3 Good CV Examples for the First Job [2024]

Applying for your first job might be equally exciting and stressful. It’s a huge milestone in your life and often entails uncertainty and competition. You undoubtedly don’t want to receive emails with denials while your friends will be celebrating their first career successes.

That’s why you must approach your first job search with the right preparation and a clear strategy. Building a well-structured CV is one of the first steps to take.

In this guide, you'll get 3 good CV examples for the first job written by experts, the first CV template to take a look at and learn for yourself, and tips on how to make a CV for the first job shine.

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Want to see alternate guides for job starters? Check this list:

• Career Change CV
• CV for a 16-Year-Old
• CV for a Part-Time Job
• Cleaner CV
• Customer Service CV
• Estate Agent CV
• Internship CV
• Law Student CV
• Nanny CV
• Retail CV
• Sales Assistant CV
• School-Leaver CV
• Shop Assistant CV
• Student CV
• General CV

Good CV examples for the first job

Technical support engineer CV

Copywriter CV

Administrative assistant CV

Now, here's how to write a CV for the first job to kick-start your career (including what should a good CV look like):

How to make a CV for the first job?

1. Start with a strong personal statement.
2. Showcase work or internship experience.
3. List your education degrees.
4. Underline skills and talents.
5. Add extra sections.
6. Attach a cover letter.
7. Apply the right formatting.

Let’s explain each step in detail:

1. Start with a strong personal statement

The first job CV has one serious drawback. It doesn’t contain a comprehensive work experience section, which is usually the highlight of a CV that makes up for other possible deficiencies. But how could you create a compelling work history section being on a start line?

Instead, use other means to turn a recruiter’s attention towards you. For starters, apply a personal statement that conveys key information about you as a growing professional.

A compelling CV introduction does three things:

• Introduces you as a job starter
• Shows what you can offer the employer
• Proves that your goals match the company’s vision.

Your personal statement doesn’t have to be long. On the contrary, it should be concise and consist of 3–4 sentences at maximum, which is around 50–150 words. Answering the following questions will help you get straight to the point:

• What adjectives describe you best as a young professional?
• What is the achievement you’re most proud of?
• What do you hope to achieve working for this company?

Many employers, specifically large companies and organizations, use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to filter and screen job applications. When crafting your personal statement, make sure to include the company name and the position you apply for. Additionally, try to reflect what was outlined in the job ad, paying particular attention to specific job keywords.

As an extra clue, consider writing your personal statement once your overall CV structure and content are all ready. It’ll be just easier to draw the most significant information out of it and make your personal statement more substantial.

See how it’s made in these examples:

Good CV examples for the first job: personal statement

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

If you lack direct experience in the field, don’t worry. Explain how your other experiences or skills you gained equipped you for the job. Being truthful about your qualifications is valued by employers, while lying on a CV will likely get you into trouble.

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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2. Showcase work or internship experience on your first CV

Gaining first-hand work experience, especially for your first job, can be a valuable step in launching your career. But not everyone is lucky enough to have some working background already when graduating.

However, there are many other ways to gain knowledge about your field and put it into practice. Internships, volunteer work, projects, courses, and certifications are beneficial when settling into a new work environment.

When preparing your work experience section, follow the typical chronological CV format, which puts your most recent work activities first. Organize your work experiences this way:

[Role]

[Company name, location]

[Dates]

For each role, create bullet points that describe your responsibilities and achievements on a CV. However, focus on what you contributed and learned instead of what you just did.

To make your job descriptions more powerful, use action verbs and numbers where possible. This means saying: Assisted senior support engineers in diagnosing and resolving 70+ technical issues instead of: Helped senior support engineers with technical issues. That makes a difference, right?

See these examples for better comprehension:

Good CV examples for the first job: work experience

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

Gaining work experience is a gradual process, and it takes time to find the ideal role in your chosen field. But, limited work experience doesn’t always put you in a weak position. Employers realize that recent graduates may not have extensive working backgrounds, so they focus on transferable skills, personal qualities, and your potential for growth and success.

3. List education degrees on your first job CV

As a recent graduate, you likely have an impressive educational title or certification to show off in your first CV template. And that’s of great importance because employers use the education section to assess your suitability for a job. 

Your education section can be your strong point if you present it in a clear and concise way. But first, you need to know how to write a degree on a CV.

