Best CV Design in 2025: 12 Templates to Download

You spend hours perfecting every word on your CV, but what about how it looks? In today’s job market, first impressions matter. A beautifully designed CV can make the difference between getting noticed and getting passed over. 

Choose the right CV design, pair it with high-quality content, and you’ll create a CV that opens more doors than you imagined. In this guide, you’ll find 12 standout CV design examples, along with expert tips to help you craft a professional, visually impressive CV of your own.

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We created the sample on the right using our builder. See other good CV examples like this one.

Want to use a different type of CV template? Check these guides:

• Basic & Simple CV Templates to Use
• Blank CV Templates for Any Profession
• Canva CV Templates & Alternatives
• Creative CV Templates for 2025
• Free CV Templates for the UK
• Modern CV Templates to Download
• LaTeX CV Templates & Recommendations
• Visual CV Templates & Examples
• Word CV Templates for an Easy Download

These top CV designs will help you craft a standout, visually appealing CV:

1. Blue modern header

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

This CV example stands out with a bold, eye-catching design, featuring a wide blue header that showcases the candidate’s name and contact details in crisp white font. When applying for a job, you’re essentially marketing yourself as a ‘product’—and this CV design does an excellent job of supporting that message.

Best suited for: Its modern and professional layout makes it an ideal choice for a marketing CV.

2. Red contemporary

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

Now for a CV design that adds a touch of elegance with its rich dark red colour scheme. The bold header sets the tone, with the same colour carried through to the CV summary and section headings for a cohesive, polished look. Interestingly, red is known to evoke appetite, making this CV design especially well suited to roles in the food and hospitality industry.

Best suited for: This CV template is ideal for a chef CV or a similar culinary position.

3. Emphasis green

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

This fresh green CV layout demonstrates that making a lasting impression can be as simple as incorporating a few subtle design elements. The green stripes add just the right amount of visual interest without distracting from the content, while slight font tweaks and a smart grey-on black contrast give it a clean, modern finish. For instance, the work experience section features a grey header paired with clean black body text. Green is often associated with youth and freshness, making this CV design an excellent choice for entry-level positions or recent graduates.

Best suited for: Use this CV design for a student CV or another entry-level role.

4. Modern teal

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

Now, for a similar CV design trick, this time featuring teal accents. The coloured lines neatly separate each section, guiding the reader’s eye from top to bottom, including the CV education section. It’s a simple yet effective layout that ensures every part of your application gets the attention it deserves. With its touch of understated elegance, this CV design is ideal for creative professionals.

Best suited for: Use this CV template for a designer CV or other roles in the creative industry.

5. Grey contemporary

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

This CV design stands out with its creative use of a trio of background colours—dark grey, beige, and white—that work together to create a look that’s both stylish and professional. Placing the CV skills section in the left-hand column also frees up space in the main body for extra sections, such as hobbies and interests.

Best suited for: A superb choice for a graphic designer CV or any visually creative profession.

6. Yellow emphasis

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

Looking for a CV design with a friendly, inviting feel? This CV layout allows for a clear one-page CV without feeling cluttered. Ample white space helps each section stand out, making it easier for hiring managers to scan and absorb key details quickly. The warm, balanced design leaves a positive first impression that reflects approachability and professionalism.

Best suited for: A great choice for a customer service CV or any client-facing position.

7. Blue modern accents

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

Sometimes the best CV design is all about subtlety. This example takes a classic CV format and enhances it with blue header fonts and clean dividing lines. It’s a simple touch that adds an air of understated professionalism. It’s ideal for roles in the corporate world.

Best suited for: Use this CV design for a business analyst CV.

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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8. Grey standard

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

The following CV template takes a more traditional approach, but a minimalist CV design can be just as impactful. This CV example uses simple black text on a white background, enhanced by thoughtful design choices. The name is bolded on the left, with contact details aligned to the right. Varied alignments and well-balanced margins throughout the sections enhance readability, creating a clean and professional layout.

Best suited for: This CV design is ideal for a teacher CV or any academic role.

9. Classic grey

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

A personal favourite—the name says it all. This CV template is inspired by a classic corporate business card. The bold, capitalised headings and serif font give it a sharp, professional look. The two-column layout in the skills section is a clever touch, giving you more space to highlight a wide range of job-winning abilities. Ideal if you have lots of transferable skills to showcase.

