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Redundancy usually arrives with a short deadline and a long to-do list, and the CV is one of the first things people put off. It deserves early attention, because an application sent within days of a job ending reads better than one that has to explain a gap. This article sets out what to change, how to say why the job ended, and what the law says about time off to do it. Use the redundancy pay calculator first, so you know how long your money lasts and how much time you have.
Start with the time you are entitled to
If you have been given notice of redundancy and have two years of continuous employment by the time it ends, you have a right to a reasonable amount of time off during working hours to look for work or arrange training. Acas says there is no fixed number of days, and that it depends on factors such as how hard it will be to find a job and how long your notice is. You ask during your notice period, and your employer can refuse only for reasonable grounds.
The pay for that time is capped. Your employer need only pay up to 40% of a week's pay across the whole notice period, however much time you take. Acas gives an example of someone on £500 for a five-day week who takes five days off in a 12-week notice period and is paid £200. If your contract says otherwise, your employer may owe you more, so check it.
A sensible use of that time is a block for the CV itself, followed by half days for interviews as they come up.
What the CV needs to contain
The National Careers Service sets out the basics. Your CV should have:
- contact details: name, phone number and email, with a professional network profile if you want to add one
- a short introduction
- your work history
- your education
- references, which can be stated as available on request
If you have a lot of experience, put work history before education. It says to leave out your age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. For each job, give the employer, job title, dates and what you did, usually in two or three lines.
The National Careers Service says not to put another person's contact details on your CV, so "references available on request" is enough.
Tailor it to the advert
The National Careers Service advises tailoring your CV to the job. Read the advert's description and essential criteria, and decide which of your experience to put first. If you were made redundant from a role with several functions, you will probably need a different emphasis for each type of job you are applying for.
A practical way to do this is to keep one full master CV with everything on it, and copy it for each application. Cut or reorder from the master version. This also keeps older work easy to find when a role calls for it.
Say what you achieved, with numbers
Employers want evidence. Instead of "responsible for customer accounts", write the size of the job: how many accounts, what changed while you held them, what you were trusted with. Use figures from your own records where you have them. If you are unsure of a figure, use a range or leave it out rather than guess.
Take care with anything confidential. Describe results in a way that does not reveal a former employer's private numbers.
How to word the redundancy
A short, factual line is enough. Put it with the dates of the role, for example "Role ended due to redundancy", or mention it in a covering note. You do not need to explain further on the CV, and you can discuss the circumstances at interview.
Do not describe the redundancy as anything it was not. The facts are easy for a future employer to check, and a redundancy is a common reason for a job to end. If your employer closed a site or a team, say so in a few words.
Gaps
If there is a gap between jobs, the National Careers Service says gaps are normal and happen when life events occur. Say plainly what you did in the gap: training, a short course, voluntary work or caring. A clear line takes less space than an unexplained break and answers the question before it is asked.
Setting up to do the work
A few practical tools make the job less of a chore.
Ad A CV and cover letter writing guide can help with phrasing and layout, and it is worth reading once before you begin. If you find it easier to review on paper, Ad a home laser printer lets you print drafts and mark them up. Ad A ream of 100gsm white A4 paper suits the final copies you take to interviews. A paper review often catches typing mistakes that disappear on screen.
Keeping track of each application is half the work. Ad A job search tracker notebook gives you a place to record the company, role, date sent and any follow-up. For interviews, Ad an A4 display book keeps printed CVs, certificates and your notes in one place. Ad An A4 padfolio with a notepad holds a notepad and gives you something to write on in the room.
A simple order of work
- Write the master CV with every job, project and qualification.
- Check dates and job titles against your payslips or contract.
- Write the introduction last, once the rest reads the way you want.
- Make a tailored copy for each application.
- Ask someone you trust to read it for sense and mistakes.
Know your money
Your CV is only part of the picture. For redundancies on or after 6 April 2026, statutory redundancy pay uses a weekly pay cap of £751 and has a maximum of £22,530. The calculator works out your own figure, which tells you how many weeks of searching you can fund. Our guide to redundancy rights covers what else your employer must do.