How to Tailor Your CV in 15 Minutes (Template + Example Bullet Points)

Why tailoring your CV matters (and why good candidates get ignored)

If you’re applying for roles and not getting traction, there’s a good chance it’s not your experience.

It’s how your experience is being presented.

We recently advertised for a Recruitment Consultant role and received 109 applications. A few people told us in messages or cover notes that they had accountancy or legal recruitment experience and wanted to move into that space.

But their CV told a different story.

It listed the sectors they worked in, and accountancy or legal was nowhere to be seen.

And here’s the reality: if it’s not on the CV, it doesn’t exist to the person reviewing it.

This isn’t about being harsh. It’s about helping you get a fair shot.

Below is a simple, practical way to tailor your CV in 15 minutes.

Why tailoring your CV matters (and why good candidates get ignored)

Most CVs get a quick first scan. If the reviewer can’t immediately see that you match the sector, desk, or role type, they move on.

Tailoring isn’t rewriting your life story. It’s making the relevant parts impossible to miss.

Before you start (30 seconds): pick ONE target

Pick one: – Accountancy recruitment – Legal recruitment – A specific desk (for example: Audit and Accounts, Private Client, Conveyancing, Litigation)

If you try to tailor your CV to everything, it reads like nothing.

The 15-minute CV tailoring method

Minute 0–3: Add a 2–3 line summary at the top

This is the first thing most people read.

Copy-and-paste template: Recruitment Consultant with X years’ experience across [sectors], including [Accountancy or Legal]. Strong track record in [perm or contract], [business development or delivery], and managing the full recruitment process. Now looking to specialise in [Accountancy or Legal] recruitment in a values-led, relationship-focused agency.

Example (Accountancy): Recruitment Consultant with 3 years’ experience across professional services, including accountancy practice recruitment. Strong track record in permanent delivery, candidate management, and consultative client support. Now looking to specialise in Audit and Accounts and Tax recruitment.

Example (Legal): Recruitment Consultant with 4 years’ experience across professional services, including legal recruitment. Strong track record in permanent delivery, candidate care, and managing roles from brief to offer. Now looking to specialise in Private Client and Conveyancing recruitment.

Minute 3–6: Add a clear sector focus line

Make it impossible to miss.

Copy-and-paste template: Sector focus: Accountancy Practice (Audit and Accounts, Tax, Bookkeeping, Payroll) | Legal (Conveyancing, Private Client, Litigation, Family)

Only include what you can genuinely evidence.

Minute 6–12: Update your most recent 1–2 roles with proof bullets

This is where most CVs fall down. People write job duties. Hiring managers want proof.

Use this structure: Market + role type + action + outcome

Copy-and-paste bullet templates: – Managed a [desk] covering [Accountancy or Legal] roles including [3–5 role types] across [region]. – Built pipeline via [LinkedIn, job boards, referrals, BD], generating [X] qualified candidates per week. – Partnered with hiring managers to take briefs, advise on salary, and run the process end to end. – Delivered [X placements or £X billing] in [timeframe], with a focus on quality, retention, and candidate experience.

Minute 12–15: Add a “Selected placements” mini section

This is a quick credibility win.

Copy-and-paste template: Selected placements: – Role | Sector | Salary | Location – Role | Sector | Salary | Location – Role | Sector | Salary | Location

Example: Selected placements: – Audit Senior | Accountancy Practice | £45,000 | Yorkshire – Accounts Senior | Accountancy Practice | £38,000 | North West – Conveyancing Paralegal | Legal | £28,000 | London

Example bullets you can steal

Accountancy recruitment example bullets

• Recruited into UK practice roles across Audit and Accounts, Tax, Bookkeeping, and Payroll, from AAT to part-qualified and Manager level.
• Filled X roles in X months, with repeat instructions driven by speed, communication, and shortlist quality.
• Built candidate pipelines using LinkedIn and job boards, screening for practice experience, software exposure, and client-facing capability.
• Supported clients with salary benchmarking and interview process advice to reduce drop-outs and secure offers.

Legal recruitment example bullets

• Recruited across Conveyancing, Private Client, Litigation, and Family, covering Paralegals, Legal Secretaries, and Solicitors from NQ to 5 PQE.
• Screened for PQE, caseload, billing expectations, and client care alignment to improve interview-to-offer conversion.
• Managed the process end to end, including briefings, interview prep, offer negotiation, and resignation support.
• Maintained a high standard of candidate care, including clear updates and honest feedback.

Common mistakes (and quick fixes)

• Mistake: Your cover note claims a sector, but your CV doesn’t show it.
  Fix: Put the sector in the summary, sector focus line, and most recent bullets.
• Mistake: Duties only (“responsible for…”).
  Fix: Add proof (numbers, outcomes, role types, markets).
• Mistake: Too broad (“recruitment across multiple sectors”).
  Fix: Pick one target and tailor for that.

FAQs

How much should I tailor my CV for each job?
Enough that the top third of the first page clearly matches the role, sector, and desk.

What’s the best CV summary format in the UK?
A 2–3 line summary with sector + role type + strengths + target.

How do I prove sector experience on a recruitment CV?
Name the sector, list role types, and add proof bullets (placements, billing, pipeline metrics).

Should I include a sector focus line?
Yes, if you can evidence it. It helps the first-scan reviewer.

What are good CV bullet points for recruitment consultants?
Bullets that show market, role types, actions, and outcomes (placements, revenue, conversion, retention).

The point to take away

If you tell an employer you have accountancy or legal recruitment experience, your CV needs to show it fast.

Your cover note supports your CV. It can’t rescue a CV that doesn’t match the claim.

Want feedback on your CV?

If you’re applying for recruitment roles and want a second pair of eyes, send your CV across via our contact page and I’ll share a few quick, practical tweaks.

If you’re a law firm or accountancy practice hiring and want a shortlist built for retention (not volume), we can help with legal recruitment and accountancy practice recruitment across the UK.