Every professional started with a first CV. Employers hiring students and graduates are not expecting years of experience — they are looking for evidence of potential: how you learn, how you work with others and what you have done with the opportunities you had.
A structure that works
- Contact details — name, email, phone, city and a LinkedIn or portfolio link if you have one.
- Profile — two or three sentences on what you are studying, what you are good at and what kind of role you want.
- Education — put this first. Include your degree, university, dates and grade if it is strong. Add relevant modules, a dissertation or major projects.
- Experience — internships, part-time jobs, placements and freelance work.
- Projects — academic, personal or team projects that show skills relevant to the job.
- Skills — tools, languages and technical skills you can genuinely use.
- Activities, volunteering and awards — leadership roles, societies, sport, scholarships.
Keep it to one page. A focused page is more impressive than two thin ones.
What counts as experience
More than you might think:
- Part-time and holiday jobs. Retail, hospitality and customer-service roles show reliability, communication and working under pressure.
- Volunteering. Organising events, tutoring, fundraising.
- Student societies. Treasurer, president, event organiser, team captain.
- Projects. A dissertation, a research project, an app you built, a business plan competition.
Describe these with the same achievement-focused writing as any professional role: “Organised 12 events for a 200-member society within a $5,000 budget.”
Writing your profile
Keep it specific and forward-looking:
Final-year Business Administration student with internship experience in marketing and operations. Comfortable with data analysis in Excel and presenting findings to senior colleagues. Looking for a graduate role in supply chain or operations.
Avoid generic phrases such as “hard-working team player”. Show those qualities through examples instead.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Listing every module you have taken — choose the relevant ones.
- Including your high-school grades when you have a degree (unless the employer asks).
- Using a photo, date of birth or marital status where they are not expected (for example in the UK, US and Canada).
- Sending the same CV to every employer — tailor your profile and skills each time.
Next steps
Start with the Campus template, which is designed for students and graduates and places education first. Then use the CV checklist before you send it.