You do not need paid work experience to write a good CV. Schools, colleges, and universities all know that most applicants at your stage have not had formal employment. The goal is to present honestly and clearly what you have done, what you are good at, and what you can offer — using examples from any part of your life.
What counts as experience on a student CV
Any of the following can appear on your CV: GCSEs, A-Levels, BTECs, or other qualifications. School or university extracurricular activities. Leadership roles such as head of house, form representative, or sports captain. Volunteering or charity work. Part-time jobs, however brief. Caring responsibilities or household management responsibilities. Personal projects such as websites, games, creative work, or research. Any of these activities can generate strong CV bullet points if written in the right way.
CV structure for students
Your CV should start with your name and contact details. Below that: Education (most recent first), any Experience or Activities, Skills, and Interests or Achievements. Do not include an "Objective" statement at the top — it wastes space. Keep it to one page. Use a clean, readable font such as Arial or Calibri at 10 or 11pt. Save it as a PDF.
Writing strong bullet points
Every bullet point should begin with an action verb and describe what you actually did and what the outcome was. Weak: "Helped with the school play." Strong: "Stage-managed a school production of 20 performers, coordinating costume, set, and rehearsal logistics over four weeks." Weak: "Member of the school council." Strong: "Represented 120 Year 11 students on the school council, contributing to a policy review that changed the school's homework guidelines." Be specific. Quantify where possible.
What not to include
Do not include: your date of birth, a photograph, your nationality, primary school details, a lengthy personal statement at the top, or irrelevant personal hobbies with no context. Keep the focus on what you have done, what you have learnt, and what you can offer. If you include Interests, keep it short and genuine — one or two lines. "Reading" and "socialising" tell an employer nothing.
How to tailor your CV
For each application, re-read the opportunity description before submitting. Identify the two or three most important qualities or skills the employer mentions. Then check your CV and make sure those qualities are reflected clearly in your bullet points. You may need to move relevant experience higher up or rewrite a bullet to emphasise a different aspect of the same activity.
Checklist
- One-page layout with clear headings
- Education section includes grades or predicted grades
- Every bullet point starts with an action verb
- At least one example of responsibility, initiative, or leadership
- At least one example of teamwork or communication
- Tailored to the specific opportunity before submitting
- Saved as a PDF with a clear file name
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the Experience section blank because you have no paid jobs
- Using vague bullet points like "Helped with" or "Was involved in"
- Making the CV two pages when one would be stronger
- Using a photo or including date of birth
- Sending the same CV to every opportunity without tailoring it