Put a Face to the Application: Photo CV Templates That Get UK Hiring Managers to Look Twice

Photo

In the UK, most CVs are sent without a photo. But for acting, modelling, hospitality, cabin crew, and EU applications, a CV with a photo is still the norm—and you need a template that fits the headshot without breaking the layout. These do.

All Templates

Stylish

Perfect for creating a one-page CV, highlighting your skills and projects. Great for software engineers and developers. Perfect for including a polished CV photo.

Double Column

Discover our versatile Two Column CV template, perfect for professionals in programming, marketing, and more. This popular design ensures your CV stands out with a clear, organized layout. Ideal for showcasing a professional headshot.

Compact

A one-page CV template tailored for professionals with a lot of experience in upper-management roles. Including a high-quality CV photo enhances your professional image.

Modern

Ideal for upper management roles, project managers, and product owners, the Modern CV template offers a clean, professional aesthetic that commands attention. A well-placed photo on CV adds a personal touch.

Elegant

The Elegant CV template features a sophisticated design with a compact, easy-to-read format, highlighting your strengths and achievements beautifully. This layout is perfect for a stylish CV photo.

Creative

Make a memorable first impression with the Creative CV template, featuring a distinctive header that draws in recruiters. This template is suitable for any industry and includes space for a standout photo on CV.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CV with photo example for the UK
Will an ATS reject a CV template if it has a photo?
CV templates with photo, by role
Build your photo CV in minutes with Enhancv

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Most UK employers prefer a CV without a photo—anonymised shortlisting is widespread, and a photo on a CV can get yours screened out before anyone reads your experience. A photo CV is the right call when the application specifically invites one: client-facing positions, hospitality, sales, modelling, cabin crew, or roles in Germany, France, Spain, and other markets where photo CVs are the norm.

Enhancv's photo CV template runs on the same AI CV Builder that powers every layout here. The structure places your photo without crowding your work history, and the formatting parses cleanly through ATS software so recruiters see your full experience.

We've tested every template against real UK hiring software, with input from certified CV writers. Pick the photo CV template when the job calls for one. If you're wondering “should I put a photo on my CV?” and the answer isn't a clear yes, switch templates inside the builder—same content, no headshot.

CV with photo example for the UK

Aspiring Barista | Coffee Enthusiast CV Example

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Will an ATS reject a CV template if it has a photo?

In most cases, no. Modern applicant tracking systems like Workday, Greenhouse, and Lever parse the text in your CV and ignore images during indexing. The photo doesn't get "read". It's discarded before the parser builds the candidate record. Some older configurations of Taleo and iCIMS strip images on upload, which has the same effect: your photo disappears, but your text content stays intact.

Most ATS failures come from the layout around the photo, not the photo itself.

Two patterns can cause genuine parsing problems:

Photos placed inside sidebar columns can scramble the reading order of your work history, especially in two-column templates that weren't built with ATS in mind.
Photos embedded in graphical headers that also contain your name and contact details can mean the parser misses your details entirely.

Enhancv's photo CV template avoids both. The photo sits in the header, separate from your work history, so the parser indexes everything in the order a human reader sees it.

A few practical rules:

Send your CV as a PDF, not a DOCX. PDF preserves layout consistently across all systems and devices.
Keep a text-only version ready for stricter portals: paste-into-form fields, public-sector vacancies, large-employer career sites.
If the role doesn't call for a photo, switch to one of our other UK CV templates inside the same builder—your content carries over.

CV templates with photo, by role

The same photo CV template adapts to the roles where headshots actually matter. Pick the variant closest to your industry, then customise inside the builder.

Acting and performance photo CV template

A clean head-and-shoulders crop sits at the top of the layout, with credits, agent details, and showreel links following beneath. Suits actors, voice artists, dancers, and TV

presenters who need a CV that doubles as a casting introduction.

Bilingual Performer | Acting & Improvisation CV Example

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Modelling photo CV template

The template positions a professional headshot upfront. Stats (height, measurements, eye colour) sit in a compact sidebar alongside agency and portfolio links. This works for fashion, commercial, and fitness modelling.

Fashion Designer Turned Model CV Example

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Hospitality and front-of-house photo CV template

A warm, approachable headshot signals service readiness. The template gives food and beverage experience, service standards, and language skills the room they need without burying the photo.

Experienced Waiter | Available for Part Time Work (after 2pm, Tue Sun) CV Example

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Aviation and cabin crew photo CV template

Many UK airlines—including British Airways, EasyJet, Virgin Atlantic, and Jet2—typically expect a photo in cabin crew applications. The template fits the photo, customer service history, and safety qualifications onto a single page in the order airline recruiters expect.

Commercial Pilot | ATPL (UK CAA) Airbus A320 & Boeing 737 Type Rated CV Example

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EU and international applications photo CV template

Germany, France, Spain, and Italy still expect a photo on CVs. The template's layout maps cleanly onto continental conventions while staying readable for UK recruiters too.

Ingeniero de Servicios de Campo | Electrónica | Ingeniería Biomédica CV Example

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Estate agency and luxury retail photo CV template

Client-facing roles where the recruiter wants to see the face behind the sales record. The template balances headshot prominence with property and sales metrics in a way that feels confident, not gimmicky.

Use This Example

Build your photo CV in minutes with Enhancv

Pick a template, upload your photo, and drop it into the placeholder. The editor crops, frames, and resizes it for you. Then it exports a PDF that stays sharp and stays under the size limit most application portals enforce.

Every Enhancv template works with or without a professional headshot. The choice comes down to what the job advert asks for and what's normal in your industry.

If you're not sure whether to include a CV photo, ask yourself one question: does the job specifically ask for one? If it doesn't, leave it off.

FAQ

Should you put a photo on your CV?

In the UK, usually no. For most office, technical, and graduate roles, a CV without a photo gives you the best shot at getting past anonymised shortlisting. Choose a CV with a picture only for performance roles, hospitality and cabin crew jobs, or applications to EU employers where a photo is standard.

How do I add or change the photo in Enhancv’s photo CV template?

Click the photo placeholder, then "Upload photo" and choose a JPG or PNG from your computer. To swap a photo you've already added, click the existing image and pick a new file. The template re-crops and resizes automatically, so you don't need to edit the image first.

Can I move the photo to a different position in the layout?

Not within one template. Each Enhancv template has a fixed photo slot, usually in the header or at the top of the sidebar next to your name. If the placement doesn't work for you, switch to a different CV template and adjust the colour theme to match the look you're after.

What photo dimensions does this template need?

A square JPG or PNG between 200×200 and 400×400 pixels, under 5 MB. That's the size that renders cleanly in an ATS-friendly PDF. For the photo itself, a plain white, light grey, or soft neutral background works best—busy backgrounds and outdoor shots distract from your face.

Does my photo carry over if I switch to a different template?

Yes. Every Enhancv template draws from the same content, so your photo, sections, and edits move with you when you change the template. Switch to a no-photo layout and the image is saved but hidden—switch back, and it reappears.

Can I download the photo CV as a Word file?

Enhancv exports to plain text and PDF, which keep the photo sharp and the formatting intact across application portals. Word is the wrong format for a photo CV anyway—the image often shifts or compresses on the recruiter's machine. Stick with PDF.

What if a job application doesn’t want a photo?

Switch to a no-photo template inside the builder—same content, no headshot. Your experience, education, skills, and contact details carry over instantly, so you can keep one Enhancv document and send whichever version the job calls for. Useful for the many UK applications where employers prefer a CV without a photo.