Tips to Write an Amazing CV for

Your First Job

Everyone goes through the struggle of writing their first CV. However,
there are steps you can take to make the process easier. If you want to get
hired, it’s essential to have a coherent resume that not only looks
professional but also highlights why you’d make a good employee. Being
limited to past experience doesn’t have to hold you back, as we will teach
you a few different tips that can make a fantastic CV.

Research, Research, Research!

The very first step you should take is searching for open job positions where you
could potentially qualify. However, don’t let experience hold you back from applying
to more places. While experience or education may help, there are also plenty of
jobs that provide training.

Selectively shorten what type of job you’d like to work at and then search for
openings. We’d recommend positions where you’d personally be able to add value
and expertise. Taking the time to educate yourself of what the job looks like in a
day can also help you narrow down which jobs you’d like.

If you’re unsure about what type of job you’d like, then it’s time to ask career
professionals their opinions! Gather a short list of questions to ask employees so
that you can get a better idea of how you’d prefer the job. It’s best to ask in
person, but you can also use the trusty internet to help gather opinions about
specific jobs.

Also, take the time to check out the reviews for the place you’re going to work at.
Job boards like Indeed or jobrapido.com have sections where people post their
opinions and reviews of how well they liked the position. This could help narrow
down your search.

Start Writing Your Resume

Now that you’ve got a better idea of where you’d like to apply or what type of job
you’d enjoy, it’s time to build your resume.
1. List Education
Depending on if you’re in middle, high school, or college, you will find that listing
your education is where most of your “experience” comes from. Showing that
you’ve taken the time to learn in any discipline indicates that you’re hard working
and follow through with education and learning.

But how does this translate into a job? Listing relevant education that could be used
on the job makes you a better candidate and may push your resume to the top. If
you’ve taken shorter classes for training or longer courses designed for the field, it
can make a huge difference for the job recruiter.

2. Include Relevant Experience

If it’s your first job, then you’ll be limited on the type of experience to list.
However, if you find that you’re lacking, then you can always find volunteer or
shadowing positions. Take opportunities to list any relevant experience you have,
including ones you’ve learned in school or club activities.

3. Relevance
There’s probably plenty of things you can mention or put down on your resume as
education or experience. However, it’s best to leave out any experience that doesn’t
translate to doing the job. The reason for this is because it tends to make a CV look
bulky and will divert the job recruiter’s attention and cause them to zone out.

By limiting the amount of information listed, you can highlight key points on skills
and experience of why you would make a good candidate rather than blending in
with other applications.

4. Add Achievements
Lastly, list any achievements or important leadership roles you’ve had in the past.
If you’ve conducted volunteer services, been a leader in a club, or help organize
events, this will be an excellent time to list them. Other achievements can be
certifications, test scores, and internships.

Refine Your First Draft

It’s understandable if you’re looking at your current resume and thinking that it still
looks like a mess. Don’t worry about the first draft, as it’s never going to be
perfect. Just with writing, a resume must be refined and edited after it’s been
written. You can either do this yourself, have a friend or family member help you,
or send it to a professional.
Make It Shorter
Once you’ve got the gist of what you want to list, it’s time to cut out any nonsense
or words that don’t make sense. You want to get straight to the point and use the
least words possible. It may take you multiple revisions, but you’ll get there
eventually. As long as you can coherently read it and have it make sense, you're on
the right track.

Insert Keywords
Remember when you were looking at job listings? Use standout keywords that are
related to the job. Don’t put too many, but sprinkle a few here and there. This will
show the job recruiter that you’re a better match for the job than other
competitors. Plus, it shows you’ve gone through and read the job posting.

Still Doesn’t Look Right?

The best tip we can offer you is to either check online for other professional
resumes or to have your resume professionally cleaned up by a CV writer. If you’re
writing it yourself, it’s best to get an idea of what resumes are out there for
potential competitors. Although, you need to check for resumes for that specific job
you’re applying to. It wouldn’t be good to have a business resume while applying
for a teaching position.

Also, hiring a professional can be a bit iffy unless you find one that’s good at what
they do. There’s plenty of services online, but as you can imagine finding a good
resume writer requires more money. If you don’t want to make the investment or
don’t have enough cash, then it’s best to do it yourself.

Conclusion
Making your CV stand out can be difficult, especially if you don’t know exactly what
you’re doing. However, all of the tips we’ve included can make your resume shine
and put you in the lead for your ideal job. We always recommend using job boards,
as you’ll be able to find keywords, experience needed, and education requirements.
One of the ones we recommend is jobrapido.com. Hopefully, this has got you one
step closer to getting your first job.