How to write a CV as a student (with no experience)
No placement year. No internship. A part-time job and a few societies. You can still write a CV that gets interviews. Here's how.
On this page
A recruiter spends 7 seconds on a CV before deciding to read it properly or move on. That first scan happens on format, not content. Get the format wrong and your bullet points never get read.
Format and layout
Most student CV problems start here. The format is either too fancy (graphic elements, columns, icons) or too sparse (half a page of white space).
What works
- Single-column layout, top to bottom
- Arial, Calibri, or Georgia at 10 to 12pt
- Consistent margins (1 to 1.5cm on all sides)
- Clear section headings in bold or slightly larger font
- Saved as PDF (unless asked otherwise)
- 1 page for students with under 2 years experience
What doesn't work
- Two columns (breaks ATS parsing)
- Tables or text boxes (same reason)
- Skill bar graphs or rating icons
- Coloured headers or background shading
- Photos (standard UK practice: no photo)
- Padding to fill two pages
ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is the software most medium-to-large employers use to parse your CV before a human sees it. A CV that looks great in Word can scan as blank in an ATS if it uses tables, columns, or graphics. Keep the layout simple.
Which sections to include
For a student CV, this is the standard order:
Writing strong bullet points
This is where most student CVs fall apart. Bullet points either describe responsibilities ("responsible for serving customers") or list duties without context ("answered phones, handled post"). Neither tells a recruiter what you can do.
Use the Action + Task + Result format.
Bullet point examples
Retail / part-time
Served customers and handled the till
Processed 50 to 80 customer transactions per shift during peak periods, maintaining accuracy on till reconciliation at end of day
Society / club
Social media for the debating society
Grew the debating society Instagram from 80 to 340 followers over one term by posting weekly debate highlights and scheduling 3 posts per week
Academic project
Group project on consumer behaviour
Led a 4-person group project analysing consumer behaviour for a fictional FMCG brand, presenting findings to 30 peers; received distinction
What to do with no experience
"No experience" almost always means "no formal work experience". That's different from having nothing to put on a CV.
Academic modules
List 4 to 6 relevant modules from your degree with context. 'Consumer Behaviour (78%)' says more than just listing your degree.
Voluntary work
Any volunteering counts. A food bank shift, charity shop, or community project shows reliability and initiative.
Personal projects
A website, app, video channel, blog, or business attempt. Anything self-directed that you can describe with specifics.
Online courses
Google Analytics, Excel, Python, or any vocational certification from Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, etc. Include the platform and year.
If you genuinely have nothing, spend 2 weeks before your next application doing one thing you can describe: volunteer somewhere once, complete a free course, or start a simple project. The CV problem solves itself once you have something to write.
ATS and keywords
Most graduate scheme applications go through an ATS before reaching a recruiter. The system scans for keywords from the job description.
For each application, read the job description and identify 5 to 10 key terms: specific skills, tools, phrases, or sector language. Check whether those words appear in your CV. If they don't and they should (because you genuinely have that skill), add them.
Don't keyword-stuff. Adding "Python" to your CV when you've never used it is both dishonest and a trap at the interview stage. Only include skills you can speak to.
Common mistakes
Using the same CV for every application
Your CV should be lightly tailored to each role. The structure stays the same. The order of bullet points and the emphasis shift based on what the job description values.
Listing soft skills in a skills section
Everyone says they have 'strong communication skills' and 'work well in a team'. This says nothing. Show these through your bullet points instead.
Giving your CV a creative filename
'Badr_Adnani_CV_FINAL_v3_ACTUAL.pdf' makes you look disorganised. Use 'FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf'.
Including a photo
Standard UK practice is no photo. A photo introduces unconscious bias and doesn't add value.
Putting hobbies at the top
Hobbies and interests go at the bottom, after everything substantive. Reading, cooking, and going to the gym don't differentiate you.
Spelling errors and inconsistent formatting
One typo doesn't automatically kill an application but it creates a bad first impression. Read it out loud before sending. Better: paste it into a Word doc and use spell check.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a student CV be?
One page for students and recent graduates with under 2 years experience. Two pages is acceptable once you have a placement year or multiple significant roles. Don't pad a one-page CV to two pages.
What do you put on a CV if you have no experience?
Your education, relevant modules, any part-time or voluntary work, societies or sports teams where you held responsibility, and personal projects. Skills sections should only list things you can demonstrate.
Should I include a personal statement on my CV?
Only if it says something specific. 'Motivated first-year Economics student looking for opportunities in finance' is wasted space. If you can write 2 sentences naming a specific interest backed by a real example, include it. Otherwise skip it.
What format should a student CV be in?
PDF unless the employer asks for Word. Single-column layout, clear section headings, standard font at 10 to 12pt. Avoid tables, text boxes, or multi-column designs as these break ATS parsing.
How do I write CV bullet points with no experience?
Use Action + Task + Result. For part-time work: 'Managed till reconciliation at end of each shift, reducing cash discrepancies by tracking errors in real time.' For societies: 'Organised a fundraising event for 80 attendees, raising £600 for the student hardship fund.'
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Includes a word-for-word CV template, 40 bullet point rewrites by sector, and the ATS keyword checklist used by top graduate employers.
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