CV for recent graduates with no work experience
Writing a CV as a recent graduate can seem hard when the work experience section feels empty. The good news is that a CV without a long work history can be very convincing if you highlight the right things. Here is a practical recipe for a recent graduate CV that actually gets you interviews.
Turn your lack of experience into a strength
When you make a CV as a recent graduate, it is easy to get hung up on everything you have not had time to do yet. Employers who hire recent graduates know, however, that they are getting someone with fresh knowledge and a strong willingness to learn, who is easy to train. Your job is to show potential and direction, not to compete with candidates who have ten years of experience.
A CV with no work experience should therefore bring out what you actually have: education, projects, volunteering, roles in student organisations and relevant skills. Think broadly about what counts as experience. Group assignments, a student company, voluntary community work and part-time jobs all say something about teamwork, responsibility and the ability to get things done, and these are qualities every employer looks for.
How to structure your CV
Start with a short summary at the top where you say who you are, what you have studied and what you are looking for. Education should then come near the top, ideally with relevant courses, your grades if they are strong, and your bachelor's or master's thesis if you have one. For a recent graduate, education is often the strongest card, so give it space.
Under experience, you can gather part-time jobs, work placements, internships, volunteering and projects. Describe the tasks with active verbs and concrete results, not just the title of the role. Finish with skills, tools and languages. Keep the CV to one page, use a clean layout and make sure everything is free of errors, because the first impression often decides whether anyone reads on.
Show relevance, not just activity
A common mistake is listing lots of activities without linking them to the position. Read the job ad carefully and tailor your CV to each job or internship. Highlight the experience and skills that are most relevant to the employer, and give the rest lower priority. A targeted recent graduate CV beats a generic CV almost every time.
Also think about how you phrase things. Instead of writing that you were part of a student company, you can explain that you helped develop a product, brought in customers or managed a budget. Wording like this shows that you understand how working life works, even if you are a recent graduate without formal work experience.
Get started and get visible
Even the best CV needs someone to read it. So make sure you are visible where employers are looking. An up-to-date LinkedIn profile, a small selection of work samples and a clear ambition make you easier to find. Be active, follow up on your enquiries and do not be afraid to contact companies directly.
With Selja you can create a professional, ATS-friendly CV and cover letter for every job in under a minute. Paste in the job ad, and Selja tailors your CV to the job using what you have actually done, including your studies, projects and roles in student organisations. That way the work you have put into your CV becomes visible to the employer, and you increase the chance that your first internship or first job will not keep you waiting.
Your cover letter and CV work as a team
A CV rarely stands alone. Together with a well-targeted cover letter, it tells a complete story about who you are and why you are the right fit. While the CV gives the overview, the cover letter gives the context: why you want the job, what motivates you, and how your background connects with the position. As a recent graduate, this story is often exactly what sets you apart from others. Remember that an employer reads many applications, so be specific and get to the point quickly.
Make sure the two documents do not repeat each other word for word. Let the cover letter expand on the most relevant points from your CV with concrete examples and results. It is a good idea to ask someone you trust to read through both before you send them, because an extra pair of eyes catches both typos and wording that could be clearer.