When it comes to graduate CVs, GRB has seen tens of thousands since we started recruiting graduates in 1997. That experience gives us a clear view of what helps a CV stand out for the right reasons, as well as the common mistakes that can prevent a strong candidate from progressing. There is no single formula for the perfect graduate CV. Different employers, industries and roles will place value on different experience, skills and qualifications. However, there are clear principles you can follow to create a professional, relevant and easy-to-read application.
This guide explains how to structure and present your CV, what to include in each section and how to tailor it for different graduate jobs. You can also use our graduate CV template as a starting point.
Templates are most useful when you understand how to tailor every part of an application. Read our Graduate CVs and Cover Letters guide.
Templates are most useful when you understand how to tailor every part of an application. Read our Graduate CVs and Cover Letters guide.
What should a graduate CV achieve?
Before you begin writing, it is useful to understand what your CV is there to do. Looking at one or two graduate CV examples can help you see how information is organised, but you should not simply copy another person’s wording or structure. Your CV should introduce you as a promising candidate, present your most relevant skills and achievements and tell a clear story about your experience so far. It should also give the recruiter some sense of your character through sections such as your personal profile, interests and activities.
A CV should not be an exhaustive list of everything you have ever done. It does not need a long account of every course, module or qualification you have completed, and you should never add information simply to fill space. A focused CV is easier to read and is more likely to leave the recruiter wanting to know more.
The strongest graduate CVs answer three basic questions:
- What relevant knowledge, skills and experience do you have?
- What evidence supports your claims?
- Why are you suited to this particular role or employer?
Every section should help answer at least one of those questions.
Graduate CV presentation
There is no accounting for personal taste, which means an elaborate design can sometimes work against you. Unless you are applying for a creative or design-based position, your content should make you stand out rather than an unusual font, graphic or layout. Your CV needs to be accessible and easy to scan-read. A recruiter should be able to identify your qualifications, experience and strongest evidence without searching through crowded pages or decorative elements.
Use a simple business font such as Arial, Calibri or Verdana, and keep the font and text size consistent throughout the document. Bold or italics can help emphasise job titles, qualifications and headings, but underlining can make the page look cluttered and may be confused with a hyperlink.
Bullet points, numbering and dashes can make responsibilities and achievements easier to scan, although they should be used selectively. Your CV should still read as a coherent document rather than a long collection of disconnected notes. Keep headings, paragraphs and bullet points aligned, and use the same style for equivalent sections. For example, if one section heading is bold and larger than the body text, apply the same treatment to all section headings.
Split the CV into clear areas such as Profile, Education, Work Experience, Skills and Interests. Within Education and Work Experience, use reverse chronological order so that the most recent information appears first. Aim for no more than two pages. A shorter CV can be suitable when you are at an early stage and have limited experience, but exceeding two pages may make it harder to hold the reader’s attention. When reviewing the job specification, identify the qualifications, skills and experience that appear most important. Make sure your strongest relevant evidence appears on the first page rather than being hidden near the end.
It’s important to keep in mind that a recruiter may view your CV on a laptop, phone, applicant tracking system or printed page, so keep the structure simple. Avoid placing important details inside complicated tables, text boxes, images or sidebars, as these may not display correctly in different software. Save the CV in the format requested by the employer and use a clear file name, such as Jane-Doe-marketing-assistant.pdf.
Personal details and CV header
Place your name and contact details clearly at the top of the first page without allowing them to take up too much space. You can also use your name as a header on the second page. The essentials to include are your name, location or postal address, professional email address and current telephone number. You may also add a complete LinkedIn profile or relevant portfolio. Check that every link works and that its dates, qualifications and job details agree with your CV.
You do not normally need to include your date of birth, marital status, gender or a photograph on a graduate CV.
Personal profile
A personal profile is an optional section at the beginning of your CV (Below the header). It can help show the employer that you have a clear interest in their field and understand the type of role you are applying for.
Most recruiters want a straightforward summary of your current position, relevant strengths and suitability. Avoid unsupported claims such as “I am hardworking” or “I am an excellent team player”. Those qualities should be demonstrated through the evidence elsewhere in your CV. Keep it positive, lively and direct. Avoid common buzzwords such as dynamic, motivated and team player unless you immediately support them with evidence. And be specific about your direction. “I am looking for an entry-level data role within financial services” is more useful than “I am seeking a challenging role in a successful company”.
Your profile should also be tailored for each application. A generic paragraph designed to fit every role is unlikely to convince an employer that you are particularly interested in their opportunity. Treat the profile as a factual and relevant mission statement rather than a general description of your personality. Any important detail that does not fit naturally within the profile can be explained in your graduate cover letter.
