roles
Academic CVs (which follow different conventions)
Medical CVs with extensive publications and registrations

How to cut a CV down to two pages

Remove anything older than 10–12 years. Compress early-career roles into a single "Earlier career" line. Cut hobbies unless they're directly relevant. Drop the "References available on request" line, it's redundant.

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