Guide · 6 min read

How to write your first CV: a student's step-by-step guide

The hardest CV you'll ever write is your first one — not because it's long, but because you're starting from nothing. Here's exactly how to go from blank page to a CV you're proud to send.

Build my first CV

1. Get the basics down first

Start with the easy part: your name, a professional-sounding email, a phone number, your city, and links to LinkedIn or GitHub if you have them. Leave off your full home address, date of birth and photo — they're unnecessary and can introduce bias.

2. Write a short, specific summary

Two or three lines that answer: who are you, what do you study, and what are you looking for? “Second-year Computer Science student seeking a summer software internship, with hands-on Python and web-development project experience” is far stronger than “hard-working student looking for opportunities.”

If you're stuck, Careero can draft this summary from the details you enter and let you refine it.

3. Lead with education

As a student, your education is your headline. List your degree, university, expected graduation and predicted or current grade. Add relevant modules and any academic achievements — a high project mark, a scholarship, a prize.

4. Turn projects and experience into achievements

This is where most first CVs go wrong: they list duties instead of achievements. Rewrite each item to start with an action verb and, where possible, a result. Describe coursework, personal projects, part-time jobs, volunteering and societies by what you did and what changed because of it.

Before: “Worked in a team on a database project.”
After: “Built a library database with 3 classmates in SQL, cutting lookup time in our demo by 40%.”

5. Finish with skills — and proofread

List the tools, software and languages relevant to your target role, and be honest about your level. Then proofread ruthlessly: spelling and consistency mistakes are the fastest way to lose a recruiter's trust.

Frequently asked questions

How long should my first CV be?

One page. As a student you rarely need more, and a focused one-pager reads far better than a padded two-pager.

What's the biggest first-CV mistake?

Listing duties instead of achievements. Always describe the result or skill, not just the task.

Can Careero help me write it?

Yes — it drafts your summary and rewrites notes into strong bullet points. Start free.

Ready to write yours?

Careero guides you through every step above and writes the tricky parts with you.

Build my first CV