Follow the steps from top to bottom. Click a step to open the full explanation, an example and what to avoid.
Read the advert and note exactly what they want.
Before you write anything, work out what this employer is really asking for. A CV that answers the advert beats a generic one every time.
Advert: 'Need someone reliable with good communication skills for a busy Norwich café.' Your profile line: 'Reliable café assistant with two years' experience in a busy city-centre kitchen, used to serving hundreds of customers a day.'
Good to know: Keep a simple list of every job you apply for with the date and company. You'll need it when you follow up.
Name, phone, email and town — nothing else.
Three or four lines on who you are and what you offer.
Newest job first, with two or three bullet points each.
Courses, licences, cards and the skills the advert asked for.
Two pages maximum, proofread, saved as a PDF.
Open with the role, the date and where you saw it.
The first paragraph does one job: tell them exactly what you're applying for and where you found it.
10 November 2026 Dear Ms Patel, I'm writing to apply for the Warehouse Operative job I saw on your website on 8 November. I've worked in pick and pack for four years and I live in Norwich, so the Loddon site is a short drive for me.
Good to know: Can't find a name? Ring the number in the advert and ask who to write to. It also shows you're keen.
Two or three reasons you fit, each with proof.
Show you've picked them, not just any job.
Thank them, say you'd like an interview, sign off.