Student CV with no experience: what to put, what to show
What replaces experience
Every verifiable fact counts. A study project run by three people, a stand held every week, a till handled for a summer: said with dates and facts, it already shows how you work.
- Study projects with their concrete result.
- Internships, even short ones, with complete dates.
- Summer jobs and small jobs: reliability is proven there.
- Volunteering and community life, as a full section.
- Tools you actually used, cited inside the projects where you used them.
The structure of a first CV
Education first when it is your strongest asset, experiences next, then skills and languages. The CV title answers the ad: « Accounting assistant internship » beats « Motivated student ». One page is enough.
The mistakes that close doors
- Inflating a title or a language level: everything gets checked in the interview.
- Listing skills with no proof in the experiences.
- A fanciful email address or a party photo.
- Sending without a letter when the ad asks for one: the letter is written from your CV, it is no longer a chore.
Adapting every application
With equal experience, the chosen candidate is the one whose CV answers the ad. Note the words of the ad, reuse the ones that are true for you, and check the result: the free analysis scores your CV the way screening software reads it and lists what the ad still expects.
Frequently asked questions
My CV fits on half a page, is that bad?
Better a true half page than an inflated page. Add what is verifiable: projects, volunteering, tools. The gap fills with time, not with adjectives.
Should I include grades or honours?
An honour or a ranking that helps you, yes. An ordinary average, no. Nothing requires it.
Does volunteering really count?
Yes, as a full section: responsibilities, regularity, results. Illuminagy CCO templates have a dedicated volunteering section.
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