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Stuart Gentle Publisher at Onrec

The Peculiarities of Writing a Graduate CV

The next big thing after graduation is finding a top job, applying and getting hired. But even important is writing a graduate CV that influences the decisions of human resource managers.

In this article, we will talk about one of the most important tasks to begin with – writing a resume that shines.

Writing a Distinctive Resume

The first thing many of us do after graduation is to write a resume. Many begin with an ordinary CV, improve further with every job rejection, and by the time they end up with a good updated resume, all of their friends are already working in different companies where they applied once.

Don’t be the one of those.

Get on your top game from the day one. When the job market is getting better for graduates, the competition for the high salary jobs gets tougher and tougher.

To beat the competition, you have to be distinctive from the crowd. For this, the first step is writing a resume that reads different and gains the attention of employers.     

According to one survey, following are the sections employers are most interested in.

  • Work related experience – 45%.
  • Skills – 35%.
  • Well formatted and easy to read resume – 25%.
  • Achievements – 16%.
  • Well written, perfect grammar and spellings – 14%.

Make sure you have all of the above when you are writing one.

The Problem with Graduates: No Work Experience

See, 45% employers are looking for work experience, but most  graduates looking for their first job often don’t have one. In this case, list volunteer activities at university, college, or even in your neighborhood under education section that shows you can take responsibility. You can also add information about internship as experience.

Talk more about your interests, university/college achievements that relate to the job and highlight your skills. If you don’t have any education, it is the mix of your interests and skills that must make sense to employer and relate to the job.  

 What Makes your CV Distinctive?

  • Personalized, tailored according to the job specifications.
  • Clear layout with logical information order and flow, easy to read and well-formatted.
  • Concise without missing out any important information.
  • Perfect grammar, spelling and accurate content.

HandMadeWritings have created a great resource in the form of the infographic for writing an effective resume. The well-researched infographic covers all the basics and modern practices, best standards, and what employers are looking for in a modern resume.

Covering the Basics

On average, employers spend less than a minute (45 seconds) on a CV before throwing it into a bin. Make sure it is easy to read, well structured and concise. This is the first basic to start with.

Even though standard resume sections for the last couple of decades are pretty much same, but the interest of employers has shifted more to skills and achievements from academic performance.

For example, if you are applying for a financial job, employers may have more interest in skills like numeracy, problem-solving and analytical skills.

For filling a long term job, employers also look into your interests. The basic sections that you have to include in your summary are:

  • Heading
  • Summary
  • Education
  • Experience (If no actual experience, list volunteer activities, internships, etc)
  • Skills
  • Interests and activities.
  • Achievements.

The length of the CV must not exceed two pages. Even though it depends on the position, but for a graduate position, two-page CV is more than enough as 19% employers prefer two page CV and 35% only one page CV. 

Making the Most Out of Digital Platforms

Graduates may have to market their skills and resume rigorously finding their first job. Make use of online platforms to distribute and advertise your CV and skills.

One of the HR trends that are now becoming best practices and industry standards is keeping a perpetual resume advertising skills on major digital platforms (online sources). This way, even during employment, you can always have an option to get a better offer from other companies.

We are sure by following the modern resume writing practices and standards, and by applying the information in the infographic, you can easily write a distinctive CV that can help you win your dream job.