At the job post · 7 min read
What should I leave off my CV?
Photos, full address, date of birth, references, salary and filler phrases: what to cut from a UK or US CV, why, and the few exceptions.
The short answer
Leave off anything that doesn't help an employer judge whether you can do the job, or that invites bias: in the UK and US that usually means a photo, date of birth, marital status, full home address, national insurance or social security number, salary history, 'references available on request', and filler phrases like 'results-driven'. Keep your name, phone, email, town and a LinkedIn link.
Key takeaways
- In the UK and US, photos and personal details like age are usually left off.
- Town or city is enough; a full address isn't needed.
- Never put ID numbers, bank details or passwords on a CV.
- Cut filler phrases and old, unrelated detail before cutting results.
- Right-to-work status can help when it's a question the employer will have.
On this pagePersonal details to leave off
Personal details to leave off
| Leave off | Why |
|---|---|
| Photo | Not expected in the UK or US, and can invite bias |
| Date of birth or age | Not needed, and age shouldn't affect the decision |
| Marital status, children, religion | Not relevant to the job, and can invite bias |
| Full home address | Town or city is enough |
| National insurance or social security number | Only needed after an offer, through a secure process |
| Nationality, unless relevant | Right-to-work status is what matters, if anything |
Content to cut
- 'Curriculum vitae' or 'CV' as the title; your name is the title.
- 'References available on request'.
- Salary history or current pay; save pay talk for later.
- Reasons for leaving each job.
- Filler phrases: 'results-driven', 'team player', 'hard-working', 'spearheaded'.
- Duties copied from an old job description, with no result.
- Roles from more than 15 years ago that prove nothing for this job.
- School results, once you have a degree or years of work.
Layout to avoid
Some layout choices hide content from software and slow down people. Two columns, text in tables, contact details in the page header, icons for phone and email, and star ratings for skills can all be dropped or garbled when an applicant tracking system reads the file. One column of real text with standard headings is the safe choice.
What to keep
- Name, phone, a professional email, town or city.
- A LinkedIn link or portfolio, if they're current.
- A short summary written for this job.
- Experience with results, education, and skills the post asks for.
- Right-to-work status, if the employer is likely to wonder.
OffLadder CV, our free Chrome extension, runs an ATS check on the exact file you'll download: one column and real text, standard headings, email and phone in the page itself, a date on every role, bullets of one or two lines, no symbols or filler phrases, the post's own terms, and the page count.
What happens to the gaps
Applying shows you what employers want that you can't show yet: a must-have your CV doesn't mention, or a question you couldn't answer well. Hand the job from OffLadder CV to Laddie, our AI coach, and it turns each one into three steps:
- Learn the skill: a short lesson on what the post asks for, starting from the basics.
- Try the work: a 15-minute task taken from the job itself, so you have a real example to talk about.
- Practise the interview: a five-question mock interview for that role, weighted to the parts you're least sure of.
The conversation stays in your OffLadder account. Once you've done the work, add it to your CV in your own words, and the next post you tailor for can point to it.
Questions people ask
- Should I put a photo on my CV?
- Not in the UK, US, Canada or Ireland, unless you're applying for acting or modelling work. Photos take space and can invite bias, and many employers prefer CVs without them. Some countries in Europe and Asia expect one, so follow local norms when applying abroad.
- Should I put my full address on my CV?
- No. Your town or city, and country if you're applying abroad, is enough to show where you're based and whether you can commute. A full address adds nothing for the employer and puts personal details into many inboxes.
- Do I need to write 'references available on request'?
- No. Employers assume you'll provide references when asked. The line takes space you could use for evidence. Have your referees ready separately, and ask them before you give their details out.
- Should I mention my right to work?
- It can help if an employer might wonder, for example if your education or recent work was abroad. A short line in your details, such as 'Right to work in the UK (settled status)', answers it. In the UK, employers must check right to work before you start anyway.
- Should I list hobbies and interests?
- Only if they add something: a skill the job uses, a sign of commitment, or a talking point that fits the role. 'Reading and socialising' adds nothing. 'Run a 200-member book club and its newsletter' might, for a communications role.
Exercises are practice, not evidence of career fit or a qualification. How to read our guides and report a correction.
Sources
- How to write a CV · National Careers Service (England)
- Checking a job applicant's right to work · GOV.UK
- Job references · Acas
How this page is written
Sources support the factual background, not a guarantee that an exercise predicts career fit. Fictional practice material is labelled. Dates record content updates; no independent expert review is implied. More about OffLadder.