The first-job paradox
"We're looking for a junior with at least 2 years of experience." It's one of the most frustrating sentences for anyone who has just finished studying. But a recruiter hiring for a junior role knows perfectly well they won't find a long career: they're looking for potential, the ability to learn and some concrete proof of what you can do.
Your CV must provide that proof. And you have more of it than you think: university projects, internships, seasonal jobs, volunteering, sport, online courses. The aim of this guide is to help you turn them into content that convinces.
The recommended structure
If you have little or no experience, the order of sections changes compared with a traditional CV: you put your strongest material first.
- Header: name, city, phone, professional email, LinkedIn, portfolio or GitHub if relevant.
- Profile: 3-4 lines on who you are, what you can do and what you're looking for.
- Education: at the top, because it's your main strength.
- Projects: academic, personal, group projects.
- Experience: internships, part-time and seasonal jobs, volunteering.
- Skills: technical and digital, with examples of use.
- Languages: with the European level (A1-C2) or a certificate.
- Other: certifications, extracurricular activities, awards.
Everything should fit on one page. It's a useful constraint: it forces you to choose.
The profile: say straight away what you're looking for
Many students skip the profile or write vague sentences like "eager young person looking for a first experience". Yet the profile is especially valuable for you, because it lets you steer how your CV is read.
Formula
What you study or studied + 1-2 concrete skills + one piece of evidence + the type of role you want.
Examples
- "Business graduate (First Class) with a dissertation on cost analysis in SMEs. Advanced Excel user (pivot tables, Power Query) with a 4-month internship in the finance department of a manufacturing company. Looking for a first role in finance and management control."
- "Hospitality school graduate with three summer seasons as a commis waiter in a 4-star lakeside hotel. English B2 and German A2. Looking for a position as a waiter or front-of-house assistant."
- "Third-year computer science student building web apps with React and Node.js. Published on GitHub a management app for a sports club used by 80 members. Looking for a software development internship."
Education: more than just the degree
When experience is missing, your education section has to say more than a course name and a year.
- Degree, institution, city, years (e.g. "BA in Media and Communication, University of Leeds, 2022-2025").
- Grade: include it if it's good. Otherwise you can leave it out.
- Dissertation: one line with the title and what you did ("analysis of 200 social campaigns by food brands").
- Relevant modules: only those linked to the role, not the full list.
- Time abroad: Erasmus+, exchanges, summer schools. They say a lot about independence and adaptability.
If you have a degree, your secondary school qualifications can take a single line or be left out.
Projects: your "hidden" experience
Projects are often the section that makes the difference in a junior CV, because they show you can apply what you've learned. Describe them like real experience: title, context, your role, tools, result.
Examples
- "Marketing project for a real company (Digital Marketing module, team of 4): competitor analysis and a 3-month Instagram content plan. The plan was adopted by the company."
- "Shared-expenses app (personal project): React Native and Firebase, published on Google Play, 150 downloads."
- "Analysis of road accident data in my region (coursework, Python and pandas): a dashboard of the highest-risk areas presented in the Statistics module."
If a project has a link (website, repository, portfolio), include it: the recruiter can check it in one click.
Experience: "irrelevant" jobs count too
Summer work in a café, tutoring, leafleting, volunteering: many people remove them because they think they have nothing to do with the role. In fact they show reliability, time management, customer contact and the ability to work under pressure.
Describe them so these qualities come through:
- Before: "Summer waiter."
- After: "Waiter, Central Café, Brighton (summers 2023-2024): table service in a 120-cover venue, end-of-shift cash-up, trained 2 new colleagues in the second season."
Short internships, work placements, civic service and roles in student societies should also go in as experience.
Skills: concrete and verifiable
- Digital tools: write the exact names (Excel, Google Sheets, Canva, Figma, WordPress, Python, SQL) and what you can do with each.
- Artificial intelligence: if you use AI tools for study or projects, say which ones and what for (research, analysis, writing, code). It's a skill in high demand for junior profiles.
- Online certifications: certified courses (Google, Microsoft, Cisco, platforms such as Coursera or edX) count if relevant. Give the course name and provider.
- Soft skills: don't list them, prove them. "Organisation" becomes "coordinated shifts for 15 volunteers at a three-day festival".
- Driving licence: mention it if the role involves travel.
A complete example of a CV with no experience
Julia White - Manchester - 07700 000000 - julia.white@email.com - linkedin.com/in/juliawhite
Profile: Modern Languages graduate for international business, English native, Spanish C1 and Italian B2. 3-month internship in the export department of a food company. Looking for a role as an international sales assistant.
Education: BA in Modern Languages and Business, University of Manchester, 2022-2025, 2:1. Dissertation: "Marketing protected-origin food products in South American markets". Erasmus+ semester in Valencia (2024).
Experience: Export department intern, food company (Mar-May 2025): handled correspondence with 15 customers in Spain and Latin America, prepared quotes, updated the CRM. Part-time bookshop assistant (2023-2025, weekends): sales, supplier orders, organised 4 book launches.
Skills: Excel (pivot tables), Salesforce (basic), Canva, Microsoft Office; Spanish C1 (DELE), Italian B2.
Typical mistakes in junior CVs
- An unprofessional email address.
- Writing "no experience" instead of highlighting projects and occasional jobs.
- Listing every exam or module with its grade.
- A two-page CV with repeated content.
- Exaggerating: calling a society role "manager" or claiming C1 languages you don't have.
- Sending the same CV for completely different roles.
Beyond the CV: how to improve your chances
- University careers services: many universities have a careers service with internship offers and employer fairs.
- LinkedIn: a complete profile, with a photo, a clear headline and featured projects, makes you findable by recruiters.
- Speculative applications: to companies that interest you, with a targeted CV and a short cover letter.
- Your network: lecturers, former classmates, former internship colleagues. Many first jobs start with a referral.
To get started, create your CV on WizardsCV: fill in the guided sections, choose a template suited to a junior profile and download the PDF for free, with no sign-up.
Frequently asked questions
What should I put on my CV if I've never worked?
Detailed education, academic or personal projects, internships, volunteering, seasonal jobs and digital skills. Describe them as real experience, with your role and a concrete result.
Can a student's CV be two pages?
Better not. One page is enough and forces you to select your strongest information. Two pages for a junior profile give the impression of padded content.
Should I include my grades?
If they're good, yes. If they're average or low you can leave them out: nothing obliges you to include them, and you can explain your path in the interview.
Should I include summer jobs?
Yes, especially if you have little experience. They show reliability, time management and customer contact: qualities any employer values.
