TIPS AND TRICKS FOR YOUR FIRST CV

School students and those starting their careers in particular can often find it difficult to write a CV. On the one hand, starting from scratch is always a challenge; on the other, people often struggle to find ideas for filling out their CV because they don’t have very much (or any) experience in the working world. And to get this experience, a convincing CV is key when applying for jobs – a CV can make or break an application.

Nowadays, a CV in table form is standard for job applications, whether from school or university students or experienced professionals. Information is divided into different sections such as ‘Personal details’, ‘Education’ and ‘Practical experience’ and is then laid out chronologically. Don’t worry! We’ll take you through each of the steps for writing a CV and will show you what you need to consider when putting one together for the first time.

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1. Heading

Choose a clear heading for your CV; the best options are simply your name, ‘CV’ or ‘Curriculum Vitae’. You can emphasise your heading by using a larger font, putting it in bold or using a different colour.

2. Contact details

The first section contains your personal details. Make sure that this information is up to date and correct so that prospective employers can actually reach you:

• Full name (first name and surname)
• Address
• Telephone number
• Email address (a serious email address without any nicknames or similar content)
• Date and place of birth (optional)
• Citizenship (optional)

3. Applicant photo (optional)

An applicant photo is no longer a compulsory part of a CV and is included on a voluntary basis. It does make your CV more personal, though, and gives a more detailed picture of you as an individual. And there are still many employers who like seeing an applicant photo. If you do decide to include a photo of yourself, you should consider the following:

• Make sure it contains your face from directly ahead and a part of your shoulders or upper body
• Use a friendly and open expression
• Use a neutral background
• Your clothes should be appropriate for the job/sector
• Be sure to make a professional first impression

4. Short profile (optional)

Including a short profile is a good way of giving your CV a bit more substance while lending it a personal touch. In a few sentences – using the first person – describe who you are, what motivates you and what your goals are.

5. Education

This section is dedicated to all key steps along your educational journey. Your education should be sorted in reverse chronological order, so your most recent qualification(s) should be listed first, with the education that was longest ago (probably primary school) at the end. In the left-hand column, put the period that you were at the educational establishment, and, in the right-hand column, put the following information:

• Name of the educational establishment
• (Expected) qualification
• Location
• Grade (if applicable)
• Optional subjects and special projects (if applicable)

6. Practical experience

Generally speaking, school students and those starting their careers don’t have a great deal of professional experience to include in a CV. If you have done any initial internships, unpaid activities, summer jobs, temporary jobs, etc., then you should list these here. Even regular babysitting or school projects that gave you specific practical skills can be included here. Professional experience is listed in the same way as in the ‘Education’ section.

7. Special knowledge

List all skills and qualifications that might be relevant to the position you are applying for, stating the level you have reached with these skills or qualifications. These might include:

• Skills in a foreign language
• Computer skills (e.g. MS Office, programming languages, video editing)
• Soft skills (e.g. organisational skills from working as part of a particular project group, sense of responsibility from a role as class representative)

In this section, you can even use visual elements to break up your CV and make it look a little more modern, for example by showing each of your skills on a scale from 1 to 5. But be sure to keep your CV clear and easy to read.

8. Hobbies and interests (optional)

You can use this section to list your hobbies and interests to round off your profile. Ideally, your hobbies will be relevant to the position you are applying for, but you can, of course, list other interests too. This is another optional section and you are not obliged to include it in your CV. Here are a few examples:

• Sport (football, hockey, ballet)
• Creative hobbies (photography, blogging, playing an instrument)
• Interests where you use your hands (building PCs, repairing bikes)

Always make sure that your CV is clear and structured. Particularly helpful are bullet points, specific headings and easy-to-read fonts and font sizes. Check the spelling and grammar before you send off your CV to make sure that an overlooked typo doesn’t spell the end of your application process. If this isn’t one of your strengths, then you might find it better to have someone proofread your CV.

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