The Best CV Writing Services in the UK (Reviewed 2024)
Updated November 20, 2023
When it comes to your next job application, you want to make sure you write the best CV possible, one that promotes your skills, experience and career aspirations in a way that is appealing to employers.
For some, that may be a manageable task, whilst others will benefit from a professional CV writing service.
If you fall into the latter camp, you’re in the right place. Below you’ll find impartial reviews of the top CV writing companies in the UK, so you can find the one most suited to your needs.
The Best CV Writing Services in the UK for April 2024
1. PurpleCV
PurpleCV was founded in 2012 by an experienced HR and recruitment professional and now provides a range of services to suit every level of experience.
For its standalone CV writing service, you’ll find three competitively priced options:
- Early Career – zero to three years’ experience – £50
- Niche Professions – three to 10 years’ experience – £190
- Mid-career CV – 10+ years’ experience – £95
All of these come with a two-day turnaround and a range of add-ons like cover letters and printed copies.
If you need your CV in quick time, you can choose its express service. This will give you a polished CV in 24 hours, though it will add another £40 to your order.
PurpleCV also offers a package deal for each career stage which includes a CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile rewrite.
Prices here are £50 for Early Career Level, £190 for Niche Professions £95 for Mid-career CV and £135 for the Mid-career Bundle, again with a delivery time of two days.
If you’re job seeking in a niche profession and want a CV writer with industry specific knowledge, specialist services are available.
PurpleCV charges £175 for a specialist CV, and £195 for its specialist package deal, both with a five-day turnaround.
Whichever option you choose, your CV will be written by an experienced professional, tailor made for you and ATS friendly.
Your writer will work from your existing CV, or if you don’t have one, contact you directly to get the information they need.
As well as being good value for money, PurpleCV also offers unlimited edits for a 12-month period at no extra cost, so you can be sure you’ll end up with a quality product.
2. Talent Inc
Talent Inc. is not so much a CV writing company as it is an entire suite of technology-driven careers services, which extends to interviews and career coaching.
These are delivered to job seekers worldwide, but for UK-based candidates seeking help with their next application, its TopCV brand is the one to look into.
TopCV offers a Professional Growth, Career Evolution and Executive Priority package.
Professional Growth costs £99 and includes an ATS optimised CV delivered in around one week.
You’ll work collaboratively with your assigned writer matched on their knowledge of your industry and will have another week after receiving your first draft to request up to two rounds of revisions.
The Career Evolution package comes with the addition of a cover letter and costs £129, whilst the Executive Priority package adds on a LinkedIn review and totals £219.
Like Zip Job, TopCV has a 60-day interview guarantee on its top two tiers. There’s a slight difference, though, in that you only get one extra revision for free.
TopCV isn’t the most competitively priced CV writing service, but it does have payment plans available – just be aware these will cost you more in the long run.
For example, for the Professional Growth plan, you’ll pay three instalments of £39, totalling £117.
TopCV also offers a standalone LinkedIn profile makeover for £50, ideal if you just want to give your social image a professional polish.
3. Resume.io
Pricing: Varies depending on the package. Some free features.
Resume.io provides a selection of professionally designed resume templates. Users can choose a template that suits their industry, career level or personal preferences.
Resume.io offers a resume builder tool that allows users to create and customize their resumes. Users can choose from various templates and input their personal and professional information.
In addition to resumes, Resume.io provides tools for creating cover letters. Users can tailor their cover letters to specific job applications.
4. Zip Job
Zip Job is actually a US-based company, but its services are available to job seekers worldwide, including those in the UK.
The company has a large network of professional CV writers, experienced in popular fields like sales, HR and finance.
When you purchase a service, you’ll be paired with the writer best matched to your needs.
There are three price tiers to choose from. The first is its Launch package, aimed at those looking for a basic service. You’ll get a professionally crafted CV, optimised for ATS, for the equivalent of $139.
The Launch package does not allow for any rewrites though, so it’s better value for money to opt for either the Fast Track or Premium service.
Fast Track is priced at $189 and gives you a professionally written CV and cover letter. The Premium service is $299 and gives you a CV, cover letter, LinkedIn profile rewrite and faster delivery.
More importantly, both come with Zip Job’s 60-day guarantee. This states that if you’re not being invited to at least twice as many interviews within 60 days of using your new CV, it will rewrite it for free.
