There’s not enough on my CV!

If you’ve just graduated it’s quite normal for your CV to still look a little bare. But then how can you compete with other candidates who have already got some experience? We give you a few tips on how to convince a potential employer of your abilities with an honest CV.

• You have studied after all!
  Mention the experience you’ve gained during your studies (dissertation, papers, holiday jobs, etc.). But don’t get carried away. A CV can only be a page long, two pages at most.
   
• Relevance is everything
  Link each experience you include back to the job you are applying for. If at first sight, this does not seem possible, generalise the duties you have performed (e.g.: for work in another sector: “Learnt how to work in a team”, “Learnt to adopt the right attitude to work”, etc.).
   
• Remain professional
  If you have worked for controversial organisations, do not immediately mention the name but keep it general. Focus on describing the duties you performed.
   
• Mention the basic skills
  Every employer wants to know how good your knowledge of languages is and how computer literate you are. You might regard these as obvious abilities, but vis-à-vis some older candidates these are genuine trump cards! So make sure you don’t forget to mention them.
   
• Prove your basic skills
  Make sure your CV is clearly and neatly arranged and well-presented. These are qualities every employer will be expecting of you, and proof of which you can most certainly provide in your CV.
   
• Be specific when talking about your leisure-time interests
  It does no harm to mention your love of literature or sport, but make sure this is to the point. For example, state what kind of literature you find most enthralling, what sport you practice and in what connection. In other words, don’t just make a list.
   
• Come across as an active person
  If you just put “going to the cinema” as your hobby, you’re not conveying much in the way of commitment or participation. Sport or membership of society makes your profile more actively.
   
• Be yourself, even in your CV
  If you include character traits of yourself, make it clear how these are revealed and where you have acquired them. Avoid vague terms such as “flexible” and “team player”. This does not ring true if you’re just starting out on the job market.
   
• Have a friend read through your CV
  He or she can check whether the image you are presenting comes across as credible.