How to Make a Good CV for Work Experience Opportunities

Getting onto the career ladder is tough. Work experience placements are an ideal way to get started but competition is fierce. Just like a paid job you have to beat all the other candidates vying for the same position.

And just like a paid job you’ll need a CV to convince the employer that you’re the number one choice.

In this article, you’ll learn how to write a CV for work experience that recruiters will love. You'll also see work placement CV examples to show you exactly how it should look. Let’s make a start and get you the work experience you deserve.

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The LiveCareer online CV maker lets you build a professional CV fast and download it as a PDF or DOC.

Need some more help with writing a CV? Check these guides:

• Best CV Fonts You Can Apply to Your Document
• Best CV Writing Tips for 2023 and Beyond
• CV Objective & How to Prepare a Catchy One
• How to Format a CV According to Standards
• How to Include Your Degree on a CV
• How to Outline Your CV the Right Way
• List of Hobbies and Interests for a CV
• Skills You Need to Include in Your CV
• What is the Best CV Length & Why?
• What Makes a Good CV (+ Expert Tips)

Sample CV for work experience

Now you know exactly what to include in a CV for work experience placements. Now for a step-by-step work experience template so you can write your own.

Here’s how to write a CV for work experience:

1. Start with a CV header

Your CV header is the very first part of your CV. Sitting right at the top of the page it includes your name and personal details. Here’s how to get it right.

Write your full name, and to make it stand out you can make the font size 6–8 pts bigger than the text in the body of your CV. Include your phone number and your email address, making sure it’s a sensible one based on your name. 

And, don’t include a photo, your date of birth, or any other personal information. These create all sorts of potential problems with discrimination, and they’re considered unacceptable in a standard UK curriculum vitae. Also, there's no need to add your home address on a CV.

Header in a CV for work experience

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. Write a personal statement for your CV for work experience

Your personal statement is also known as a CV summary. It’s the opening act for your CV for work experience and it should be a compelling introduction to you as a candidate. Here’s how to catch the hiring manager’s eye and make them hungry for more.

It’s simple. All you have to do is answer these simple questions:

1. Who are you? 
2. What can you offer to the employer? 
3. What are your career goals? 

Answer them like this. Mention some of the skills, abilities and interests you have that will help you to excel in this work experience placement. Make sure you’re being specific to the opportunity you’re applying for and don’t forget to consider any relevant experience from your education too.

The best way to do it is to refer to the job description for the placement and highlight all the factors it says are desirable. Hiring managers often use it as a way of describing their perfect candidate. Then consider 3–4 of your own qualities and skills that match up with the job description.

Make sure you show energy and enthusiasm too. Showing a keen interest in the employer is a sure way to catch their attention. 

CV for work experience—personal statement example

3. Add an education section in your CV for work experience

When you’re writing a CV for work experience chances are you don’t have much, if any, work history to include. Therefore, your education should take precedence. More experienced candidates would put their work experience section after their CV summary, but for a CV for work experience your CV education section should go first. Here’s what to include.

If you’re a school-leaver include the name of the school or college you attended, and your dates of study. Include an expected graduation date if you’re still studying. For A-levels, mention each subject you studied, or are studying. But for GCSE’s you only need mention Maths and English specifically, that’s because achieving a pass in them is considered a bare minimum achievement by many employers.

If you’re a university graduate or still studying then include the name of the university, the degree and your dates of study. Again, using an expected graduation date if you’re still studying. See how to write a student CV.

Education in a CV for work experience

4. Include your work history if you have any

If you do have any prior experience it’s essential you include it on your CV for work experience. Many candidates have none at all, so it’s a great way of making yourself stand out. Even volunteer experience is perfect, as long as it involves practical experience in a workplace, it’s worth including. Here’s how to do it perfectly.

Include your job title, the name of your employer and the dates you worked there (use ‘Present’ as the end date if you’re still working there). Then write up to six bullet points describing the job. 

Start each bullet point with a CV action verb to give it maximum impact. Then use accomplishment statements to add structure. It’s all about measurable achievements over duties. Don’t just say what you did, prove how well you did it.

Job description in a CV for work experience

5. Demonstrate your skills in your CV for work experience

In your CV skills section, aim for a mix of abilities. And remember, some skills are important for almost every job. In the case of soft skills, communication skills are king. In the case of hard skills, computer and IT skills are incredibly important. And again, make sure you target your skills to the work placement opportunity you’re applying for.

A bullet point list of 5 skills is perfect for a CV for work experience, and optionally you could add a brief sentence to each explaining how you demonstrate it. E.g. Image editing—advanced user of Adobe Photoshop.

Top skills for a CV for work experience

• Communication skills
• Interpersonal skills
• IT skills
• Teamwork
• Self-motivation
• Professionalism
• Integrity
• Time management
• Self-discipline
• Self-improvement

6. Put additional sections in your CV for work experience

Without a career history, it can be hard to make yourself stand out from all the other candidates. But including additional sections shows you’ve got the optional extras that make you the best choice for the job. Languages, hobbies and interests, projects and awards all make great additions to your CV for work experience. 

Other sections in a CV for work experience

7. Attach a cover letter for work experience

For the finishing touch add a cover letter. It’ll make your CV for work experience look even more professional and it’ll certainly impress the hiring manager. Start by using the right cover letter format. Then include a ‘hook’ in your cover letter opening, an impressive achievement to catch the recruiter’s eye. 

Next, when writing your cover letter show how your skills and experience will help you shine in the work placement role you’re applying for. Then include a call to action in your cover letter closing, asking to meet with the employer or set up a phone call to discuss the role further.

And for an extra professional touch, use a matching CV cover letter template.

8. What else to remember about writing a CV for work experience?

Stick to the following rules for your CV layout. It’s a professional business document and the CV format should reflect that.

• Use clear headings in bold text to make each CV section stand out.
• Choose a good CV font and make sure there is plenty of white space on the page.
• Set your line spacing to single or 1.15, double space between sections, and have page margins of one inch on each side.
• Limit your CV to one page to ensure it remains concise and doesn’t overwhelm the reader.
• View a selection of free CV templates and our top template picks to choose one that suits you best.
• And unless the job advert says otherwise, send your CV as a PDF.

And we’re done, now you know how to write a CV for work experience that’ll give you the pick of the best placements.

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.

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Thanks for reading. Writing a CV is tough for everyone, but it’s even more difficult when you’re just starting out. So if you’ve got any questions at all please ask away in the comments section, and we’ll be happy to help.

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.