Use the job description to help

Before you start writing your CV you should read through the job description carefully as this will be one of your most useful tools. Highlight any key skills, qualifications or experience the employer is looking for that apply to you.

After you have highlighted all the important information, make sure you use the keywords throughout your CV. This will show the hiring manager that you would be a great match for the role.

Prioritise your education

There are a variety of ways that you can format your CV. As a student, if you don’t have much work experience you should prioritise your education section.

The structure of your CV should go something like this:

• Contact details
• Personal profile
• Education
• Work experience
• Skills and achievements
• Hobbies and interests

Include any work experience

Under your work experience section on your CV, you should include any part-time jobs, any work experience you took part in school/university and any volunteer work you got involved in.

All of these should be included in your CV to demonstrate any skills you gained.

Format your education section by giving the name of the place you worked, dates when you worked there and a brief outline of your key responsibilities.

Talk about your hobbies and interests

This section is optional it can be helpful to include your hobbies and interests if you don’t have much experience.

Take this opportunity to talk about any hobbies that are relevant to the role and showcase a bit more of your personality to help you stand out from other candidates.

Don’t exaggerate

It might be tempting to exaggerate your skills and experience when you are trying to land your first job. However, this is a huge mistake as you don’t want to oversell yourself as this could cause you problems in the long run.

Follow the basic formatting rules

Make sure you get the basic format of your CV right so that it is easy to scan and digest.

Some of the key formatting rules to remember are:

• Your CV should never be more than two A4 pages long.
• Use subheadings and bullet points to break up the information and make it easier to read.
• Use a font that is easy to read.
• Make sure there is plenty of white space around your margins so your CV will be easy to read.