Can I handwrite my CV?

We recommend that you never handwrite your CV (also commonly called a resume).

Most CVs are submitted online these days, so uploading a handwritten CV will requiring scanning anyhow.  Hiring managers will not be impressed, and as most roles require some form of technical ability and computer skills, you will automatically be at a disadvantage.

It is becoming more common for CVs to be scanned by an applicant tracking system (ATS), which is sensitive to formatting and cannot understand even the neatest handwriting.  In this case, your CV will be immediately rejected.

The only situation where a handwritten CV is acceptable is if the job posting specifically asks for one.  Or perhaps if you are applying for a role as a calligrapher or want to stand out as a graphic designer?  We recommend that you call the hiring manager or recruiter first to make sure it won’t be too left-field.

(Side note – the French sometimes still use ‘graphology’ for recruitment and screening purposes, alongside or instead of psychometric testing.  So you might be asked to handwrite a CV in France, but I would still check with the hiring manager before I picked up a pen.)

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Meg Salter
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
[email protected]
Linkedin: @meg-salter
Kate Bartlett
Co-Founder & Co-CEO
[email protected]
Linkedin: @bartlettkate

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