07.01.2026

Write a better CV in 2026

A new study has revealed the most commonly used words on CVs in the UK, with ‘skilled’ featuring in almost 3.2 million CVs, and an expert has revealed how you can make your CV stand out in 2026 to increase your chances of landing a new job.

Professional CV builders at CVMaker compiled a list of 50 of the most commonly used words and phrases on CVs. They ran each of these words through Indeed’s Resume Search, analysing all CVs updated in the past 6 months, to find which words appear the most.

How you can make your CV stand out in 2026

“A more unique CV shows your individuality and helps you stand out from the crowd, especially when you’re applying for more competitive roles,” Klaasse said. “The more personal your CV is to you, the more likely you are to land your perfect role.

“Instead of using words like ‘organised’ to describe yourself, try describing a time when you showed organisational skills.” The approach of showing rather than telling helps an employer better understand your strengths, in comparison to reading vague language that they see in many other CVs.

“By avoiding generic words and phrases that could apply to anyone, you will make your CV more memorable, which is exactly what you want when searching for a job,” he recommended. “Showing your unique skillset and personality through your CV really can go a long way.

“Another step you can take to make your application stand out is tailoring your CV to the specific role you are applying for, to make it better match what the employer is looking for. Many recruiters who receive a large number of applications also use AI to help filter through them. Ensuring your CV is aligned with the job description can help make sure you get past these checks.”

While doing this for every role you apply for might seem time-consuming, Klaasse advised that “all you need to do is start with a strong base CV, then slightly tweak things like the introduction, key skills, and recent experience to better reflect the language used in the job description. These small changes can help an employer understand why you would be a good fit for the job, and show that you have taken the time to understand the role.”

The top ten most overused words on CVs in the UK

‘Skilled’ was found to be the most frequently used word, featuring in 3,193,157 CVs updated within the last six months. It has a significantly high usage rate, appearing almost two times more than the second-ranking word.

The second most common word was found to be ‘organised’, which featured in 1,696,706 CVs. Next up is ‘responsible’, which featured in 1,632,929 CVs, followed by ‘trained’ and ‘motivated,’ used 1,630,002 times and 951,857 times, respectively.

In sixth place is ‘educated,’ which appeared in 919,479 CVs analysed, and ‘informed’ was close seventh, at 908,936. ‘Social’ and ‘adaptable’ come in eighth and ninth, featuring in 832,582 and 822,503 CVs, respectively, and ‘confident’ rounds out the top ten, appearing 723,613 times.

Nicky Klaasse, CEO of CVMaker, commented on the findings: “It’s interesting to see which words are cropping up the most in Brits’ CVs, especially with ‘skilled’ appearing at such a high rate. While the words in the ranking do describe valuable traits that employers might look for in potential employees, they tend to lose their impact when employers see them so often.”