How to Write a Student CV: Examples and Tips

Key Sections to Include in CV

The student and graduate job market can be extremely competitive. Whether you’re writing an internship CV or an application for graduate positions, it’s essential that your CV is relevant, concise, readable and eye-catching. You’ll also want to make sure your CV includes the information, and follows the customs that employers have come to expect. Here are the key sections to include in your CV:

CV header

Your header should include your name and contact details (email address, phone number and address or location). Avoid adding any further personal information or a photo, as these can create the potential for discriminatory hiring decisions. If you have a website, portfolio or LinkedIn profile, you could add them to your header. You may also want to a CV title or headline, to introduce you to the reader. This goes below your name and is typically a simple, concise sentence such as ‘enthusiastic, motivated accountancy student with strong technical knowledge’.

CV summary or objective

As a student, you might lack relevant work experience, so including a CV summary or objective is a must for selling your educational achievements, transferable skills and career ambitions. The purpose is to catch the reader’s attention with a short, compelling paragraph that encourages them to read the rest of your CV. Your statement should focus on your key skills, your ambitions, what makes you a unique candidate and what you’re looking for in a role. It’s essential to tailor your statement to the job description, so it’s likely to be different for every application.

Here’s an example CV summary for a student applying for graduate jobs:

An ambitious student with an eye for detail, who thrives under pressure and relishes new challenges. A business undergraduate with projected 2:1 results, looking for a graduate position in financial management that affords a high degree of responsibility and training opportunities for career progression.

Work experience

It’s important to mention any work experience you have, even if you’ve only worked in temporary or part-time roles. Add each previous role in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent job. List your job title, the name of your employer, its location and the dates you worked there.

Under each entry, add a few bullet points explaining the role, your achievements and any skills you used in the job. Consult the job description and look for the skills and experience required for the role. This can help make the content of your work experience section more relevant to the role you’re applying for, even if you worked in an entirely different sector or position.

Here’s an example entry for a high-school student CV work experience section:

Part-time sales assistant, Hamilton’s Homewares, Peterborough, March 2022 – present

• Providing exceptional customer service, building a rapport with customers so they feel valued
• Offering advice and guidance on purchasing decisions for various homewares products
• Processing transactions using a computer-based point-of-sale system, handling cash credit cards and setting up monthly payment plans
• Assisting with inventory management and the ordering of new stock and store supplies
• Collaborating with team members to meet sales targets, helping weekend sales teams exceed sales targets by an average of 12%
• Resolving customer complaints in a professional, courteous manner, contributing to a 92% customer satisfaction score

Education

For graduate and entry-level jobs, your education section can be one of the most important elements of your CV. If you don’t have much work experience, you may wish to place this above that section. Add your highest or most recent qualifications, including your degree if you’re still studying. List the name and level of the award, the institution name, its location and your dates of study. If you have space, you can also add bullet points referencing any award you’ve won or societies you’ve been a member of.

Take a look at this example of an education section for a uni student CV:

BA (Hons) Politics, University of Warwick, Coventry, September 2022 – present

• Projected 2:1
• Conducting dissertation on the threat of populism to western democracies

A-levels: History (A), English Literature (A), Business Studies (B), King’s School, Winchester, September 2020 – July 2022

Skills

If you don’t have much relevant work experience, you could place extra emphasis on your skills by putting it above the employment section on your CV. Read the job description to understand the skills the employer is looking for, and make sure you mention any skills you have that match those listed. You can split your skills list into hard and soft skills, or combine them into a single list.

Below is an example CV skills list for a student applying for web developer roles. The list focuses on skills the applicant might learn during their studies:

Hard skills:

• Mapping user journeys to understand customer needs 
• Wireframing websites to develop and review site architecture
• Building web applications with Python, Javascript, SQL & HTML
• Understanding sprint cycle working patterns

Soft skills:

• Communication, working with a wider team of developers to create efficient workflows
• Eye for detail, ensuring accuracy of work with minimal need for amends
• Ability to work under pressure, delivering to tight deadlines

Optional sections

One way to make the most of your experience outside the workplace is to include optional sections in your student CV. These can help you to prove certain skills and experiences, even if you haven’t had a relevant job. If they help you prove you’re capable of doing the job, consider adding certifications or training you’ve undertaken, internships, any languages you speak, hobbies and interests or volunteer work.

CV Examples for Students with No Experience

Writing a student CV with no experience can be a daunting prospect. You might wonder how you’re going to show you’ve got the skills for the job without a body of work experience to show employers. There are, however, other ways of proving you have what it takes.

Firstly, if you have no relevant work experience, consider using a functional, or skills-based, CV format. This places your education and skills at the heart of your CV, with less emphasis on work experience. Secondly, use optional sections to demonstrate your skills and experience. You may find you can fulfil the requirements of the role through volunteer experience, relevant hobbies and interests, certifications or training you’re undertaken.

For graduate and entry-level roles, employers aren’t likely to expect a wealth of work experience. They’ll focus on your skills and qualifications, so make sure you use these sections, plus optional sections, to prove you’re the right candidate for the role.

Quick Tips for Writing a Student CV

Follow these quick tips to ensure you write a strong student job application:

• Pick the right format: if you have plenty of relevant work experience, choose a reverse-chronological format. If you don’t have much work experience, opt for a skills-based layout.

• Tailor your CV: amend your CV for every application, according to the job description.

• Optimise your CV for ATS: use clear headings and include keywords from the job description to help your CV pass any automated review stage.

• Quantify your achievements: focus on the impact you’ve made, rather than listing your responsibilities and everyday tasks.

• Be concise: aim for between one and two pages of A4 and use simple, concise language at all times.

• Write a professional cover letter: use your cover letter to expand on your skills and qualities. Access Jobseeker’s cover letter templates and cover letter articles to produce a letter that enhances your job prospects. Read our high school cover letter and college student cover letter articles for in-depth tips.

• Use a beautiful CV design: a clean, attractive CV design can help set you apart from other candidates. Jobseeker’s CV templates can help you create an eye-catching CV in just a few simple steps.

Key Takeaways for a Student CV

How you approach your student CV will depend on your experience, and the role you’re applying for. You can show you’re right for the role through work experience, or by emphasising your skills in other ways, such as volunteer work, internships and hobbies. Decide on a clear structure and use Jobseeker’s CV tools to craft a beautiful CV. You’ll find a wealth of CV examples and CV articles to help your CV stand out from the crowd. Sign up today to get started.