If you have just graduated, you may find yourself in a position where you are unsure how to present and demonstrate your experience and abilities on your CV.
However, it is plausible to create an outstanding resume that stands up against and outperforms the CVs of other graduates and individuals with work experience vying for the same position. Here we share how to put together your resume and provide a graduate CV template that demonstrates putting our CV writing tips into practice.
Personal statement
A personal statement is an opportunity to introduce yourself and provide a short overview of your CV, experience, and skills. A concise introduction will inform recruiters who you are, what you bring to employers, and where you see your career progressing.
As with all the parts that build a CV, we suggest avoiding generic statements in preference of providing examples that demonstrate how your skills align with the job you are applying for.
What to include within a personal statement on a CV
Education and qualifications
The focus of a graduate CV will undoubtedly be your educational achievements. You should include these in reverse-chronological order, so your degree or diploma will be first, and your GCSEs will be last.
You should include your degree classification and results and highlight course modules that are particularly relevant to the job you are applying for, revealing your subject and industry knowledge. When you get to your GCSEs, you can simply state the number and grade range, although it can be advantageous to mention Maths and English independently.
What education and qualifications should I include on my CV?
-> DOWNLOAD A FREE GRADUATE CV TEMPLATE
Work experience
Your employment history may be brief and not in the field of your future career. The company name, job title, and employment dates should be detailed, along with achievements and duties.
When mentioning duties and responsibilities, it is beneficial to consider how you can use them to show your transferable skills, commercial awareness, working to targets, etc.
How much job history should I include on my CV?
Hobbies & interests
Although an optional section on your CV, there is an opportunity here to show your personality, passion, and motives for your career direction. Hobbies and interests need to add value and help you secure a job, so mentioning watching TV with friends is unlikely to be beneficial.
Suppose your primary focus has been on your education and extracurricular activities fell to the wayside. In that case, you could get proactive and write a blog or volunteer for a local charity or business.
Should I include hobbies on my CV?
-> DOWNLOAD A FREE GRADUATE CV TEMPLATE
References
Unless the job advert requests references, you do not need to add their details to your CV. Instead, a comment of references are available on request will suffice.
Should I include references on my CV?
Graduate CV advice
Our CV templates give you the necessary resources to create a personalised CV. We also provide free career advice on education and training, soft skills, salary, and opportunities.
CV template examples
- Accounting CV template
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