Graduate CV 20+ Examples, Templates How to Write Yours Easily

Graduate CV 20+ Examples, Templates How to Write Yours Easily Writing a graduate CV is one of the toughest things youll ever have to do in your career.How to start? What to include? What about all those other candidates who have way more experience than me?Weve all been there.Luckily, there are proven techniques you can use to write an effective graduate CV and land job interviews (even if you have no professional experience whatsoever).This guide will show you:Graduate CV examples and ready-to-use templates better than 9 out of 10 others.How to write a graduate CV step by step.Actionable expert tips on writing a good graduate CV that will land you any job you want.Just came to see a sample and get a good template? Seek no further.Heres a sample graduate CV created with our CV maker.Graduate CV ExampleWant to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. Its fast and easy to use. Plus, youll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here.Sample CV made with our builderSee more tem plates and create your CV here.One of our users, Nikos, had this to say:[I used] a nice template I found on Zety. My CV is now one page long, not three. With the same stuff.Create your CV nowThis article will teach you how to write a graduate CV for regular, non-academic employment.If you want to learn how to write an academic CV for post-grad admissions, doctoral studies, research grants, or scholarships, check out: Academic CV: What to Include How to Write ItNot a fresh graduate? Switch over to our general CV writing guide for more experienced professionals: How to Write a Job-Winning CV in 2019For guides on writing a graduate resume for the US job market, see one of our dedicated guides:General Student ResumeRecent College Graduate ResumeCollege Student ResumeFinally, dont forget to get inspired by actual CV examples for different professions and industries: 99+ CV Examples for All Industries and Career LevelsHeres how to write a graduate CV for a job:Choose a good CV format and template.Put your contact information at the top.Write a graduate CV personal statement.Describe your education.Show off any work experience you have.List your skills.Add extra sections: awards, volunteering, trainings, or hobbies and interests.1Choose a Good CV Format and TemplateHiring in 2019 is a fast-and-furious business. A recent study by The Ladders showed that recruiters spend an average of 7.4 seconds on a single CV they review. (Flabbergasted? Thats actually up from 6 seconds in 2012.)Recruiters dont read every CV they get. They look for reasons not to.Sloppy graduate CV formatting could be that reason. Remember: other candidates might have more job experience than you do. A neat CV thats easy to read can give you an upper hand.Here are the most important rules of a good graduate student CV format:One-inch margins on four sides.1.0 or 1.15 line spacing.Good font for a CV throughout the whole document.Professional CV header format for your contact details.Legible sections with big section headings and a blank line before and after each one.And below, youll see a perfect section order for graduate CVs:Graduate CV TemplateContact informationPersonal statementEducationWork experience (if youve got none, lets skip this section for now)SkillsOther sections, for instance:Honors and AwardsVolunteer ExperienceCertifications and TrainingsHobbies and InterestsFor more information on CV formatting, see: Ideal CV Structure: How to Model Your CV the Right Way2Put Your Contact Information at the TopHeres what you need to include in a graduate CV contact information section:Your First and Last NamePhone NumberProfessional Email: that means ann.brown@gmail.com instead of annieloveskitties@yahoo.comYour LinkedIn Profile and, optionally, other social media handles: but not all of them. For instance, if you use Twitter to discuss stuff related to your industry, link to your profile from your graduate CV. Techie position? Link to GitHub. Seeking a creative job? Behance, Pinterest, Tumblr, or even Instagram.URLs to Personal Websites or Blogs.Learn more: Contact Information on a CV3Write a Graduate CV Personal StatementAlso called a CV profile, a personal statement for a graduate CV is a short paragraph (24 sentences) at the top of your graduate CV. Its purpose is to outline your best skills and show how well youll fit into your prospective role. Think of it as an elevator pitch or a trailer for the rest of your CV.Heres how to write a graduate CV personal statement:Start with who you are and what your education is.Use the name of your target company and the position youre targeting.Add 23 of your key skills.Make an offer: explain what you hope to achieve for your prospective employer.See the graduate personal statement CV example below to get a grasp of how it works in practice.Sample Graduate CV Personal StatementHighly motivated Kings College BA in Marketing and New Media graduate (who you are + your education) looking to fill a position as a Jun ior Marketing and PR Assistant at Acme (name of the company and position youre applying to). Wishing to use strong data-analysis and creative storytelling skills (your skills) to help Acme create compelling marketing campaigns tailored to the needs of your customers (your offer).When making a CV in our builder, drag drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.Create my CV nowWhen youre done, Zetys CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.Get more examples and tips for your graduate CV personal statement here: 20+ CV Personal Statement/Personal Profile Examples4Describe Your EducationAlways put your current or