A downside to Zip Job is that it does not tell you expected turnaround times upfront. You’ll have to pay for your chosen service before this information is given to you, so it’s not ideal if you’re in a hurry.
You’ll also be charged an additional fee should you wish to chat to your writer on the phone, which is a service most other CV writing companies offer at no cost.
There are some pluses, though. You can try its services risk-free with a complimentary CV review, returned to you within 48 hours. It also offers a monthly payment plan on all of its packages should you need to spread the cost.
5. CV People
CV People sits at a higher price point than the other CV writing companies on this list, but if you look at it in terms of value for money, it’s a good option.
The thing that sets it apart is that whatever plan you choose, the process starts with a strategy consultation. This is a conversation over the phone or Zoom and can last up to an hour.
This gives you the assurance that your CV writer really understands you and your strengths as a candidate.
For a CV only, you’ll want the Essential plan, priced at £239 or two payments of £119.50.
It’ll cost you £289 to step up to the Premium plan, which includes a cover letter, and £339 for the Elite plan, which extends to a LinkedIn profile review.
For every package, you’ll see a live turnaround time which can be as little as two days.
All plans come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee with unlimited revisions, so you know you’ll end up with a quality finished product.
Another bonus to CV People is that you’ll be able to contact your writer via online chat, phone or Zoom throughout the whole process at no extra cost.
6. Sarah Lovell
This entry is a little different in that Sarah Lovell is an individual as opposed to a CV writing company. This makes her a good fit for anyone after a personal one-to-one approach.
Sarah has an impressive background in career coaching and has been working as a professional CV writer since 2012.
Sarah offers a CV assessment for £35, and her CV writing services range between £155 to £375 depending on the complexity of the project, so the amount you pay will be bespoke to your needs.
Add-on services include cover letters, LinkedIn profile reviews and interview preparation, and you can contact Sarah directly for a tailored quote.
As part of the service, Sarah aims for turnaround times of seven working days, but this is subject to change depending on workload, so you’ll need to factor this into your plans.
7. Career Addict
Of all the CV writing companies we’ve looked at, Career Addict offers the most extensive choice of packages.
You have four options here depending on where you are in your professional life:
- Early Career – zero to four years’ experience – £89.95
- Mid-Career – five to 10 years’ experience – £129.95
- Professional – 10+ years’ experience – £169.95
- Executive – For specialist and executive-level roles – £259.95
Every plan comes with the option of an academic CV for those trained in areas such as engineering or medicine. This will cost £42.95 on top of your plan’s original price.
You can also add on a cover letter and LinkedIn profile rewrites with prices varying according to your plan tier.
A nice service offered by Career Addict is its Extra Version. This gives you another version of your new CV tailored to a different job role, ideal if you’re in the early stage of career exploration and are applying to a range of roles.
You can add on as many of these extra versions as you wish, but it will cost you £34.95 for each one.
Career Addict promises to deliver your first draft in three to seven working days, from which you have another 30 days to request unlimited revisions.
Who Could Benefit From a CV Writing Service in the UK?
Searching for employment can be time-consuming and stressful, and some job seekers may look to a CV company to alleviate some of the pressure.
Others, however, will have more specific reasons for seeking professional help. If any of the following sounds familiar, a CV writing service could be just what you need.
You’re Just Starting Out on Your Career Path
Your application is your first chance to make the right impression on an employer, but it can be hard to write a strong CV when you have little to no work experience.
A professional CV writer will bring out key strengths and qualities from your non-professional experience.
You’re Uncomfortable Selling Yourself
It’s not always easy to promote your own achievements, but a professional will work with you to understand what they are and how to communicate them in an effective way.
On the other side of the coin, there’s a fine line between celebrating your strengths and boasting about them, and a CV writer will help you stay on the right side of it.
You’re Embarking on a Career Change
You may have an outstanding CV for your current line of work, but if you’re looking at a career change, it can be hard to make past experience fit with a new direction. That’s where the writing skills and know-how of an expert come in.
You’ve Been Unsuccessful in Your Applications to Date
If you’ve been job hunting for some time but with no luck, it’s probably a sign that your CV doesn’t quite hit the mark.
You can have friends and family review it for improvements, but for an unbiased opinion and professional polish, it’s a good idea to talk to a CV writing company.