Here’s the template you can use for university degrees:

[Degree type] [Degree name] (Degree class), [Years attended]

[Institution name], [Institution location]

If you don’t have a university degree, you should outline your secondary education like this:

A-levels: [Subject name 1], [Subject name 2], [Subject name 3]

[School name], [School location], [Years attended]

[n] GCSEs (including Mathematics and English)

[School name], [School location], [Years attended]

Look at the following education section examples:

Good CV examples for the first job: education

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

As your career progresses, the significance of your education may diminish in comparison to your work experience. So you may choose to put less emphasis on the education section in further versions of your CV.

4. Underline skills and talents on your first job CV template

If you doubt your candidature due to limited employment history, this is something that might help look at yourself more favorably.

While headhunting, employers don’t necessarily focus on a candidate’s professional expertise. Very often, they look for individuals who bring different skills and perspectives to their company or organization. They value their fresh perspective and innovative ideas, which can help them thrive and outperform competitors.

To prepare a captivating skill list for your CV, tailor it to the job you’re applying for. It’s important that you emphasize the skills most relevant to the position you’re targeting. Additionally, prioritize skills most essential to the job and place them at the top of your list.

These examples illustrate it best:

Good CV examples for the first job: skills

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

As an extension, you can provide more specific information about each skill you decide to display. By providing a more detailed description of each skill, you narrow it down and make it easier for a recruiter to grasp your actual ability.

5. Add extra sections to your first job CV template

Have you ever seen someone buying a car spur of the moment? Employment, too, carries significant costs, responsibilities, and implications, so it rarely happens overnight. What’s more, recruiters like to investigate more into your candidature, taking as much relevant information into consideration as possible.

And since you’re a fresher, it’s essential that you reveal your strong points and showcase your abilities convincingly. To this end, use additional sections that provide a more detailed picture of your qualifications and personality.

There are many extras you can include to enhance your first job CV, and here they are:

• Achievements and awards
• Certifications and training
• Relevant coursework
• Hobbies and interests
• Additional projects
• Languages
• Other activities

These examples will give you the clue:

Good CV examples for the first job: added sections

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

While certifications or courses seem pretty concrete, your hobbies and interests might require some extra effort. When listing them on your CV, enrich them with short descriptions. And lastly, include hobbies or activities that reflect positively on your character or showcase relevant skills. Generic, vague terms won’t get you that first longed-for job.

6. Attach a cover letter to your first CV

A strong CV already puts you at the forefront, but it doesn’t guarantee you’ll be offered a job. What if you’re competing with a number of candidates with similarly good achievements and comparable skills?

If you’re looking for a job in a competitive market, you should arm yourself with patience. But there’s something more you can do to pursue your career goals. Develop a targeted cover letter to go with your CV. Such a proactive approach puts you a step forward toward your vocation.

Writing a cover letter shouldn’t take much time. Once you have your first CV ready, it’s easier to write a cover letter as it provides context to it.

Here’s what a good cover letter should include:

• Header that is in line with British standards
• Employer’s address and a well-formed salutation
• Cover letter opening that introduces you as a candidate
• Short presentation of your key achievements
• Cover letter closing that emphasizes your interest in next steps
• Sign-off that matches the salutation.

How long should a cover letter be? A cover letter is usually one page in length. It counts 250–400 words in total, is focused, and uses concise language. When writing your cover letter, stick to the main points relevant to the job (and your qualifications), and your document will support your application, not the reverse.

7. Apply the right formatting

If you have written a thesis, you know it requires perfect organization. Structuring a thesis properly, with clear chapters, sections, and logical flow, can sometimes be demanding. Just as writing a thesis, preparing a CV will push you to follow strict formatting rules.

A CV is often the first interaction a recruiter has with you, so make sure it leaves a positive impression. A sloppy cover letter indicates a lack of professionalism, which you want to avoid when competing for a job.

To make your first-job CV good-looking and easy to read, tick all these recommendations:

• Put your contact details at the top of your CV, so you’re easy to reach out to.
• Prepare a clear CV structure with the right section order. The reverse-chronological CV format is usually the best choice. Use white space to improve readability.
• View our list of best CV templates (including free CV templates) to find one that suits you best. Opt for a simplistic CV design.
• Pick the right CV font with a size that fits in between 10 and 12 points. You can use slightly larger fonts for section headings and your name at the top.
• Keep your CV length in check and don’t go beyond one page. Avoid unnecessary repetition and verbosity.
• Download your CV to PDF to preserve the formatting, your CV layout, fonts, and overall appearance of your document. Once your CV is perfect and ready, attach it professionally. Also, consider adding your CV to LinkedIn for better exposure.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

Create your CV now

We hope you benefited from our good CV examples for the first job and that you already know how to make a CV when starting a career. If you still have questions regarding the first CV template or contents, leave a comment. We’ll be happy to assist you.

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with Livecareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.