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Applying for your first job is exciting and needn’t be stressful if you know how to write a CV that explains why you’re a great fit for the position.

To help you with your first CV, we’ve prepared a writing guide as well as five good CV examples for a first job.

How to make a CV for your first job (step-by-step)

Want to make your first CV but not sure where to start? Watch this quick video for a step-by-step guide:

Then, keep reading for even more tips and details:

1. Use a CV template to speed up the CV writing process

So you don’t have to spend time setting up your CV’s formatting, we recommend you use a CV template.

A good CV template comes ready-made so you don’t have to fiddle with fonts, meddle with margins, or struggle with spacing. You just fill it in with your details and information.

Pick a CV template that’s appropriate for your situation and the job you’re applying for.

For example, for a government CV template, steer away from bright colours and use a simple layout.

For a graphic designer CV, you can use a more creative CV design to showcase your flair.

2. Begin with a compelling ‘About Me’ section

An ‘About Me‘ is the best way to start a first CV because it introduces your:

  • personality: what makes you a great fit for the role
  • skills
  • educational background
  • career goals: what you’re looking for in your first job

Include this information in your About Me to show employers your value in seconds so that they’ll want to read the rest of your CV. Keep it concise, confident, and tailored to the role you’re applying for.

3. Detail your educational accomplishments

Your next section should be your education section since you have no work experience to write about yet.

List your highest qualification first, followed by any others.

For example, you’d start with any degrees you hold, and then A-Levels, and finally GCSEs.

At this point in your career, you can write out each subject with its grade to give employers a full insight into your ability level and accomplishments and to fill the standard CV length of two pages.

You can also add extra information like coursework you’ve written or units you’ve studied if they have a link to the job you’re applying for.

4. Describe your relevant experience

Instead of a work experience section, your first CV should have a ‘relevant experience’ section. This has a similar function, but instead of talking about your previous work experience, it describes things like:

  • voluntary work
  • extracurricular activities
  • personal projects

Format each experience like a work experience entry because that’s how employers will expect to see the information laid out. So like this:

Volunteer — Cheltenham Mental Health Awareness Campaign
Cheltenham, January 20XX

  • Spoke to 50+ people at school and community events to raise awareness about mental health
  • Helped organise 3 fundraising activities, including a sponsored walk and charity raffle, raising over £500
  • Handed out 500+ leaflets in schools and youth centres to share important mental health resources
  • Worked as part of a 7-member team to plan events and spread awareness, improving my teamwork and communication skills

Notice the numbers? Numbers in your bullet points help the achievements on your CV stand out, so try adding them. If you don’t remember exact numbers, it’s fine to estimate by using phrases like ‘around £50’ or ‘up to 100’.

5. List your skills

A good skills section is a key part of your CV.

For your first CV, you should look at the job advert and add any skills from it that you have to your CV.

As you don’t have direct work experience, highlight transferable skills gained from school or uni projects, voluntary work, or extracurricular activities.

For example, you’ll have learnt valuable IT skills in ICT class that almost every employer will be looking for.

Don’t use star ratings or score yourself out of 10 for each skill — employers won’t know what these self-assessments are based on.

6. Flesh out your hobbies and interests

On a first CV, hobbies and interests can show whether you’re a personality fit for the team you’re applying to first and foremost.

But this is also a handy section for you to showcase your skills in action. For example, if you’ve mentioned your leadership skills elsewhere, you might add the fact you’re captain of your rugby team here to prove that you’ve honed those skills.

5 good CV examples for a first job

To help you see what a good CV looks like, here are five good CV examples for a first job that you can base your CV on.

1. For school leavers

This example CV for a school leaver includes voluntary experience and a prominent skills section. If your skills will make you stand out, you can put your skills section first.

Why this example works

This secondary school student might have only just received their GCSE results, but they do a great job of showcasing their relevant strengths in this CV example.

The bulleted key skills section quickly draws the eye to their first aid training, and they’ve included a relevant instructing certification to highlight their commitment to the swimming teacher role they’re applying for.

