Finding vacancies has never been easier. Getting past the CV stage is harder. Your CV can open the door to an interview or close it before you have spoken to anyone, and to improve it you need to know what good looks like.
The Perfect CV is built on what our employer clients told us when we asked what they look for in a CV and what puts them off. It sets out their answers on rejections, layouts, content and length, the patterns behind them and our advice on putting them into practice. It is for any candidate writing or updating a CV.
The guide shows where employers agree and where they are divided, gives our view on each point and includes a checklist to run before you send your CV.
What's inside
Each chapter draws on what employers and candidates told us, followed by our advice on putting it into practice.
- What Sends a CV to the No Pile: The reasons employers gave for rejecting CVs, why spelling and layout come up again and again, and how to explain short tenures and gaps before they count against you.
- Creative Layouts: What Employers Think: The full spread of employer opinion on creative CVs, plus our view on conventional layouts, applicant tracking systems and whether to include a photo.
- What a CV Should Include: What employers expect to see, why achievements came up more than anything else, and why a town or city is now enough for your contact details.
- The Ideal Length: Where employers agree on length, the answer they gave most often, and how to handle a long career without overrunning.
- What This Tells Us: The patterns behind the answers turned into clear rules, plus a pre-send checklist covering proofreading, tailoring, achievements, dates, contact details and file naming.
- Your Questions Answered: Answers to candidates' common questions, from showing transferable skills and being overlooked when senior to getting feedback, age discrimination and final interviews.
- Making Your CV Work: How to use the guide as a checklist every time you write or update your CV, and why being clear, concise and relevant makes every stage easier.
What the data says
Five figures from the guide on how hard it is to get an application noticed, each linked to its source.
- 16%: UK applications submitted are up 16% and interviews needed to land a single role are up 18%, Totaljobs found in 2026. Source: Totaljobs Hiring Trends Update, 2026
- 77%: 77% of UK candidates say it's harder to get an interview than a year ago. Source: Totaljobs Hiring Trends Update, 2026
- 66%: Two in three (66%) UK candidates don't hear back beyond an automated acknowledgement when they apply. Source: Totaljobs Hiring Trends Update, 2026
- 55%: British job-seekers do not hear back from 55% of the jobs they apply for, according to Indeed research. Source: Indeed research, reported by HRreview, 2024
- 92%: 92% of the 497 FM vacancies Maxwell Stephens advertised from 2023 to 2026 showed a salary figure, giving candidates pay clarity up front. Source: Maxwell Stephens analysis of 497 advertised vacancies, May 2023 – September 2026
Sources checked in September 2026. Maxwell Stephens figures are drawn from our own published vacancies and placement records.
See it in practice
Medical Defence Union (MDU) Facilities Management Support Coordinator Recruitment
The Medical Defence Union asked Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Facilities Management Support Coordinator, a role spanning planned and reactive maintenance, contractor management, health and safety compliance, office moves, CAFM systems and AutoCAD drawings. Roles that pair CAFM and AutoCAD competence with hands-on maintenance coordination are harder to fill than the grade suggests, because many candidates have only one side, and the systems skills in particular are rarely evidenced clearly on a CV. We ran a targeted search and assessed each shortlisted candidate's technical knowledge, operational capability and cultural fit. The appointed coordinator integrated quickly and strengthened compliance processes, contractor management, workplace projects and facilities administration.
It shows why the skills you have should be stated plainly and evidenced on your CV, rather than left for an employer to infer.
Read the full case study or browse all case studies.
Related reading
- How to Write the Perfect CV: A Complete Guide to Standing Out
- Job Hopping for Career Development: How Often Is Too Often?
- Why You Should Always Ask for Feedback After an Interview
More from Maxwell Stephens Insights
Our Insights library covers FM hiring, leadership and careers in more depth. Continue with:
- The Facilities Management Interview Guide
- Facilities Management Career Guide
- Facilities Management Salary Guide UK 2026
Browse the full Insights library.
Who this guide is for
Candidates at any stage writing or updating a CV, including people moving into a new sector who need to show transferable skills, experienced and senior professionals facing strong competition, and FM professionals planning their next role.
Next steps
Browse our current Facilities Management vacancies, upload your CV so a consultant can contact you about suitable roles, or join our mailing list for new vacancies and market updates.