Writing a CV is a harrowing experience for many people, and writing your very first CV is doubly so. What do you put in a CV when you have no or very little job experience and feel that you can’t compete with other candidates. Well, even as a new graduate or still a student looking for your first job, you can create a good CV that will showcase your skills and present you as a promising candidate. This article will help you write an excellent CV for your very first job.
CV format
The most common CV format is a reverse-chronological one. That type of CV contains your work experiences starting from the last. For someone who is looking for their first job, a functional (skills-based) format would work better. Skills-based CV, as the name suggests, highlights your skills and experiences in the chosen area.
Keywords
Big companies often use applicant tracking systems (ATS) to sort through the thousands of resumes they receive. An ATS may sort CVs based on keywords to find the ones that are more relevant to the job and put them on top. A good idea would be to read through descriptions of jobs that you want to apply for and find relevant keywords. If those keywords line up with your own skills and qualifications, use them throughout your resume.
What you should include in your first CV:
Your contact information
- Name and surname
- Home address (city and country)
- Phone number
- Email address
- LinkedIn profile if you have one
Make sure your email address looks professional and is not silly or immature. Create a new one if you need to. Depending on the country you are in other characteristics (photo, gender, relationship status, ethnicity, religion, etc.) may be needed or, on the contrary, should be avoided. For example, in the US such things are considered personal and should not be included in a CV.
A CV objective (a CV summary)
A CV objective is 2-3 sentences long. It states your career goals and summarises your skills and experiences that would make you a good candidate for the position.
Your skills
Think of your skills and include those that are relevant to the job. Apart from job-specific skills include your soft skills also: communications skills, working well with others, adaptability, time management skills, etc. Try to provide examples of applying those skills in your precious experiences (in your studying, summer jobs, etc.).
Experience
Your previous experiences that might be relevant to the position you are seeking. That may include part-time jobs, summer jobs, volunteer work, etc. Provide dates, job titles, organizations’ names. Briefly describe your duties and what important skills you’ve developed working there.
Education
List your educational background in reverse-chronologial order. Provide dates of study, school/college names and grades. You may include your GPA (if it’s 3.5 or higher), academic achievements, relevant certifications, as well as online courses you took.
Resume.io
You can also use Resume.io to help you create a CV. Resume.io is an online resume and CV builder that will help you create a professional and convincing CV quickly and easily. Resume.io site also provides a lot of CV examples for all kinds of jobs and positions.