CV templates with a photo

What a photo does on a CV

A photo lets the reader put a face to your name before the interview. For some employers that is a useful first impression, especially when they compare several candidates for the same role. A photo shows how you present yourself, but it says nothing about your skills, your experience or your results. Those parts still do the selecting, so the photo should support the text, not replace it.

When to add a photo

Send a CV with a photo directly to a person, such as a recruiter or a team lead, or hand it over in person.

Online application forms work differently. Many of them upload your CV to a system that reads the text and the layout. A photo can make the layout harder to read for that system, and the photo may never reach the person who reads your application. For a form, send a version without a photo, and keep the version with a photo for direct contact.

How to pick a photo

Choose a recent photo that looks like you do now. The reader should recognise you at the interview, so do not use a photo that is years old, heavily edited or taken with a filter.

Use a head and shoulders shot with a plain background, such as a wall without objects. Even daylight from the front works well. Avoid strong shadows and busy backgrounds, because they pull attention away from you.

• Recent, and you look like you do at the interview.
• Head and shoulders in the frame, with your face towards the camera.
• A plain, neutral background, with no other people or objects behind you.
• Good light from the front, without a shadow across your face.
• Clothes that suit the job, such as a shirt or blouse for an office role or a work jacket for a trade.

How the photo fits the layout

The templates on this page have a photo slot in the header. The photo sits beside your name and contact details, and it never covers the text.

The photo has to match the job and your sector. A formal sector, such as finance, law or the civil service, usually expects a plain background and a conservative look. A creative sector can accept more colour, but the face should still be easy to see at a small size.

Privacy and what to leave out

A photo does not need your date of birth or your marital status, so you can leave both off. You can also leave off your full home address, because your city is usually enough for an application. The editor stores the photo without the metadata from the camera, so no location data is kept with it.

Think about what the photo reveals. It shows your face and, often, your approximate age. It should not hint at your religion, your health or your family situation. Leave out any detail that the job does not need.

• Date of birth and place of birth.
• Marital status and the number of children.
• A full home address.
• A signature at the bottom of the CV.
• A private photo, such as one taken at a party or on holiday.

Test your CV with and without the photo

Make two PDFs, one with the photo and one without, and compare them. Read each one as a recruiter would, in the short time you give a CV on a first scan. Check that your name, your job title and your contact details are easy to find in both versions.

Look at the PDF on your phone and as a printout. If your face is too small or too dark to see, choose a different photo. Then ask someone you trust which version they would send.

Keep two versions

For online forms, a version without a photo is the safer choice. Keep that version as your standard file for applications through a form, and keep a version with a photo for direct contact. The text stays the same in both, so the only difference is the photo.

Frequently asked questions