Position yourself for the role, not for campus life
Open with a short summary that names the kind of role you want and the strongest evidence you already have—an internship, a final-year project, customer-facing work or a relevant certification. Put education high on the page if it is still your main qualification, but lead experience sections with anything closest to the job you are applying for.
Keep society hobbies and unrelated part-time jobs brief unless they prove a skill the posting asks for. Recruiters scanning graduate applications look for ownership, reliability and role-fit faster than a long list of campus activities. If you are still studying, prefer the student CV guide; use this page when the target is your first full-time job.
Turn placements and projects into hireable evidence
For each internship, placement or substantial project, state your responsibility, the tools or methods you used and what changed because of your work. Numbers help when they are honest: tickets closed, customers helped, reports delivered, deadlines met. If you cannot share metrics, describe the deliverable and who used it.
Translate academic language into workplace language without inventing experience. A dissertation becomes research, analysis and written recommendations; a group project becomes collaboration under a shared deadline. Label unpaid work accurately and never claim a title you did not hold.
Match the posting and keep the format ATS-readable
Mirror the job description’s must-have skills with real examples from your background. Group skills into clear categories, drop tools you cannot demonstrate in an interview and keep headings familiar: Experience, Education, Projects, Skills.
Use Make.CV to enter your details, check the real-time preview and download a free PDF with no watermark. Confirm that dates are consistent, links work and the exported text remains selectable—habits that support both human readers and common applicant tracking systems.
Frequently asked questions
How is a first-job CV different from a student CV?
A student CV often supports placements while you are still enrolled. A first-job CV targets graduate or entry-level employment and should foreground readiness for full-time work, even when education remains near the top.
What if I only have one internship?
Expand that internship with concrete bullets, then add strong projects, volunteering or part-time work that shows related skills. Depth on a few relevant activities beats a thin list of titles.
Should my first CV be one page?
For most graduate and junior roles outside academia, one focused page is enough. Prefer clear evidence over padding; use a second page only when the employer expects more detail.