Stuck on writing your CV for your first official step into the workforce? Your resume is a document worth spending extra time on because getting it right ultimately opens the door to more job offers. 

 

The goal of your CV is to demonstrate why you’re a great fit for the position and why you would be an asset to an organisation. Writing your resume with a clear structure makes it easier to read and more likely to catch the attention of recruiters and employers. 

 

Read on to get our top CV tips for recent graduates, gathered from our years of experience in helping job seekers like you get their first permanent position.

 

Start your CV by listing your main daytime contact details. At least two forms of contact are recommended – a current phone number and a valid email address. Make sure these details are clearly written at the top of your CV so your recruiter can quickly and easily get a hold of you. 

 

Including your full address isn’t necessary, but it is a good idea to mention your general location, so recruiters have a clear idea about which jobs they can match you to. 

 

What exactly is a Personal Statement? Sometimes referred to as a Professional Summary, it’s basically a short rundown of how you see yourself as a worker – your key skills, qualifications and personal attributes that match the jobs you’re applying for. Somewhere between two to five sentences is usually enough. 

 

An example of a Personal Statement could read:

 

“I’m a recent graduate in XYZ degree from ABC University, and I’m excited about starting my career in DEF industry. During my time as a student, I held a part-time role in retail where I learned a range of skills including customer service, conflict resolution and sales. I also participated in a work experience project with a local business where I shadowed a senior staff member and gained an understanding of their daily duties. I am a fast learner, passionate about the industry and can’t wait to put my studies into practice.”

 

Place this statement on the first page of your resume, right underneath your contact details at the top. This will create a great first impression, and right off the bat tell the hiring manager exactly what kind of team member you could be.

 

Underneath your Personal Statement, add separate headings for each job you’ve worked in, with the most recent position at the top.

 

For each position, write a heading with the job title and employer name, followed by a brief description of the duties and responsibilities involved. There’s no need to write long paragraphs here but try to show enough detail to demonstrate the extent of your experience. You can always use bullet points to break up the text and make it easier to read. Also, make sure you also include any promotions or changes to your job title.

 

If you don’t have previous industry experience, you can still make a good impression highlighting your transferrable skills. These are skills that can be useful in any work environment. For example, you could highlight your ability to work well with others or manage people, your ability to work unsupervised and show initiative, customer service skills, time management, reliability or punctuality. 

 

As part of the job history section of your CV, you should include information about your key achievements in each role. The aim is to show employers that you can deliver outcomes such as improving processes, managing people, handling high volume and generally improving the work environment. This is your chance to shine, and show your future employee why you’re the ideal candidate for the role.

 

For example, instead of simply saying “I worked at a fast food restaurant”, you could say, “I served hundreds of customers each shift, greeting them with a smile each time and delivering their orders promptly ”. Or, instead of “I delivered packaged for an online company”, say that you “ensured online orders were delivered on time, safely and with a positive customer experience”.

 

Finally, an excellent way to highlight professional achievements is to list any awards and recognition you’ve received, such ‘Employee of the Month’ or safety awards. 

 

This section is relatively straightforward – write a list of all the qualifications and certifications that are relevant to the role you’re applying for. These might include your high school certificate, university GPA, knowledge of computer software or first aid training. Add the most recent qualifications at the top and include the date you obtained each qualification. 

 

After reading all of these tips on writing your resume, it might feel like you’ll have endless pages to write. But a good CV is usually no more than two pages long. The rule of thumb is to only include your most recent work experiences and qualifications. 

 

If you’ve spent a significant amount of time without work (3 months or longer), it’s best not to cover these up with fake dates or pretending it didn’t happen. Instead, be prepared to explain the gap in your resume with a brief sentence. Many people have gaps in their CV due travel or preferring to focus on their studies. Honesty is the best policy.

 

One of the most important CV writing tips might seem a little obvious but you’d be surprised how often it’s neglected: always read over your CV at least a couple of times and check for any spelling and grammatical errors. If in doubt, get a friend to check it for you. After all, it’s frustrating to spend hours on your resume and click send only to realise you made an easily avoidable error.

  

Including at least two professional references is recommended for most job applications. It’s essential (and basic courtesy) to get permission from each referee before you include their details on your CV – it’s never ideal to receive a call out of nowhere with nothing prepared.

 

Always try to include referees who were your direct supervisors and ideally your current supervisor. For each referee, state their full name, job title or relationship to you and their daytime contact details. 

 

Our CV tips for new graduates can also apply to a range of industries and roles, so we recommend you save these tips as checklist for future job applications – or pass them on to a friend! Remember to ensure all the information you include is accurate and correct, clearly structured and highlights what makes you an ideal candidate for the job. 

 

Here at First People Recruitment Solutions, our experienced team work regularly with recent graduates and understand how nerve-racking it can be to apply for your first professional job. If you’re in search of the right role or need support with taking the next step in your career, reach out to us today!