Last significant update:
Your first job application usually comes without a long work history, and that is fine. Employers who hire graduates know this. What helps is showing how you learned, what you produced and what responsibility you took, with concrete examples instead of general claims. The examples below are fictional; adapt them only to work you have really done.
Put your education first
When you have little paid experience, education is the strongest part of your CV, so place it near the top. Give the university, the degree or subject and the dates, using your real graduation date or “expected” if you have not finished. If a final-year project relates directly to the job, add one or two lines about what you built or studied. Mention a handful of relevant modules rather than listing every course you took.
Present projects as projects, not as jobs
A course project, a student society activity or a personal product can all be meaningful. State the context clearly so nobody mistakes it for paid employment. If you use the experience section, give the role a truthful title such as “Course project — team member”. Describe the problem, what you did and what the outcome was, and link to the work only if it opens and represents you well.
Describe your own contribution
Replace “we built an app as a team” with what you personally did. Fictional example: “In a four-person course project, I designed the user interface and revised the registration screen after feedback from classmates.” The first part gives context, and the second part shows your responsibility. Use an example like this only if it matches your real work.
Add relevant internships and volunteering
A short internship can show how you take responsibility and work with others. For volunteering, make the organising, communication or planning work concrete: how many people you coordinated is a useful detail only if you know the number. Label unpaid activities clearly as internships, volunteering or society roles so the reader understands what they are looking at.
Be short and selective
Cut certificates and long module lists that have little to do with the role. A readable, accurate CV matters more than a long one. After writing your first draft, remove repeated sentences and anything that does not help the reader see why you fit this job.
A fictional graduate profile
Fictional example: “Recent Business Administration graduate. In a course project, my team prepared the budget and attendance plan for an event, and I kept the registration table up to date. I am looking for an entry-level role that needs regular follow-up and clear communication.” It makes no claim about results and creates no identity; it simply shows the structure. Change every detail to fit your own experience.
A workable order for a first CV
Start with your contact details and a short profile with your goal. If you have no relevant jobs, follow with education, then a clearly labelled course project or internship. After that, list real skills and language levels. CvBix has no separate projects section, so you can label an experience entry “Course project” and describe it honestly, without presenting it as a paid job.
A common mistake in a first draft
Phrases like “I have no experience but I can do any job” do not help. Say which role you are preparing for and give one piece of work that supports it. You do not have to include your grades, every certificate or the full module list. Choose what is relevant to the application, and never invent experience you do not have.
Related examples and guides
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Can I write a CV if I have never had an internship?
Yes. Start with your education, course projects and genuine volunteering, label them clearly and do not present them as paid work.
Must a graduate CV fit on one page?
Not necessarily. Present relevant information briefly and legibly, and avoid shrinking the text to force it onto one page.