How CV Sorted works: from first question to finished CV

CV Sorted is a guided CV builder. You answer simple questions about your work, education and skills, see a live preview for free, and pay once to download your CV as a PDF and a Word file and to keep editing for 90 days. It does not write your CV for you, and it is in English only.

Key points

• You build step by step by answering questions, one section at a time.
• Building and previewing is free. Downloading is a one-time payment.
• The layout is a plain single column that people and software can read.
• It does not write the content for you. The wording is yours.
• You get PDF and Word files, and you can edit for 90 days after you pay.

What is this builder, in plain words?

It is a website where you build a CV by filling in guided steps instead of starting from a blank page. Each step asks for one kind of information, such as your contact details, a job you held, or a qualification. As you answer, a preview of your CV updates beside or below the questions.

The aim is to take away the layout work, so you can focus on what you want to say. You still decide what goes in and how it is worded. There are prompts and examples to help, but the text is your own.

It is designed for English-language CVs and is not available in other languages.

How do the steps work?

The builder follows the order of a typical CV. You move through these parts:

1. Contact details: your name, town, phone and email.
2. Profile: a few lines about who you are and what you offer.
3. Work experience: each job with title, employer, dates and bullet points.
4. Education and training: matric, qualifications, courses and licences.
5. Skills and languages: short lists.
6. Extras: items such as volunteering or references, if you want them.

Each step gives short guidance on what to write, with sample wording you can read but should replace with your own facts. You can go back and change anything at any time.

What do I see while I build?

You see a preview of your CV on the screen as it is formed. This lets you check how the content fits on the page, see where a section runs long and decide what to trim. Because the layout is automatic, you do not need to adjust margins, fonts or spacing by hand.

What does the layout look like?

The layout is a plain, single-column design with clear headings, readable text and consistent spacing. It avoids tables, text boxes, sidebars, icons and skill bars. This is intentional: such features can be misread by software that sorts applications, and they often break on a phone.

A plain design does not decide whether you get an interview. Employers differ, and no layout can promise a result. What it does is make your information easy to find for a person and for machines.

Is it free?

Building your CV and previewing it is free. You pay once when you want to download the finished file. After that, you can keep editing for 90 days. The price is shown on the site at the time you choose to download, so check it there.

You do not need to pay to try it. You can build the CV, see how it looks and decide afterwards.

What do I get when I download?

Your CV in two formats:

• PDF: for sending to employers and keeping the layout the same on every device.
• Word: so you can open it in a word processor if you need to make a small change or if an employer asks for Word.

During the 90 days you can return, edit your content and download updated files. This is useful if you apply for different roles and want to adjust the profile or the order of bullets for each.

Does it write the CV for me?

No. It does not generate your content or invent experience. It asks questions, gives guidance and sample phrases, and arranges what you enter. This keeps the CV truthful and in your own words, which matters when you are asked about it in an interview.

If you are unsure what to write, the tips next to each field help, and the blog has articles on profiles, bullets, skills and more.

Who is it for?

It is designed for people who want a clear, standard CV without learning a design program: school leavers, job seekers, people returning to work, and people changing jobs. It suits those who prefer to be guided through the steps. If you like to design your own document in a word processor from scratch, you may prefer that route. The article on CV builder or template compares the options.

Can I use it on a phone?

You can use the site in a phone browser, which is helpful if you do not have a computer. Take care with long text on a small screen, and check the preview before you download. Many people prepare their notes on paper first, then type them in.

What happens to my information?

You enter personal information in order to build the CV, so it matters how it is handled. The site has a privacy page that explains what is stored and why, and you can read it before you start: see the privacy information. In general, it is a good habit with any online tool to enter only what a CV needs, such as contact details and work history, and to leave out sensitive numbers such as your ID number unless you want them on the page.

How do I start?

Go to the builder, create an account so that your progress is saved, and begin with your contact details. You can stop at any point and come back later. If you have your facts ready, such as dates and employer names, it goes faster, and you can polish the wording afterwards.

Before you begin, gather these:

• Dates and job titles for each role.
• Names of schools, colleges and courses with finishing dates.
• A list of tools, equipment or software you have used.
• Two or three people you might use as references, with their permission.

What can it not do?

Be clear about the limits so there are no surprises:

• It cannot promise interviews or jobs, and no tool can.
• It does not write your content for you.
• It does not translate your CV into other languages.
• It does not replace a proofread. Check your spelling and facts carefully.

Frequently asked questions

Is CV Sorted free to use?

Building your CV and previewing it is free. You pay once when you want to download the finished CV as PDF and Word, and after that you can keep editing for 90 days. Check the site for the current price at the point of download.

Does CV Sorted write my CV for me?

No. You answer guided questions and write your own content. The builder arranges it into a clean layout and offers tips and examples, but it does not generate or invent your experience.

What file formats do I get?

You can download your CV as a PDF and as a Word document. PDF is useful for sending, and Word is useful if you need to edit it in a word processor or an employer asks for Word.

Is the layout suitable for applicant tracking systems?

It uses a plain single-column layout that people and software can read. Systems differ, so no layout can promise a particular result, but simple structure reduces common reading problems.

Next steps

Gather your dates, job titles and qualifications, then work through the steps one at a time. If you want a guided way to put this together, you can build your CV step by step with CV Sorted: it is free to build and preview.