Creating a compelling CV as a fresh graduate with limited experience requires highlighting your academic achievements, internship experiences, and transferable skills. Here’s a breakdown of what to include in your CV:
- Personal Information: Start with your full name, contact details (email and phone number), and professional profile URL (LinkedIn or portfolio website).
- Education: List your highest educational qualification, including the institution name, degree title, graduation year, and relevant coursework or projects.
- Internship Experience: Describe your internship experiences in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent one. Include the company name, internship title, dates of employment, and a brief description of your responsibilities and accomplishments.
- Skills: Create a skills section to highlight your relevant technical and soft skills. Technical skills are job-specific abilities, such as software proficiency or programming languages. Soft skills are more general attributes, such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability.
- Projects and Achievements: If you have participated in any relevant projects, competitions, or extracurricular activities, list them separately. Provide a brief description of each project, emphasizing your contributions and the skills you developed.
- Awards and Recognition: If you have received any awards, scholarships, or other forms of recognition, include them in a separate section.
- References: Provide contact information for two or three references who can speak to your academic performance, work ethic, and skills.
- Summary or Objective Statement: A summary highlights your key skills and experiences, while an objective statement specifically targets the job you’re applying for. Choose the one that best suits your situation.
Tips for Writing a Strong CV as a Fresh Graduate:
- Quantify your achievements: Use numbers and metrics to demonstrate the impact of your contributions.
- Tailor your CV to each job application: Highlight the skills and experiences that are most relevant to the specific position you’re applying for.
- Use action verbs: Replace generic verbs with strong action verbs to make your descriptions more impactful.
- Proofread carefully: Ensure your CV is free of grammatical errors and typos.
- Keep it concise: Aim for a one-page CV unless you have extensive academic or internship experience.