How to Choose a Best CV Writing Service in the UK (2024)
CV writing companies offer their services at tiered levels, and you’ll find a range of different price plans available from each.
It’s pretty standard across the board how these plans are structured. They span from entry and graduate level CVs to those written for managerial and executive-level candidates.
However, they all come with their own terms and conditions and are not all equal in terms of value for money.
Here’s what to look for when considering your options:
Step 1. Make Sure It Has Expert Writers
Creating the perfect CV is an art form so you want a service that uses expert writers skilled in their craft.
They’ll know the best skills to highlight on your CV, how to write persuasively without jargon and how to capture a recruiter’s attention in seconds.
Look at who founded the company, where it finds its writers and how it vets them.
Ideally, you want a company with recruitment experience so it can look at your CV from the perspective of a potential employer.
Step 2. What Are the Turnaround Times?
These can vary from two days to two weeks, so you’ll want to pay careful attention here if you need your CV in a hurry.
Be aware, though, that quicker is not always better.
A CV delivered in 24 hours may prove to be low quality, and if your price plan doesn’t include revisions, you may end up wasting your money.
Step 3. Check How Many Edits You Get
Number of Edits
Following on from the last point, look at how many revisions are included. Some services offer none, and some allow an unlimited number in a certain timeframe.
It’s rare that your CV will come back perfect in the first draft, so the more edits you can ask for, the more confident you can be in the quality of the service offered.
Step 4. Does It Have ATS Optimisation?
ATS stands for applicant tracking system and refers to software often used in the screening stages of recruitment.
This technology scans CVs for particular criteria and eliminates those that don’t fit.
A professional CV writing service should offer full ATS optimisation to guarantee you make it through this initial screening round.
Step 5. What Is Its Success Rate?
Past customer satisfaction is a good indication you’re getting value for money.
A company’s testimonial page is a good place to start, but for a fully transparent view, look for customer reviews on third party platforms like Trustpilot and Google.
Step 6. Check for Additional Services
Look at what else the company offers and if you’d benefit by purchasing a service bundle.
Cover letter writing and LinkedIn profile optimisation are common additions.
Some companies will support you through your whole job search with additional career coaching and interview preparation services.
We’ve listed and reviewed seven of the best CV writing services in the UK to help you find a company that meets your needs.
It covers popular providers like Purple CV, James Innes, Talent Inc. and Zip Job. Use this list and others like it to narrow down your options before contacting your shortlist for more information.
To land a great job, you need a great CV that sets you apart from potentially hundreds of other applicants.
If you don’t feel confident creating that CV yourself, it’s worth investing in a professional CV writing service.
A CV writer will showcase your strengths in a concise, engaging and effective manner.
They will provide you with a well-formatted, error-free document and create applicant tracking system friendly content so there’s more chance of your CV landing on the desk of a human recruiter.
To find the best CV writing company for you, you’ll need to carefully consider what you want from the service.
Look at your budget, required turnaround and if there’s any industry specific knowledge you’d expect your CV writer to have.
You should also check past satisfaction rates by reading customer reviews and explore any beneficial add-ons like a cover letter and LinkedIn profile writing.
A standout CV uses short, concise sentences and active verbs that draw attention to actions and outcomes.
It should tell an employer why you’re an ideal candidate for the job, outlining your skills, experience and achievements in no more than two single sides of A4.
It should be clearly structured, well-formatted and free of errors.
The CV writing process involves gathering information, drafting out content, writing, editing and proofreading. From start to finish, it can take several hours, depending on the extent of your experience.
If you opt to use a professional CV writing service, you should be aware that turnaround times vary, so account for this when choosing a service provider.
A CV writing company provides professional CV writing and complementary careers services to job seekers. This may include the writing of cover letters, application forms and LinkedIn profiles and may even extend to interview coaching.
CV companies hire expert writers to ensure that every CV is bespoke to the candidate, highlights their skills effectively and makes them stand out in the eyes of a prospective employer.
Final Thoughts
The quality of your CV can be the difference between a mediocre job and the career of your dreams.
It’s your one shot to engage an employer enough that they progress you to the next stage of recruitment.
With so much resting on its shoulders, it’s vital your CV is of the highest standard, and if you’re not confident achieving that standard yourself, turning to a professional CV writing service can be well worth the investment.
