Putting together your first CV after graduating can be quite daunting, especially when you start thinking about how you are going to stand out from the crowd in a very competitive environment.

Most graduates end up getting their first CV wrong, from the length to the format, meaning it fails to represent them properly and the three-plus year’s spent studying and showing a range of abilities and skills.

There is no one size fits all CV, various sectors and positions will require different elements, some may be more focused on a portfolio of work, whilst others will want a more technical application.

However, putting together a resume that accurately represents your achievements and experience, whilst detailing your skills and abilities, can drastically improve your chances of at least securing an interview.

What should you include?

Your main focus should be on what is most impressive about you, whether it’s a degree, strong technical skills or that you completed a summer internship at a well-known company.

Listing your degree at a top university may attract some attention but if there is nothing alongside it to read, it will be easy for employers to move past. For example, outline moments where you struggled initially but persevered and ended up being successful.

Also, start researching your sector in greater detail and list some technical skills that are required in the industry and focus on how you meet them. If you are proficient on Microsoft Excel, or were successful using a technique make sure you put it on your CV.

The order

The order of your CV is incredibly important, the most interesting aspects should, naturally, be on the top of the first page, so you can catch the eyes of the employer or recruiter.

Your degree should be your selling point, so should ultimately have the most written about it, for example, if you want to work in the IT sector, outline projects detailing the specific programs that you used.

Make sure to add in extracurricular pursuits as well, such as sports team, as employers like to see an element of personality as well.

As you get to the bottom of your CV, make sure you detail your hobbies and interests away from the workplace environment, whilst saving space for references as these will add weight to everything you say.

If you’re a graduate looking to kick-start your career, have a chat with Discovery Graduates and see how they can help get you started