Writing your first CV...

By Emily Doherty

Posted: 03 June 2024

Looking for a summer holidays job? We've got some CV advice!

So you’ve started looking for your first job and are looking forward to putting your skills into practice, learning new things and earing your own cash! But, before you can start applying for jobs, you’ll need one vital tool in the world of work, a CV.

 A CV is a short document outlining your previous jobs, experience, qualifications and skills. It gives employers a run-down of all your best bits and showcases everything about you that makes you perfect for the job! When you’re creating your first CV, you probably won’t have any previous jobs to outline, BUT there are so many other things you can include to show-off your skills. Here’s a list of 5 of ideas to get you started with your first CV. 

1. Personal Statement

Most CVs start with a short, personal statement. Think of a short, snappy way to introduce yourself using key words that describe your personality and skills. Keep it simple. You might start with something like: ‘I am an outgoing, friendly year 9 student with a passion for netball!’ or ‘I am a hard-working person who loves an adventure in the outdoors just as much as I love coding’. Coming up with words to describe yourself is not easy. You could ask your friends and family how they would describe you and take inspiration from them!

In your personal statement, you could include a sentence about the kind of job you are interested in and why. For example, if you are applying for a job as a waiter or waitress, you could say ‘I enjoy cooking and love learning about food from all over the world. Experience as a waiter would allow me to learn more about food and beverages and how to serve them to customers’. 

2. Hobbies and Interests 

You should definitely shout about your hobbies and interests. Maybe you have been playing on your school’s football team for years, or go to dance classes at the weekend? Maybe you are a boss at video games, play an instrument, or read 5 books a week! Think about how you spend your free time and (even more importantly) think about the skills you need to be great at your hobby. If you have shown dedication to your sports team, you’ll have demonstrated great teamwork skills. If you love acting and have performed in plays, chances are you are great at public speaking and have the confidence to stand-up on stage. Similarly, having an in-depth knowledge of something, like your favourite TV show demonstrates dedication and research skills that employers will be interested in. 

3. Awards and Recognition

There are some examples of nationally recognised awards and achievements that are great to include on a CV. For example, you might be completing your Duke of Edinburgh Award or be working towards awards as a Cadet, Scout or Guide. But these aren’t the only things you can shout about on your CV. Employers love to hear about where you have been recognised by others for doing something great. Maybe you got a mention for having great attendance at school? Or got a shout out for showing significant improvement in a subject? Those mentions show where other people have seen your skills in action!

4. Volunteering experience

Volunteering experience is valuable at any stage in your life and career. It can give you knowledge of something you might not have learnt about at school, and hands on skills in an important role. Many charities and other organisations offer volunteering opportunities- and no volunteering role will be the same! Your local theatre or cinema might rely on volunteers to seat audiences, if you are great with speaking to people, that could be one for you! Your town museum might want some help running workshops for parents and children, the perfect volunteering role if you’re interested in teaching.  Maybe there’s a local animal rescue charity that needs help running their Instagram page and you’re a social media whizz! The good thing about volunteering is that both you, and the organisation benefit from it.; they get the help they need whilst you get to learn new skills and get hands on experience. 

So do some research into volunteering opportunities in your community and get stuck in! Make sure you put on your CV where you volunteered, and the responsibilities you had in that role. That experience will really impress a potential employer!

5. Lived personal experience.

It might not be so obvious, but your own personal circumstances and lived experiences will have given you a unique skillset that could set you apart from other candidates. Perhaps you are a young carer who looks after a family member, that comes with a whole host of valuable skills; resilience, independence and timekeeping for example. If you have a disability or are neurodiverse, you might have faced a different set of challenges that required you to be a problem-solver or a critical thinker.  Don’t shy away from showcasing you personal values and experiences in your CV – after all, it is all about what makes YOU a great option for an employer!