Tips to Write an Amazing CV for Your First Job

Everyone goes through the struggle of writing their first CV. However, there are steps you can take to make the process easier. If you want to get hired, it’s essential to have a coherent resume that not only looks professional but also highlights why you’d make a good employee. Being limited to past experience doesn’t have to hold you back, as we will teach you a few different tips that can make a fantastic CV.

Research, Research, Research!

The very first step you should take is searching for open job positions where you could potentially qualify. However, don’t let experience hold you back from applying to more places. While experience or education may help, there are also plenty of jobs that provide training.

Selectively shorten what type of job you’d like to work at and then search for openings. We’d recommend positions where you’d personally be able to add value and expertise. Taking the time to educate yourself of what the job looks like in a day can also help you narrow down which jobs you’d like.

If you’re unsure about what type of job you’d like, then it’s time to ask career professionals their opinions! Gather a short list of questions to ask employees so that you can get a better idea of how you’d prefer the job. It’s best to ask in person, but you can also use the trusty internet to help gather opinions about specific jobs.

Also, take the time to check out the reviews for the place you’re going to work at. Job boards like Indeed or jobsora.com have sections where people post their opinions and reviews of how well they liked the position. This could help narrow down your search.

Start Writing Your Resume

Now that you’ve got a better idea of where you’d like to apply or what type of job you’d enjoy, it’s time to build your resume.

1. List Education

Depending on if you’re in middle, high school, or college, you will find that listing your education is where most of your “experience” comes from. Showing that you’ve taken the time to learn in any discipline indicates that you’re hard working and follow through with education and learning.

But how does this translate into a job? Listing relevant education that could be used on the job makes you a better candidate and may push your resume to the top. If you’ve taken shorter classes for training or longer courses designed for the field, it can make a huge difference for the job recruiter.

2. Include Relevant Experience

If it’s your first job, then you’ll be limited on the type of experience to list. However, if you find that you’re lacking, then you can always find volunteer or shadowing positions. Take opportunities to list any relevant experience you have, including ones you’ve learned in school or club activities.

3. Relevance

There’s probably plenty of things you can mention or put down on your resume as education or experience. However, it’s best to leave out any experience that doesn’t translate to doing the job. The reason for this is because it tends to make a CV look bulky and will divert the job recruiter’s attention and cause them to zone out.

By limiting the amount of information listed, you can highlight key points on skills and experience of why you would make a good candidate rather than blending in with other applications.

4. Add Achievements

Lastly, list any achievements or important leadership roles you’ve had in the past. If you’ve conducted volunteer services, been a leader in a club, or help organize events, this will be an excellent time to list them. Other achievements can be certifications, test scores, and internships.

Refine Your First Draft

It’s understandable if you’re looking at your current resume and thinking that it still looks like a mess. Don’t worry about the first draft, as it’s never going to be perfect. Just with writing, a resume must be refined and edited after it’s been written. You can either do this yourself, have a friend or family member help you, or send it to a professional.

Make It Shorter

Once you’ve got the gist of what you want to list, it’s time to cut out any nonsense or words that don’t make sense. You want to get straight to the point and use the least words possible. It may take you multiple revisions, but you’ll get there eventually. As long as you can coherently read it and have it make sense, you're on the right track.

Insert Keywords

Remember when you were looking at job listings? Use standout keywords that are related to the job. Don’t put too many, but sprinkle a few here and there. This will show the job recruiter that you’re a better match for the job than other competitors. Plus, it shows you’ve gone through and read the job posting.

Still Doesn’t Look Right?

The best tip we can offer you is to either check online for other professional resumes or to have your resume professionally cleaned up by a CV writer. If you’re writing it yourself, it’s best to get an idea of what resumes are out there for potential competitors. Although, you need to check for resumes for that specific job you’re applying to. It wouldn’t be good to have a business resume while applying for a teaching position.

Also, hiring a professional can be a bit iffy unless you find one that’s good at what they do. There’s plenty of services online, but as you can imagine finding a good resume writer requires more money. If you don’t want to make the investment or don’t have enough cash, then it’s best to do it yourself.

Conclusion

Making your CV stand out can be difficult, especially if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing. However, all of the tips we’ve included can make your resume shine and put you in the lead for your ideal job. We always recommend using job boards, as you’ll be able to find keywords, experience needed, and education requirements. One of the ones we recommend is https://uk.jobsora.com. Hopefully, this has got you one step closer to getting your first job.