About this template
The UK Creative template is a British creative CV in Calibri or Inter for the body with a display name in Bricolage Grotesque or similar, on one to two A4 pages. It opens with a creative-results-oriented personal statement, keeps strict UK conventions (no photo, no birth date, equality recruitment) but immediately signals a creative orientation with a lively typographic grid and an expressive header bar. Suited to creatives who want to clear UK agency pipelines while pointing to a portfolio.
Who is it for?
For UK creatives in advertising, design, fashion, music and digital media — Soho London (historical advertising: Mother London, Wieden+Kennedy London, M&C Saatchi, BBH, AMV BBDO, Adam&Eve DDB), Shoreditch (digital-first: R/GA London, AKQA, Stink Studios), Northern Quarter Manchester (BBC North, ITV Manchester, Code Computerlove), Edinburgh (Rockstar North gaming) and Bristol (Aardman Animations, Wallace & Gromit heritage). Art directors, copywriters, brand designers, motion designers, creative directors, head of design, head of brand targeting a CV that points to a digital portfolio while clearing the ATS filters of the major agency networks (WPP, Publicis Groupe, Omnicom, Interpublic). Suitable for Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins, Goldsmiths, Glasgow School of Art, Manchester School of Art graduates, and self-taught profiles from the London creative scene.
How to use it
The personal statement opens the document in three to four lines — factual tone oriented toward creative results ("Art Director specialising in brand identity for DTC challengers, 8 years across Mother London and BBH"). Integrate the portfolio URL into the header bar with a short personal domain (.studio, .design, .art) or a pro Instagram. Reverse chronological on experience. No photo, no birth date, no nationality (immigration status via "Right to work in the UK" or "UK citizen / Skilled Worker visa — sponsor Mother London"). For an agency role (Mother, BBH, AMV BBDO), cite signed campaigns with client, brief in one sentence, format (TVC, OOH, digital, social, integrated) and performance (D&AD Awards, Cannes Lions wins, British Arrows). Long-tail: "art director Mother London CV", "creative director BBH resume", "brand designer DTC challenger CV", "head of design Wolff Olins CV", "creative director Pentagram London CV".
Frequently asked questions
Should creative awards (D&AD, Cannes, British Arrows) be cited?
Yes, this is expected by UK agency recruiters and precisely what distinguishes a junior from a senior in the profession. List awards by hierarchy: D&AD Black Pencil > Yellow Pencil > Wood Pencil; Cannes Lions Grand Prix > Gold > Silver > Bronze; British Arrows; Creative Circle; The One Show; Webby Awards for digital. Specify year, category (Film, Outdoor, Design, Digital, Creative Effectiveness) and client. For ongoing campaigns not yet awarded, mention shortlists ("shortlisted at D&AD 2024 Design category").
How do you indicate right to work post-Brexit?
Specify the migration status in clear terms: "Right to work in the UK — Settled status (EU Settlement Scheme)" for pre-Brexit EU expats, "UK citizen", "Skilled Worker visa — sponsor [Employer] until [date]", "Pre-Settled status (renewable 2026)" or "Currently requires Skilled Worker sponsorship". The status conditions the recruiter's interest from the first read — omitting it on a UK CV is a bad signal. For creative profiles specifically, some agencies (WPP, Publicis Groupe London) actively sponsor Senior Creative Director and Executive Creative Director profiles.
Should the portfolio be in the CV or as an external link?
Systematically as an external link for UK creatives — that's the norm. The CV points to a digital portfolio (personal domain, curated Are.na page, pro Instagram for designers and art directors, Vimeo for motion designers and directors). Avoid Behance which is read as a generic format in the UK. Integrate the link in the header bar at the same visual rank as the email. For agencies (Mother, BBH, AMV BBDO), the portfolio is read alongside the CV — visual coherence between the two documents is expected.
