As a student or recent graduate, you may find it difficult to complete the experiences section of your CV. However, just because you have no previous experience doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to say in a CV. In this article, we detail the structure of a CV and in particular whether student jobs should appear or not.
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If you have little professional experience, you may have a problem with writing your CV: how to fill an entire page of CV ?
Then put forward your training, your academic results, your skills, your interests and your merits that make you a good candidate.
How to deal with limited or no professional experience?
Any work you have done, even if it was just a vacation job or a student job, is relevant and demonstrates your ability and willingness to work. Do not underestimate the odd jobs carried out in parallel with your studies: they have their place in your CV !
The important thing is to bring out the skills acquired during these experiences, however short. They constitute a first contact with the world of work, and are experiences in their own right!
Finally, don’t be tempted to invent a work experience that you haven’t had. You risk being quickly unmasked during the interview. After all, it’s the job of recruiters to check your skills!
In addition to student jobs, what information can I include on my CV?
Just because you don’t have any professional experience doesn’t mean you don’t have anything to put on a CV or anything to contribute to a job.
If you feel that you need to flesh out your CV due to a lack of professional experience, you can introduce the following parts:
Extra-curricular activities
Have you been part of a college club, student association, or written for a student newspaper? These activities can demonstrate both skill and commitment. It is very important to mention them on your CV.
Interests
If your hobbies or personal interests match the field of work you are applying for, it may give you an edge over other applicants. Try to be specific: What exactly are you interested in, are there specific books, authors or experts that inspire you?
The more specific you are, the more genuine your interests will be.
School projects
Have you completed a project in which you demonstrated the skills required for the job you are applying for? It is an excellent substitute for professional experience. Describe the mission, your specific role and the results or achievements of the project.
Don’t forget to add a link if the project or research you have done has been published online.
School results
Did you score above average? This could give you an advantage over other applicants or graduate students.
To sum up, it is highly recommended to mention student jobs in your CV, when you have little or no long professional experience. Rest assured, everyone has been there! You have to start somewhere. On the other hand, when you advance in your career, it is advisable to replace these student jobs by longer-term experiences, as we go.
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