Best suited for: Use this CV design when writing a project manager CV.

10. Professional modern

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

This template proves that even a simplistic CV design can be both attractive and effective. Clean lines separate each section, and the clear layout makes it easy for the reader to find key information. There’s nothing worse than a solid block of text on a CV—this CV template avoids that with a smart, structured format.

Best suited for: The tidy framework of this CV design makes it an excellent choice for an engineering CV.

11. Assertive contemporary

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

This CV design strikes a balance between classic style and clean simplicity. The header features a mix of bold and standard-weight fonts that draws attention to the candidate’s name without overwhelming the layout. A full-width summary section provides ample room for a strong introduction, allowing you to effectively showcase key achievements and specify your professional goals. Its structured layout and understated design give it broad appeal, making it suitable for a wide range of roles.

Best suited for: It’s a solid pick for a marketing CV.

12. One page modern

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

USE THIS CV TEMPLATE

The concept behind this CV design is straightforward: a compact layout that makes it easy to fit everything on one page without compromising readability. The header has been resized and neatly positioned at the top, while the subtle grey shading ensures your name stands out. Ideal for those just beginning their career path.

Best suited for: It’s our top choice for a graduate CV. 

How to design a CV

You’ve just seen a couple of fantastic graphic design CVs. Now, let’s look at the key factors we considered when creating these professional CV designs. Keep these points in mind when creating your CV layout.

1. Choose the proper CV format

Choosing the correct CV format is the first step towards creating an effective CV design. We recommend that you stick to the chronological CV format, as it remains the gold standard in recruitment and places the focus exactly where it belongs—on your work history.

2. Build the right CV structure

Make sure your CV sections are in the correct order. Here's what should a CV look like in terms of CV structure:

1. CV header with your personal details.
2. Personal statement or personal profile.
3. Work experience section.
4. Education section.
5. Skills section
6. Additional sections, e.g. hobbies and interests, languages and projects.

And if you’ve got less experience, your education section can go before your work history. Worth bearing in mind if you’re writing a school-leaver CV.

3. Create a readable CV layout

An attractively presented page layout makes your CV more likely to be read. Use one-inch margins on all sides to create a clean frame. Choose a classic, easy-to-read font set at 11 or 12 points: Arial, Helvetica, and Times New Roman are all excellent options. Set line spacing to 1.15 and add a double space between each section for clear separation.

You can also adjust font styles to add emphasis. Use bold and italics to highlight key details, and consider making section headings 4 to 6 points larger than the body text to help them stand out.

4. Use bullet points

These help to break your text down into manageable chunks, which is essential since dense blocks of text don’t work well in a CV. Bullet points are especially useful in your work experience section. Aim for up to six bullet points per job, starting each with strong CV action verbs to make your achievements more impactful.

5. Stick to the right CV length

Hiring managers are busy and don’t have time to read through lengthy CVs. So, should you stick to a one-page CV? Yes, aim for one page whenever possible. The exception is when you’ve got many years of experience, and you’re targeting senior positions. In that case, you can extend up to three pages. Academic CVs can be even longer, but for most candidates, one to two pages is ideal.

6. Consider using colour

As you’ve seen, the simple addition of a bit of colour can really help your CV design stand out. However, take care, as colour psychology has shown that colours significantly influence our perception. For example, using bright pink for a traditional corporate job wouldn’t be advisable, but dark blue would be perfect for your CV.

7. Tailor it to the role

One of the biggest CV sins is copying and pasting the same version for every job application. Make sure you write a tightly targeted CV for every role you apply for. Review the job description, note the exact skills and experience required, and ensure your CV effectively addresses them. Every CV design you create should be unique. You can use free AI CV builders to speed up the entire process.

8. Don’t include a photo

Many CV designs you’ll find online include one, but the majority of UK recruiters agree that a CV photo is unacceptable. There are too many risks of discrimination when a candidate’s identity is revealed. For the same reason, you should never include personal information, such as your date of birth or marital status.

9. Use a high-quality template

The best way of guaranteeing you have the best CV design is to choose a professionally designed template. Every LiveCareer CV template has been carefully created to be both attractive and recruiter-approved. 

Simple CV design to copy and paste

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

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How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with LiveCareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.

Sources

• Explore careers. National Careers Service
• (2009) The Psychology of Colour: Can colour really affect our mood? The University of York