most recent educational institution at the top. Follow it with the previous ones. That means, if you have a Masters degree, include your Bachelors right below it. Either way, omit your high school.In each entry, list:Your degreeThe name of your institutionYear graduatedYour major an d minors (if applicable)But that wont be enough to impress recruiters. Hey! Its time for those courses youve slaved over for years to pay off!To make your graduate student CV stand out, add:Relevant courseworkFavorite fields of studyThesis title(s)Key academic achievementsSee this marketing and business graduate CV example for reference.Marketing Graduate CV: Education Section2019 BA in Marketing and New MediaKings College, London, UK1stFavorite fields of study: Global Media Systems, New Perspectives on B2C Marketing, Macroeconomy Basics, Film Theory, Marketing of the MediaThesis title: The Paradox of Luxury Goods MarketingExaminedKey achievements and extracurricular activities:President of the undergraduate student board from 2017 until 2018Deans List 2016 and 2018Started and run a discussion club on new trends in AI and Virtual RealityFor more examples and expert tips, see: How to Put Education on a CV (Examples for All Scenarios)5Show off any Work Experience You HaveWhen it comes to your work experience, as a fresh graduate, chances are you dont have loads.Heck, you might have none in your target industry. And thats okay.Employers realise that candidates applying for entry-level positions might not have extensive work histories.That said, if you have any work experience, include it in your graduate CV. List all sorts of jobs such as:Part-time positionsInternshipsParticipation in work experience programsFreelancing experienceWhat to include in a graduate CV experience entries?Your job titleName and location of the companyDates workedBetween 3 and 5 bullet points describing your duties and achievementsSee these examples for reference.Graduate CV Example: Work ExperienceEvents and Marketing InternAdidas Originals, 06-201710-2017London, UKCreated and maintained lists of media contacts.Researched opportunities across online media channels.Produced product pitches and press kits.Supported event organization.Graduate Engineer CV Sample: Work ExperienceSummer Inter n: Security Command CenterScotRail, 06-201709-2017Leuchars, UKAssisted Security Department in security assessment and data review.Developed desktop manuals: procedures, quick reference cards, reference materials.Performed other tasks both in the field and in the office.Learn more: Job Descriptions for a Perfect CV Experience Section6List Your SkillsIf theres just one thing you need to keep in mind when putting skills on a graduate CV, its relevance. Instead of listing all skills you think you have, enter those that will help you perform well in the job.How to put skills on a graduate CV?Start with a spreadsheet, enter all your professional skills there.Read the job ad carefully. Look for skill-related keywords such as attention to detail, verbal communication, adaptability, or specific job skills.How many of these skills match the ones in your spreadsheet? Quite a few, right? Presto. List those skills on your graduate CV skills list.Dont stop there, though. Mention one or two skills in your CV heading statement and experience sectionsmake your CV read naturally, avoid CV keyword stuffing.And what skills are best to include in a graduate CV today? Lets consult that with data.A recent survey showed what skills employers seek in graduate candidates. Here are the top 10 skills they listed:Problem-solving skillsAbility to work in a teamCommunication skills (written)Leadership qualitiesStrong work ethicAnalytical/quantitative skillsCommunication skills (verbal)InitiativeDetail-orientedFlexibility/adaptabilityLearn more: Skills to Put on a CVAnd, for the final word, think about thisSome graduate CVs might benefit from listing skills in the form of a skills summary at the top of their CV. We call such CVs skills-based or functional. See if a skills-based graduate CV can be right for you: How (and When) to Write a Skills-Based CV7Add Extra SectionsPersonal statement? Check. Education, work experience, skills? All check. Thats a decent CV. It might even get you an inter view. ButYou dont just want an interview. You want the interview with this company. So lets punch up your graduate curriculum vitae a notch. Add some extra sections that will prove youve got another string to your bow.Graduate CV Additional Section IdeasAwards and honors (scholarships, honors societies, deans lists, etc.)Activities and associationsExtra trainingCertificationsHobbies and interestsThese will show your value in a flash. Every recruiter and hiring manager will be hooked!Before we wrap up, one final word:Cover letter or no cover letter?How about: job or no job?Almost half of employers wont review your graduate CV if theres no cover letter attached. In other words, job ads reading cover letter optional, mean cover letter mandatory.Weve put together a guide that makes writing job-winning cover letters easy and quick. Give it a read: How to Write a Cover (Application) Letter for a CVKey TakeawayHeres what makes a good graduate CV:Elegant, legible formatting and layout.Profe ssional contact information at the top.Personal statement outlining your career goals.Education section rich in details and extra achievements.Work experience section to show your dedication and drive.Skills section tailored to match the job ad.Extra sections, such as additional training, awards, or hobbies and interests.Questions? Concerns? In need of extra help? Ask me a question in the comments, Ill straighten out your queries.