What should a graduate cv include

One can be academic and the other from a period of work experience. You can choose to omit the contact details if, for example, one is a current employer or you would prefer to contact them first. If omitting the references remember to note at the bottom that 'references are available on request' or something similar so the recruiter knows you are willing and prepared to provide these.

What overall tone does your graduate CV take? Has it conveyed all of your accomplishments as well as an idea of you as a person? Have you missed anything glaringly obvious? Sometimes we get a CV example that omits the degree grade, degree subject or even a contact number. One more important point - don't be tempted to 'stretch the truth' in your CV.

Getting your foot in the door would be worthless if, once you are at an interview, you can't back up your claims or are inconsistent with what you are telling a recruiter. You want an employer who wants you for all the unique skills and experience you can bring.

When I arrived at university the only books I brought were ancient texts, my bookshelf crammed with Ovid and Homer. However, as I progressed through the first and second year of my degree that passion Shifting from the classroom to the lecture theatre can seem daunting at first. There are ways to make this transition easier so that you can make the most out of your university lectures.

Being a student can often be overwhelming due to the numerous aspects of our lives we have to juggle; therefore, it is important that we study smarter and not harder! Graduate CV Template. A graduate CV template should: Introduce you as a promising potential candidate for the role Present all of your relevant skills and accomplishments Tell a story of your professional experience to date Reflect something of your character through your personal statement and interests sections Your CV should not: Be an exhaustive list of your every achievement, regardless of relevance Include a lengthy discourse about every course you've ever taken Contain information just to 'bulk it out'.

Being concise will help your reader and maintain their interest, making them want to know more. When you include a personal statement at the top of your CV, it becomes one of the first things an employer or recruiter will see. All too often, employers only scan through resumes, so you want to get their attention right away with a compelling opening statement.

It should include three things:. You should also tailor your statement to fit the job you're applying for. Mention some specifics about the job or the company so the employer knows you've done your research and you specifically want to work for them. I am passionate about turning people's creative visions into a reality and I'm looking to establish myself at a large, reputable design agency where I can continue to perfect my skills.

Since you're a recent graduate, you likely don't have a lot of work experience yet. This means you want the focus of your graduate CV to be primarily on your education. Make the first section of your CV all about your education, listing any schools you went to in reverse chronological order most recent first.

List any specific courses you took related to the job you're applying for, along with the grades you received in them provided they were good grades. For each related course or degree, you should list any skills you acquired during it or any accomplishments you had. Example: If you are a recent English degree graduate and are applying for a job as a journalist, your CV might contain:. Even though you may not have a lot of work experience yet, you might have some.

If you do, even if it's not relevant to the job you're applying for, you should mention it. Keep it brief and simply mention the job title, when you worked there and some of your responsibilities.

If you can relate these responsibilities to the job you're applying for, that's even better. For example, if you're applying for a job in sales, you could talk about your experience in public speaking in your role as a substitute teacher. The previous job experience doesn't relate much to the current job, but some of the skills transfer over.

You want to make it as easy to read as possible, and engaging enough that they want to keep reading. The best way to do this is to be concise. It should not be more than two pages - in fact, it is a growing trend in many industries to prefer a one page document, which is good news for graduates who may be starting with a rather lean list of previous employment.

You want to make it easy for employers to choose you - so lay things out in a way that information can be pulled out quickly and easily. If you have a lot you want to include but not enough room, add a link to your LinkedIn profile. It's a great way to have all your accomplishments documented and available while keeping your CV streamlined and inviting.

There is no standard format for a CV, but it is a good idea to make sure yours includes the following:. Compile your personal information under standard headings and update your details whenever you gain new experience or a new skill.

Then, when you are applying for a specific job, you will have time to customise the CV to fit that job and employer. Adapt the information to emphasise the skills and experience that are most relevant to the job you're applying for. There are different ways of presenting the information on your CV, but it should always include certain key elements. Keep them brief and make sure they don't take up too much space.

For example, why not put your email header and mobile number in the header with your URL LinkedIn profile and address in the footer? Your name should be what jumps out at the reader followed.

This should aim, in a concise way, what you are aiming for at this stage and what skills and qualities you have to offer in relation to your objective. It is useful here to mention your interest in a specific job or target a particular employment sector.

Presented in reverse chronological order most recent first. Provide grades or expected grades and dates. For example. This could include skills, interests and achievements: anything that will highlight your employability and make you stand out. Names of referees and contact details check with them first.

At graduate level this will usually be one academic and one employer or personal referee. There are different formats of CV.

Use your university careers service to check out examples of CVs but never copy a CV template exactly: employers can tell. If you're using a sample CV, make sure you adapt it to the job and your own circumstances. A graduate CV should be fairly short. Try to keep it to one page of A4 — two as an absolute maximum.

There are three main ways to present this information, depending on whether you want to promote your skills, your experiences or a combination of the two.

In each case, you should put your name and contact details at the top. You don't need to include the word 'CV'. This is the traditional, and most common, type of CV. It's most relevant if you have worked previously or have a lot of work experience. This presents information in date order under the headings 'Education' and 'Employment' or 'Work experience'.

This combines elements of the chronological and skills-based CV, and can be useful if you want to highlight employers as well as your personal qualities.

There may be occasions where a different type of CV is required. Your careers service can help you with this. These tend to be longer, and will include additional sections such as teaching experience and publications.