Refreshing your CV for 2026
The games industry has changed again. Hiring teams are moving faster, expectations are sharper, and CVs are being scanned with far more intent than they were even a year ago. While creativity and passion still matter, clarity and specificity are now doing much more of the heavy lifting. A CV does not need to be flashy to be effective, but it does need to be easy to understand, grounded in real experience, and honest about what you did.
This article is not about reinventing your CV from scratch. It is about refining it, so it works harder for you in 2026. Small structural decisions can make a huge difference to how your experience is read, understood and progressed. Below are the key areas we would recommend revisiting before you send your CV out again.
Specificity is no longer optional
One of the biggest shifts we are seeing is the growing need for specificity. Studios are no longer satisfied with broad descriptions or high-level summaries. They want to understand exactly what you did, how you did it, and what impact that work had. This is where the AMA approach becomes genuinely useful.
AMA stands for Action, Method, Achievement. Start with what you did using clear and active language. Then explain how you did it, including the software, tools, pipelines or collaborative processes involved. Finally, outline what came out of that work. This could be improved efficiency, smoother collaboration, higher quality output or successful delivery against a deadline. This structure turns vague experience into something tangible and meaningful.
It is also important where this information lives on your CV. Listing software and processes in a separate sidebar is no longer enough. When tools and workflows are detached from your job history, they can feel secondary. Studios want to see how you applied those skills in production, not just that you are familiar with them. Embedding software, pipelines and achievements under each individual role gives your experience context and credibility.
Your introduction matters, but it is not the main event
A strong opening summary can be a nice addition to a CV, but it should never take up space that could be better used for real experience. Hiring managers are far more interested in what you have done than how you describe yourself in abstract terms.
If your introduction is more than a few short lines, it is probably too long. Think of it as a framing device rather than a sales pitch. Its job is to set context, not to repeat what will already be shown more clearly in your work history. Shortening this section often creates room for better detail elsewhere, which is where the real value sits.
Keep the layout simple and readable
Games is a creative industry, but CVs do not need to be creative documents. In fact, overly designed CVs often work against you. Complex layouts, heavy visuals and text embedded into images can make your CV difficult to scan and, in some cases, unreadable by applicant tracking systems.
Where possible, keep your CV document based rather than design led. Clear headings, consistent spacing and logical structure will always outperform visual flair in this context. The easier your CV is to read, the easier it is for someone to advocate for you internally. Simplicity here is not a lack of creativity, it is a sign of good communication.
Do not shrink the font to fit everything in
It can feel counterintuitive, but using a readable font size often improves a CV rather than limiting it. When space becomes tight, it is usually a sign that too much information is being included, not that the font should be reduced.
A slightly larger font forces you to prioritise what matters. This naturally trims filler and repetition, leaving behind clearer, stronger content. Hiring teams should not need to strain to read your experience. If something is important enough to include, it should be easy to see.
Hyperlink properly and make life easy
Hyperlinks are a small detail that regularly cause unnecessary friction. Whenever you include a link, hyperlink the actual URL rather than labelling it as portfolio or contact. In many systems, only the visible text carries across, which can result in the word portfolio being copied without the link itself.
Always check that your portfolio is live, accessible and loads quickly. Broken links or gated access create avoidable barriers, especially for internal recruitment teams who may be reviewing multiple profiles at once. The easier you make it to view your work, the more likely it is to be seen.
Refreshing your CV for 2026 does not mean rewriting your career history. It means presenting it with more intent. Be specific, keep things readable, and make sure every section earns its place. A good CV should guide the reader through your experience clearly and confidently, without forcing them to fill in the gaps.
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If you have any additional questions, feel free to pop over an email to jrm@skillsearch.com for CV feedback
