Whether you're returning to work after a break, switching careers, or entering the workforce for the first time, creating the perfect CV is essential to make a strong impression. This guide will provide UK-specific, practical advice tailored for women, ensuring your CV highlights your skills, overcomes career gaps, and effectively positions you for success. Here's how to create a standout CV that aligns with your personal and professional goals.
Join our free online CV Masterclass
Jump to:
- Understanding the basics of a CV for women
- Choosing the right CV format
- How to address career breaks
- Showcase transferable skills and soft skills
- Resume tips for women returning to the workforce
- How to overcome gender bias in CV writing
- Tailoring your CV for different career goals
- CV tips for negotiating higher roles
- Examples of CV sections for women
- CV templates and resources
- Final touches
Understanding the basics of a CV for women
Why a tailored CV matters
A CV is more than a list of qualifications; it’s a tool to tell your unique career story. Women often face unique challenges like career gaps due to caregiving, career-switching, or overcoming gender bias. A well-crafted CV can address these head-on and turn them into strengths.
By tailoring your CV to fit the job description of the role you are applying for, you’ll increase your chances of getting past the recruitment team’s Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
What to include in the perfect CV
Choosing the right CV format
A Hybrid CV is ideal for women who may have career gaps or are transitioning into new roles. It combines the benefits of a traditional chronological CV and a skills-based CV by highlighting your key competencies at the top, followed by relevant work experience.
Hybrid CV structure:
- Personal profile: A strong introduction highlighting your strengths.
- Skills section: Showcase transferable and technical skills.
- Experience section: Focus on achievements.
- Education: List qualifications chronologically.
How to address career breaks
Many women experience career gaps, often due to maternity leave or caregiving responsibilities. Here’s how to handle them:
- Be honest but strategic: Mention your career break under work experience and highlight relevant skills you gained during this period (e.g., time management, project coordination).
- Use return-to-work programmes: If you’ve participated in any return-to-work schemes or training, highlight these in your CV.
Showcase transferable skills and soft skills
Employers value soft skills, and women often excel in areas like communication, problem-solving, and leadership. Use these tips to highlight your skills:
- Quantify your achievements: Instead of saying you have “strong leadership skills,” mention how you led a project that resulted in a 20% increase in efficiency.
- Match skills to the job: If the job requires teamwork, highlight how you successfully managed collaborative projects.
Example skills to highlight:
- Time management
- Team leadership
- Emotional intelligence
- Adaptability
Resume tips for women returning to the workforce
Emphasise relevant experience:
Even if you haven’t worked in a formal role during your career break, relevant experiences such as volunteering, freelance work, or community involvement can demonstrate valuable skills.
Tip: Create a “Relevant Experience” section to emphasise any activities that kept you connected to your field or built transferable skills.
Sample resume format for mothers returning to work:
- Personal profile: Focus on enthusiasm for returning to work and any updated skills.
- Skills section: List technical skills like software proficiency or soft skills like problem-solving.
- Professional experience: Include any volunteer roles or part-time work.
- Career break (optional): Mention briefly, highlighting the skills developed during this time.
How to overcome gender bias in CV writing
Gender bias can influence hiring decisions, but there are ways to minimise its impact:
Neutral language
Avoid gender-coded terms. Instead of “nurturing,” use “mentoring” or “team leadership.”
Highlight achievements
Be results-oriented and data-driven. Show how you added value through your work.
Professional formatting
A clean, modern format helps convey professionalism.
Tailoring your CV for different career goals
For women re-entering the workforce
Focus on:
- Transferable skills
- Return-to-work programs
- Networking involvement
For career-switching women
Emphasise:
- Skills over experience
- Relevant training and certifications
- Adaptability and problem-solving
For mothers returning to work
Highlight:
- Time management and multitasking
- Soft skills gained from caregiving
- Any courses completed during the break
CV tips for negotiating higher roles
If you’re applying for a leadership position, focus on:
- Highlighting leadership experience (even informal roles)
- Negotiation and conflict resolution skills
- Team-building achievements
Pro tip: Include a section showcasing key projects you’ve led and their outcomes.
Join our free online CV Masterclass
Examples of CV sections for women
Work experience example:
Sales Lady | XYZ Retail, London | Jan 2018 – Mar 2020
- Increased sales revenue by 25% through effective customer engagement.
- Trained and mentored new team members, improving overall team performance.
- Implemented promotional strategies, driving a 15% increase in foot traffic.
Sample CV for a mother returning to work:
Personal profile:
Experienced marketing professional with a 5-year career break dedicated to raising a family. Completed digital marketing training during this period and ready to re-enter the workforce with a focus on social media management.
Key skills:
- Digital marketing
- Project management
- Team collaboration
Relevant experience:
- Managed a community fundraising project, raising £10,000 and coordinating a team of 15 volunteers.
- Freelance social media consultant for a small business, increasing their Instagram engagement by 30%.
CV templates and resources
Consider using online tools to create your CV, like the hybrid CV template available on ivee. It's optimised for returning professionals and provide a clean, professional design.
Check it outFinal touches
Tailor each CV
Always adapt your CV to the job description.
Proofread
Double-check for errors.
Format professionally
Ensure your layout is clean and easy to read.
By following these tailored tips, you’ll create a CV that not only overcomes challenges but stands out to employers. Whether you’re returning to work, switching careers, or aiming for higher positions, your CV should reflect the confident, capable professional you are.
You've mastered the CV, but what about the cover letter?
Find out how to write a hyper-personalised cover letter below
Take me there!Join the ivee community!
Join our Facebook group. Whether you’re looking to reconnect with like-minded returners, seek advice on returning to work after maternity leave, or share your experiences, our Facebook community is here to help you navigate your journey back into the workforce.
You’ll find:
👉 Latest regulatory changes regarding maternity leave
👉 CV templates for women returning to work
👉 Latest industry updates
👉 Resources and guides to help you on your job hunt
👉 Confidence-building events, webinars and advice on all aspects of returning to work
Our Facebook community
Access parent-friendly, flexible jobs
Create an ivee profile and start browsing our flexible jobs today!
Create profile!Featured Blog Posts
