Part One: Writing Your CV

This activity is centred around how school leavers can find part time work, with a guide to writing your CV through the interview process and beyond. Completion of this activity will equip you with the skills to craft an effective resume, as well as the knowledge of how to find an maintain part time work alongside your studies.

This section focuses on the CV. You will learn what a CV is as well as the differences between a good CV and a bad one. You'll find out what to include, and gain the right skills to start thinking about how you will start writing up your own. 

Firstly, let's have a think about what areas you would most like to work on.

Introduction to CVs

Writing your CV can feel like a daunting task initially, but fear not. After completing this activity you will have the skills and resources needed to craft your first one, ready to send to potential employers! The curriculum vitae, commonly known as a CV, is a summary comprising your personal and contact details, qualifications, skills and a little bit about yourself. This relays to an employer that you are not only qualified for the job you're applying for but will be a great fit.

What do you think should be included on your CV?

Feedback

• Hobbies

  Including personal hobbies unrelated to the job description can cause clutter on your CV and deter employers from reading all the way through. The exception is if your interests relate to the industry you are interested in. For example, singing could be added if you are applying for a role in a music shop.

• All Your GCSE Results

  It is always important to put your English, Maths and Science results. The rest are fine to include as long as they do not take up too much space, but they are not essential. 

• Extra-Curricular Activities

  This can be anything from community volunteering and sports activities to other academic undertakings such as class leadership positions and school journalism. These will make your CVs stand out and showcase skills such as leadership and teamwork. This is where you can include your hobbies in a more substantial way. Playing piano in your spare time is not too relevant, but achieving grade 5 in piano shows skills of commitment and time management, as well as the ability to remain calm under pressure. 

• Stylised Formatting

  Whilst a well-structured CV is far more effective than a non-structured one, avoid colourful, bold and 'word art' heavy layouts that distract from the actual content. A heavily stylised CV conveys a non-professional attitude. If you have graphic design skills, your employer will ask for evidence, but your CV does not need to be that evidence. 

• Skills and Problem Solving

  Ask yourself; what skills have I learnt from school/ extra-curricular activities and how have I developed those skills over time? Think about what skills your employer may be looking for, such as time-management, problem solving, and work ethic, and write about them accordingly. These are known as soft skills.

• References

  It's important to include a disclaimer along the lines of: 'reference available upon request'. You do not need to include them in the initial CV.

Personal Profile

The final addition to the CV is the personal profile. This will appear at the top of the CV, but it can be often helpful to write it last. A paragraph statement that summarises your current situation, key strengths and experience. Advice on how to craft your personal profile can be found here.

Finding Work Without Work Experience

The key thing to remember when tailoring your CV around little to no work experience is that employers won't be expecting post-16 students to have a lengthy back catalogue of jobs to put on their CV. Instead, focus on one of the most important details - your strengths and skills. 

What skills do you already possess that can translate to the workplace? Are you a personable, dedicated, hard-working individual? Are you confident, friendly and eager to learn and develop new skills. Consider what you want to gain from the workplace, and how your employers will view your strengths in relation to the role. And remember the extra-curricular activities section of the CV is how you can demonstrate evidence of these skills.

Furthermore, consider your values and what is important to you. Is reliability a value you believe is important to yourself and others? How do you know when a friend is reliable? Thinking about these questions can help you consider what the employer values and how you might provide evidence of this in your CV and in your interview (but we'll come to that soon!).

Wrap Up

We have provided some good examples of a school leavers CV so that you can see how this knowledge is applied in practice. 

One other thing that employers may ask for is a cover letter. This is an additional supporting document that can put you in a better position to land an interview. It is a 4-5 paragraph formal letter where you introduce yourself and explain why you want the role and why you feel you are a great fit for the role. The cover letter is tailored specifically to the job in hand, and more advice on how to craft the perfect cover letter can be found here.

With everything we have discussed in this activity, you should be able to begin considering your own CV. What experience and qualifications will you highlight? What strengths and skills will you add to it, and what evidence can you provide for them? You can start by checking out our skills page for an idea of what strengths you could be adding to your CV. You can find the skills page here.

Our next section will advise you on what to do with your CV once it has been finished, as well as taking you through the interview process.