Your education
Write your education in reverse chronological order, so start with your university degree. The employer wants a snapshot of you as an academic in this section, not a summary of 15 years” worth of your school reports. Focus on your university grades, specialisation and extra-curricular experiences to start with. A term that is often used in relation to the graduate employment market is “transferable skills” and this section is where you need to throw light on those skills which might include leadership, project management, communication and presentation skills. Essentially the education section should contain:
- Qualifications in reverse-chronological order
- The dates you attended each establishment
- Degree subject, type, grade and establishment
- More detail on specialisation/university experience
- A level grades, subjects and establishment
- Maths, English and Science GCSE grades and establishment and maybe one or two more if relevant.
- Other skills gained, e.g. computer literacy and other languages
Work experience
Many students and recent graduates assume they do not have enough experience to include. In practice, useful evidence is often overlooked because it did not come from a formal graduate job. Your work experience can include internships, placements, part-time employment, voluntary work, insight schemes, society responsibilities and other activities where you developed relevant skills. Competitions and enterprise programmes can also be worth including if they provide strong evidence.
You can learn more about building experience through student internships and student work experience.
List your experience in reverse chronological order. For each position, give the:
- Company or organisation
- Dates of employment
- Job title
- A brief explanation of the role
You can then use concise bullet points to summarise the most relevant responsibilities, achievements and skills. Avoid writing an essay about routine part-time duties with limited responsibility. Instead, bring forward the aspects that demonstrate value to the employer. Where possible, support achievements with evidence. This might include the number of customers supported, the size of an event, an improvement you made, a target you met or positive feedback you received. Your evidence does not always need to involve a large number. You can also explain the situation, the action you took and the result.
How to write about part-time work
Part-time jobs can be highly relevant to graduate employers, even when the work is unrelated to your target industry. Retail, hospitality, administration, care work and customer service may demonstrate communication, reliability, teamwork, organisation and the ability to work under pressure. The key is to explain the connection rather than expecting the employer to make it for you. Do not exaggerate the seniority of the role, but do not dismiss the experience either. Focus on the level of responsibility you held and the situations you handled. For instance, balancing part-time employment with full-time study can provide evidence of time management. Training a new colleague may show communication and patience, while dealing with an unhappy customer may demonstrate judgement and professionalism.
Skills
You may include a separate skills section when it helps the employer find important information quickly. This can be especially useful for technical tools, software, programming languages, laboratory methods, data techniques or spoken languages. Keep the section focused on skills that are relevant to the vacancy. Avoid adding a long list of broad abilities without evidence. Where a skill is central to the role, show how you have used it elsewhere in the CV. For example, listing Excel is more convincing when your education or experience section explains that you used it to analyse data, build reports or track results.
Read our guide to graduate employability skills to understand the abilities employers commonly seek and how to support them with examples.
Interests and activities
This is the place to say a little bit about you as a person, outside of work, and to let your personality shine through. You can mention any activity or hobby, but obviously keep it appropriate, there are certain things that a graduate recruiter just won’t want to hear, so use your own discretion. Use your judgement about what an employer is likely to find useful. Try to avoid irrelevant listing of things you enjoy with no evidence to back it up. If you run twice a week, say so rather than simply writing running. If you belong to a club or society, explain that you are an active member and mention any responsibility you hold. The evidence makes the interest more meaningful. Regular participation may show commitment, while organising activities can demonstrate planning or teamwork. Sports teams, societies, clubs, travel, hobbies and awards can all be included. Awards are particularly useful because they indicate achievement, commitment or a competitive approach.
If you have taken a gap year or worked abroad, you can also include the experience here or in your work experience section. Explain what you did and what you gained without describing every part of the trip. Travel may demonstrate independence, organisation, confidence and a willingness to learn, but avoid assuming that the experience speaks for itself. Briefly explain the responsibilities or challenges involved.
References
Two references are ample for your entry-level graduate CV. One can be academic and the other from a period of work experience. You can choose to omit the contact details if, for example, one is a current employer or you would prefer to contact them first.
If omitting the references remember to note at the bottom that “references are available on request” or something similar so the recruiter knows you are willing and prepared to provide these.
Tailor your graduate CV to each job
A strong general CV gives you a useful foundation, but it should not be sent unchanged to every employer. Read the job description carefully and identify the main requirements. These may include a degree subject, technical knowledge, client communication, analysis, teamwork or interest in the sector. Then review your profile, education and experience to make sure the most relevant evidence is clear. You do not need to rewrite every sentence, but you may need to change the order, emphasis and wording. Use the employer’s language naturally where it accurately describes your experience. Do not force keywords into sentences or claim abilities you do not possess. Tailoring is about helping the recruiter see the connection between your background and the role. It is not about changing the facts.