2. For uni students

This uni student’s CV for a part-time job clearly outlines their career goals and social media expertise (they’re applying for a PR-related role):

Why this example works

This applicant is writing a CV without work experience, so they beef up their education section to emphasise the qualifications they do have.

For instance, they talk about the units they’ve studied at university that relate to the social media role they’re applying for.

Furthermore, the applicant uses hard numbers (like ’30+ scripts’) to measure their previous successes, so the employer can clearly see what they’re capable of.

3. For graduates

This graduate CV connects the applicant’s course with the needs of the graduate scheme she’s applying for by discussing a relevant project.

She also talks about her elected position as treasurer of the university’s women’s football team to show she’s applied her finance skills in a real-world role.

A good CV example for a first job written by a graduate.
Download this CV example for free.

Why this example works

When applying for your first job, it’s smart to link your hobbies to the role you’re targeting. In this case, the applicant highlights her interest in reading financial literature, showing that finance isn’t just a job to her — it’s a passion she pursues beyond a 9–5.

She also makes her upper second-class honours (2:1) stand out, which is essential since most finance graduate schemes require this as a minimum. If you’ve achieved a 2:1 or higher, always include your final classification to strengthen your application.

4. For skilled applicants

This applicant uses a skills-based CV to bring the focus to their relevant skills rather than their work history (which they don’t yet have):

Why this example works

When you’re applying for your first job with no practical experience at all, traditional CV formats only draw attention to your lack of a work history.

So this example focuses on skills to demonstrate the applicant’s broad practical knowledge and their passion for the role.

5. For the long-term unemployed

If the Jobcentre is pushing you into applying for your first job, you can create an effective first CV like this one:

A good CV example for a first job targeting the long-term unemployed.
Download this CV for free.

Why this example works

When entering the job market after being unemployed for a long time, showcasing transferable skills is key.

This CV does exactly that by highlighting informal experience, such as helping a neighbour and running a social media page — both of which demonstrate reliability, initiative, and basic digital skills.

Additionally, the applicant includes relevant training and certifications, like a job readiness course, which reassures employers of their commitment to developing employability skills. 

A good example of a CV.
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Different industries have different standards for CVs. Check job-specific CV examples and writing tips to ensure you’re meeting employer expectations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about writing your first CV:

1. Can I write a good first CV even if I have no experience?

Yes, you can write a good CV even if you have no experience.

Most employers understand that everyone has to start somewhere, so they’re used to considering candidates without formal experience.

As long as your CV proves that you understand the role, possess the required skills, and are eager to learn and grow in the role, you’ll have a good chance of finding full-time work.

If you don’t have any formal work experience, consider including other areas that demonstrate you’re a hard worker with transferable skills, such as:

2. Can I write my first CV using Google Docs?

Yes, you can write your CV using Google Docs (use a predesigned Google Docs CV template to speed things up).

We recommend downloading your CV as a PDF file when you’re done. Sending an employer a PDF is more professional than a link to an online document — and is easier for them to open.

3. Should I also write a cover letter for a first job?

Yes, you should also write a cover letter for a first job and make sure that it complements your CV. A good cover letter:

  • explains more about why you’re interested in the position and the company
  • gives you the opportunity to link the skills and experiences on your CV to the needs of the company
  • conveys your enthusiasm and motivation for the role you want
Samuel Johns
Written by

Samuel Johns

Samuel Johns is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Senior Editor on the CV Genius team, with 6+ years of experience in the careers space. He has helped countless job hunters craft high-quality CVs and cover letters, exceed expectations at interviews, and obtain their dream jobs. Born and raised in County Durham in the beautiful North East of England, he graduated with a BA (Hons) in French Language and Literature from the University of Bristol in 2013 and has worked in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, London, Paris, and Taipei as a French–English translator. He’s determined to use his native English and fluent French skills to help UK and French candidates get the jobs they deserve. In addition to the British and French versions of CV Genius, Samuel’s job-hunt advice has been published on numerous websites, including Careers.org, the University of Warwick, the Enterprisers Project, and HR.com. If you’d like to collaborate, please reach out to Samuel through LinkedIn. Please note, we don’t accept guest posts and won’t reply to such requests.