How to write a CV as a student or fresh graduate

The short answer

A CV is a short, clear summary of your education, skills, experience and achievements. As a student, keep it to one page, put the most useful facts first, and describe what you did with action words and results. It should be easy to scan in less than a minute.

Sections, in order

1. Name and contact details: your full name, phone number, a professional email address and your city. Add a link to your profile or portfolio if it helps the application.
2. Short summary, two or three lines: who you are, the field you want, and your main strength. Skip it if you have nothing specific to say.
3. Education: degree, institute, years and your result. Add relevant courses, a final year project or a thesis title.
4. Experience: internships, part time work, volunteering and projects, with the most recent first.
5. Skills: tools, languages and software that you can use, grouped clearly. Be honest about your level.
6. Achievements and activities: awards, scholarships, competitions and leadership roles.
7. References: write available on request, or give two names if the application asks.

How to write a line

Start with a verb, say what you did, and add a result or a number. For example: Organised a study group of 25 students and raised the average pass rate of the group in the mid term. Do not write responsible for. Write what you did, and what changed.

What to leave out

• A photograph, date of birth, father's name, religion and marital status, unless the employer or programme asks for them. Follow the instructions of the application.
• Long lists of subjects you studied in school.
• Lines that say hard working or team player with no evidence.
• Unrelated jobs, unless they show skills that matter for the role.
• Fancy fonts, colours and graphics. Keep it plain so software can read it.

Layout

• One page, with margins of about two centimetres.
• One plain font, 10 to 12 points, with clear headings.
• The same date style and the same order of details in every entry.
• Save as a PDF with a clear file name, for example Ayesha_Khan_CV.pdf.

If you have no experience

• Use projects from your degree, with what you built and the result.
• Add volunteering, societies, tutoring, freelance work and online courses with certificates.
• Show skills that employers ask for in the advertisement, when you really have them.
• Put education first and keep the rest short and honest.

Checklist

• No spelling mistakes, and consistent formatting.
• Every line has a verb and, where possible, a result.
• The CV matches the advertisement: the keywords and skills it asks for.
• Contact details are correct, and your email address is professional.
• A friend or teacher has read it.

Common questions

• Is a CV the same as a resume? In many places the words mean the same thing. Follow the term and the format the employer uses.
• How long should it be? One page for a student or fresh graduate. Two pages once you have several years of experience.
• Should I write a cover letter? Yes, when the application allows it. Keep it short and specific to the role.

Where this comes from

• General writing guidance. Employers and programmes may ask for a specific format, so follow the instructions in the advertisement.