Graduate CV templates
Explore our collection of free, downloadable CV templates tailored specifically for students and graduates. Each template helps you showcase your skills and experience clearly, giving you a strong head start in a competitive job market.
These should be treated as a framework rather than a form to complete without thought, so adjust the section order and amount of space according to the information that matters most for your application.
Final proofreading and checks
Before sending your CV, step back and assess the overall impression it creates. Consider whether the tone is professional, whether you have communicated your main achievements and whether the document gives some idea of you as a person.
Check that you have not missed an obvious but essential detail. Recruiters sometimes receive CVs with no degree subject, degree grade or contact number, even when the rest of the application is strong.
Do not become complacent when applying to several organisations. Give yourself a break between each version, then review the document again to make sure you have tailored it correctly and included everything required.
Leaving the CV overnight is one of GRB’s preferred proofing methods because fresh eyes often identify mistakes that were easy to miss earlier.
Use the spelling and grammar tools available to you, but do not rely on them alone. Check punctuation, capitalisation, dates and spacing yourself.
Read the CV aloud. This can reveal awkward wording, repeated phrases and sections that sound like a wordy list rather than a clear account of your experience.
Ask other people to review it as well. Friends and classmates can spot errors, while careers advisers, recruiters and professionals in your chosen industry may be able to comment on relevance and tone.
Be prepared to receive criticism. The aim is not to defend every sentence, but to produce the strongest and clearest version of your CV.
Your final check should cover the following:
- Your name and contact details are correct.
- Your degree subject, university and grade are included.
- Dates and job titles are accurate and consistent.
- The strongest relevant evidence appears early.
- The CV is tailored to the vacancy.
- Spelling, grammar and punctuation have been checked.
- The file opens correctly and has a clear name.
- You can support every claim in an interview
Even a strong candidate can be undermined by avoidable errors in presentation, tailoring or accuracy. Read 5 Graduate CV Mistakes and How to Fix Them for a practical review of the problems graduates commonly overlook.
Be honest about your experience
Do not be tempted to stretch the truth on your CV. Getting through the first stage of recruitment has little value if you cannot support your claims during an interview or if your answers conflict with the information you submitted. You can present your experience confidently without exaggerating it. Focus on the responsibilities you genuinely held, the skills you used and the results you helped achieve. Employers should want to speak to you because of the real strengths, experience and potential you can bring.
Key takeaways
A strong graduate CV should introduce you clearly, present relevant evidence and tell a focused story about your education and experience. It should show enough of your character to help the recruiter understand you without becoming an account of everything you have ever done.
Frequently asked questions
What grade should I include if I have not finished my degree?
Include your final grade if it has been confirmed, or your predicted grade if you are still studying. Make the wording clear so the employer can tell which one applies. You can also add relevant modules, projects or awards when they strengthen your application. Do not leave the degree result unclear if the employer is likely to use it during selection. Check that the same grade appears on your CV, LinkedIn profile and application form so your details remain consistent.
How should I name my graduate CV file?
Give the file a clear name that helps you and the recruiter identify it. Use your first and last name, followed by the employer or job title where useful. For example, Jane-Doe-marketing-assistant.pdf is clearer than CV-final-version-4.pdf. Avoid vague labels, long strings of numbers or notes that only made sense while you were editing. Before you apply, open the file and check that its name, format and content all match the role.
Can I leave a section out of a graduate CV?
Yes. You do not need to include a section simply because it appears in a template. A graduate CV should focus on information that supports the role. For example, you may leave out a separate skills section if your strongest skills are already shown clearly through education and experience. You may also omit a personal profile when it adds little value. Keep the sections that help the employer understand your background, evidence and suitability, then adjust their order and space to match the application.
Should I include LinkedIn or portfolio links on my CV?
Include a LinkedIn or portfolio link when it is complete, professional and relevant to the role. Check that the link works and that the dates, job titles and qualifications agree with your CV. A portfolio may be useful for writing, design, coding or project-based work where an employer benefits from seeing examples. Do not add a link simply to fill space. Review the privacy settings and remove any personal details or unfinished work that you would not want an employer to see.
How can I show impact on my CV without using numbers?
You can show impact without using a number. Explain the situation, the action you took and what changed as a result. The outcome might be that a task was completed on time, a customer problem was resolved, a process became clearer or a team met its goal. Numbers can add useful scale, but they are not the only form of evidence. Focus on your personal contribution and use clear detail so the employer can understand why the example matters.
What should I do if my CV layout changes on another device?
Keep the layout simple and test the final document before sending it. Complicated tables, text boxes, images and sidebars may move or become hard to read in different software. Save the CV in the format requested by the employer, then open that exact file to check spacing, page breaks and links. PDF often keeps the layout stable, while some systems require Word. Where possible, view the CV on more than one screen so you can spot problems before the recruiter sees it.
