Whether it's for a part-time job, remote work, or an internship opportunity, you have to make your CV presentable and easy to read.
As an undergraduate, drafting a CV may seem daunting due to your lack of experience. Rather than organizing your CV on work experiences, showcase your academic accomplishments, skills, awards, and interests.
An undergraduate CV, by definition, is a summary of your academic achievements, honors, publications, and presentations.
So, in this article, we will discuss tips that can guide you when drafting your undergraduate CV. Let’s begin.
10 Tips to Better Write an Undergraduate CV
1. Use Suitable Format & Structure
Always use a suitable and simple format. Clear fonts, per se, give your CV a professional look and make it easy to read.
Occasionally, employers may specify the format in which they want to receive CVs. So, make sure your CV is in that established format. Where there is no request for a particular one, use simple and clear formats.
Also, ensure your CV is not too long. There is no one-size-fits-all structure for undergraduate CVs, but it should be 2 pages at most.
2. Include Your Contact Details
First, write your full name in large/bold format at the top of the page. Below this, include your email address and mobile phone number.
You can add a link to your LinkedIn profile or personal website to give yourself an edge over other applicants. Some employers check your LinkedIn page to know the type of person you are.
Ensure every piece of information provided is up to date so a potential employer can reach you successfully.
3. Write a Personal Statement (optional)
Run the extra mile and favor yourself against other candidates with a personal statement! This could be a few sentences that provide an overview of who you are, what you have to offer, and your ambitions. It should be the first introductory paragraph in your CV. Think of it as a bio on social media, but it’s for an HR agent this time!
You never get a second chance to make a first impression! So, start this section with a compelling and dazzling statement. Stealing something you read or find online will not hurt in this part!
Then, in two to three sentences, summarize who you are, your academic qualifications, and your future goals. Also, express your ambitions and what you will bring to the position.
This section is not mandatory, but you can include it to beef up your CV if there is space left.
4. Tailor Your CV
To give yourself a better chance at being selected, research about the position and employer you are applying. This helps you determine the educational qualifications and skills to highlight on your CV.
You can also check other job descriptions in that niche to identify the common skills employers want to see on your CV.
Want a trick that works? Look for interviews with well-known figures in your industry and mention skills they say are very essential!
You cannot use one CV to apply to every job. Always review your CV to fit every new job’s requirements.
5. Emphasize Your Education
You may creatively expand the education section of your CV by providing information relevant to the job. This will make your CV distinct among others.
When writing this part, begin with your present educational level and work your way down. In other words, if you’ve got a B.A degree in 2022 and a high school diploma in 2019… you’d want to start with the 2022 B.A and go backward, that’s to the 2019 diploma!
You can also provide a list of courses you have taken online that are relevant to the position you are applying for. It’s the digital world, and companies know the internet is an essential source of knowledge nowadays!
6. Include a ‘Relevant Experiences’ Section
Employers would not expect you to have a lot of work experience and qualifications as an undergraduate. However, relevant experiences might make all the difference for recruiters while checking applicants’ CVs.
Use a ‘relevant experiences section’ instead of a ‘work experience section.’ Then, add experiences relevant to the position you're applying for.
Volunteer work, extracurricular activities, and internship placements related to the position are appropriate experiences you can include.
7. Include Your Skills
A skills section is a no-brainer. You can highlight most of your skills in this section.
Leadership, communication, spoken languages, managerial, and teamwork skills are all relevant! But don't just group your abilities together; divide them into hard and soft skills, for instance.
Also, don't simply say you have these skills; attempt to explain where you learned them. You may include times when you used each skill and on what project.
Hobbies and interests relevant to the position you are applying for can also be included.
8. Add References (optional)
To finalize your CV, you can provide references in the last section or state "References available on request" to conserve space.
Positive feedback from your faculty advisers and lecturers may be beneficial in getting a job.
It is important to seek permission from those references before listing them. This will prevent embarrassment if an employer tries to contact them .
9. Attach a Cover Letter
A cover letter goes along with your CV, and elaborates on your abilities, personality, and job experience.
A strong cover letter complements your CV and puts you ahead of the competition. Your cover letter should showcase your abilities and promote you as a qualified applicant for the position.
Begin your cover letter with a short and intriguing introduction. Highlight the value you’d potentially bring to the firm and why you want to work for them especially.
10. Proofread and Edit
Before sending your CV, always proofread it and double-check the spelling. There are a lot of free online tools like Grammarly & Ginger that you can use to check for mistakes, or you can ask a buddy to do it for you. Spelling and grammatical errors on your CV may indicate a lack of diligence and negligence, and it won’t hurt to have an extra pair of eyes to double-check!
Here are some things to avoid when drafting your CV:
- Avoid exaggeration and NEVER lie. You could get caught in the interview process.
- Do not come off as arrogant. It can put off your potential employer.
- Avoid humor and cliches - an attempt at it may fall flat.
- Avoid putting your photo on your CV or your age, race, and religion.
Wrapping Up
Your lack of job experience as an undergraduate should not prevent you from creating an effective undergraduate CV. Follow these steps and get to drafting that killer CV!
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