For many students, applying for an internship or placement year in your second year, or for a graduate scheme/job in your final year, is the first time that you are applying for positions directly related to your course and long-term career ambitions. Up until that point, most students either did not require a CV, for example because you have secured work experience through family and friends or a recruitment agency, or just used a very basic CV to apply for more casual roles to help you fund your studies. With competition for work placements and graduate roles increasing, those basic CVs will need updating to meet the standards expected by these employers. But don’t worry – you can easily transform a basic CV into a great placement or graduate CV by following these simple steps below. To help illustrate the steps and suggested changes, please download the two ‘Before’ and ‘After’ versions of our example CVs:
Before 1 and After 1
Before 2 and After 2

CV length and structure
For applications for casual part-time work, a short CV of one side of A4 in length is usually fine to provide a short summary of your previous work experience and/or skills. When applying for placements and graduate roles, expanding your CV to two sides of A4 gives you the extra space needed to sell your knowledge and skills effectively to employers.

On an effective CV, the structure and order in which sections are presented should enable the reader to identify the most relevant information quickly, so list the most relevant information for each vacancy prominently on the first page of your CV. Use bold font for headings and key information to signpost the reader effectively.

Include a targeted introduction
A short personal profile that summarises your key selling points to the employer makes for a great introduction to your CV. Highlight relevant skills, experience, knowledge and interests in relation to the role, and use key words from the job advert to illustrate that you have matched yourself to their requirements. Including the company name and job title further personalises this section.

If you have mostly worked in retail or hospitality roles, the introduction on your current CV might be quite informal and focused on your experience of duties like cash handling, stocking shelves, or serving customers, which are unlikely to form part of the placement or graduate role you are applying for. Changing the personal profile to concentrate instead on key skills and knowledge for the vacancy gives your CV a much better focus on your long-term career ambitions.

Expand on your degree studies
When you apply for casual work, most employers will have no particular interest in what your degree is in or what you are learning, as it is unlikely to relate to a job in a call centre, shop or bar. That’s why it is only briefly mentioned towards the end of the example CVs for part-time jobs. For placement and graduate applications, this is likely to be very different, as many students target opportunities that link directly to their studies.

Move your education section to a prominent position on your CV, and include additional information about your degree. For example:

• Relevant modules you have studied which have developed knowledge and practical skills you would use in the role.
• Practical elements of your course, such as laboratory or studio sessions, portfolio work, design and other practical projects.
• Site visits that have given you a better understanding of what it is like to work in a manufacturing, construction, art, creative or business environment.
• Guest lectures you have attended and how these have developed your insight into your chosen profession or industry.

Highlight relevant work experience
If you have been proactive to gain some initial work experience relevant for the role or sector, make sure you shout about it! Split this from any additional, less immediately relevant, work experience and list it on the first page of your CV. It doesn’t matter if this experience was unpaid. What matters is that you provide a good description of your role, using relevant language and focusing on any overlapping or similar duties between your experience and the vacancy you’re applying for. Don’t forget to reflect on what you have learnt! For example, work shadowing in a laboratory will have given you a better insight into adhering to health and safety requirements or the handling of hazardous substances. Working alongside a manufacturing engineer will have improved your understanding of how they work alongside production staff on reducing waste or improving efficiency.

If you don’t have any relevant work experience yet, don’t worry! You can show your motivation towards a career in your chosen sector in other ways, for example by including relevant professional interests.

Check part two of our step-by-step guide, which will cover evidencing your skills and leadership potential, highlighting relevant interests and tailoring your CV.