Curriculum Vitae

You've probably already been told that CVs are important. Whether you're at the start, middle or end of your career, potential employers will almost always ask to see them.

And understanding why they are such a crucial part of finding a job can be the key to turning a good CV into a really great one.

Why do I need a CV? Think of yourself as a brand new smartphone. Stay with us on this…………..

There’s lots of smartphones on the market, so what helps someone pick you over another one?

In the same way, there are other people out there looking for similar jobs, so what things might make an employer choose you over someone else for an interview?

That’s where your CV comes in

Your CV is one of the best ways of advertising yourself to an employer. It gives you the chance to

show them that you are qualified, skilled, motivated and ready for work and to explain what sets you apart from the rest, all in a page or two.

Sending over your CV is also often the first piece of contact you will make with a potential employer, so it's important to use it to make a good first impression.

What's special about my f irst CV? Your first CV is a bit different because you won’t normally have as much work experience to put in there. Instead it’s mainly a space to list your skills, interests, education and achievements.

Once people have been working a while, they might use a ‘chronological’ CV, which lists the places they have worked in order of date along with their main responsibilities. They don’t need to spend as much time highlighting skills as their work experience and responsibilities show this.

When you make your first student CV, what you need to do is show you have what it takes to do the job without the work experience.

For this reason, a first CV should be skills / qualifications based rather than chronological work based as for someone who has been in the work place for a number of years..

What should my f irst CV look like? While you might get some good design ideas looking at example CVs online, remember your CV is a unique thing, so think first before you download just any old template.

Never lie on your CV. The chances of being found out are high.

Proof read it, and get someone else to check over it too.

Check out our example template to give you some ideas on where to start with making your first student CV: