De-student-ing your CV

Student Resources

9 Feb

De-Studenting CV, magnifying glass on CV

A common problem with a student’s CV is that they look like… a student CV. We’re not suggesting you embellish your experience and skill level - employers are very aware you’re a student or grad. However, you still want to look as professional and work-ready as possible.

How do you tell employers what they want to know so that they move your CV to the top of the pile?

We’ll be covering this topic in more detail at our upcoming CV bootcamps. But for those who are impatient to get their CV’s looking fantastic, here are our top tips for students writing a “professional” CV:

Inject your potential, passion and future job focus into your CV.

So many CV’s are backwards-looking. We love the fact that you’ve been babysitting the neighbours’ kids since you were 13, but actually, employers want to know what you can do for them.

You may not have much (or any) relevant professional experience, but that doesn’t mean you’re the sum of your past either.

Remember to include those roles that contribute to “selling” the story of you in your new perspective role. Even in fast food roles, you’ll have many hidden skills, e.g. teamwork, working with customers etc.

Set the scene with an “About Me” section

Add a personal statement at the top of your CV, like a summary of your cover letter. In the first sentence, tell the employer what you want to do and why! Then talk about your specific transferable skills and passions and what you’ll bring to your potential employer.

Showcase your “Skills”

Consider adding a skills section highlighting what you’ve learned or practised (yes, it’s ok to include stuff you’ve done at uni). Include context and evidence in your CV as proof of your abilities. Be focused and be specialised. Remember, if you’re adding your CV to your SoT profile, it will be seen by lots of different employers. You can position yourself as someone passionate and motivated for a specific type of role or organisation.

Think broadly about your “Experience.”

We advise you to include all your past work experience, but it’s not going to be relevant for your first industry job most of the time. Can you include projects as part of your “experience” section? This could consist of substantial uni projects or volunteer or side projects you’ve done in your spare time. Be upfront about whether they were paid or unpaid. Also, if it was a team project at uni, be very clear about your role in the team.

Put the most important stuff on the first page.

Consider re-ordering the information in your CV; think about what the employer wants to read about you. What matters to them? It’s not your grades or your non-industry-related work experience, although this could be on the 2nd page. The 1st page of your CV is prime real estate. There’s a good chance the reader won’t get past the first page on their initial scan! Make sure they can quickly identify your relevant skills/experience and that you showcase the passion and motivation you’ll bring to the role.

Career-switcher? Awesome:

If you’re a mature student or someone with a past career, this is great news, and there are opportunities for you in intern and grad roles! You will have to be even more focused on telling your story on the 1st page. Ensure you highlight relevant and transferable skills from your past career(s).

Come to our CV bootcamps & Clinics!

We’ll go through this in more detail during our bootcamps and CV clinics. Details about bootcamps and CV clinics will get posted on our events page as soon as scheduled. Still, hopefully, this is a good starting point.

Remember that your CV is a marketing tool, and YOU are the product.