Crafting a winning CV is literally the exact same thing as creating the perfect first impression—your aim is to make as strong an impact in only a few seconds as a mic drop moment at a concert. But when you’re aiming for a foot-in-the-door opportunity—say, an entry-level position, a role in a new industry, or even an internship—the stakes are higher. You need a CV that dazzles recruiters, sifting through a mountain of generic, boring applications, like treasure in a rusty dusty chest, bursting open.
In this article, we’ll guide you step-by-step through creating a “foot-in-the-door” CV that will boost your chances of landing your first interview. Plus, we’ve included a sample CV that you can easily copy and paste to kick-start your own.
1. Understand the Purpose of a Foot-in-the-Door CV
A foot-in-the-door CV isn’t just a rundown of your experiences and skills—it’s your chance to show off your potential. It’s less about what you’ve already done and more about proving how eager, adaptable, and ready to grow you are. Employers hiring for entry-level roles or welcoming newcomers often want someone who can pick things up quickly, work well with others, and bring real passion to the job.
Key Elements:
- Tailored Objective or Summary: A brief, targeted statement that highlights your goals and what you can bring to the role.
- Skills over Experience: Focus on transferable skills, soft skills, and any relevant experiences, even if they’re from different industries.
- Education and Relevant Courses: If your experience is limited, showcase relevant coursework, certifications, or educational achievements.
- Volunteer Work or Internships: These experiences can often be as valuable as paid work in demonstrating your capabilities.
2. Structure Your CV for Maximum Impact
If you want to get your foot in the door, the structure of your CV should be clear, organized, and easy to read.
Remember, Recruiters give your “foot-in-the-door CV” the blink test—literally 6-7 seconds—before deciding whether to dig deeper. So, make those seconds work in your favor.
1. Prioritize What Matters Most
Put the most important stuff up top, like your education, key skills, and any relevant experience. You want to catch their eye right away with the best you’ve got.
2. Use Bullet Points and Headings
Break things down with bullet points and clear headings. This makes your CV skimmable, so recruiters can quickly find what they’re looking for. Plus, it just looks cleaner and more professional.
3. Keep It Brief
Don’t cram in every single detail of your life—stick to the highlights. A one-page CV is usually enough for recent grads, but if you’ve got more relevant experience, two pages are okay. Just be sure everything you include adds value.
4. Tailor It for Each Job
This might sound like extra work, but customizing your CV for each job you apply to is key. Use the job description as a guide to decide what to emphasize. Show them you’re exactly what they’re looking for.
5. Include a Personal Touch
Don’t be afraid to let a bit of your personality shine through, whether that’s in your summary or how you describe your experience. Employers want to know what makes you unique, so give them a glimpse of who you are, not just what you’ve done.
6. Triple-Check for Errors
Typos and mistakes can cost you an interview, so take the time to proofread carefully. Ask a friend or mentor to give it a look too—it’s easy to miss something in your own work.
7. Consider Including a Link to Your LinkedIn or Portfolio
If you have a LinkedIn profile or an online portfolio that showcases your work, include a link at the top of your CV. This gives recruiters an easy way to learn more about you and see your skills in action.
8. Get Feedback
Before you start sending your CV out, get feedback from someone you trust—like a career counselor, a mentor, or a friend in your field. They might spot something you missed or have ideas to make it even stronger.
9. Don’t Forget the Basics
Make sure your contact information is up-to-date, and don’t get too fancy with fonts or colors. Stick to something simple and professional. Your CV is about showing off your skills, not your graphic design abilities—unless you’re actually applying for a design job, of course!
3 structure suggestions for a foot-in-the-door CV that a recent grad could use
1. Lead with Education
- Why? For recent grads, education is often the most substantial section of the CV, especially if work experience is limited. Highlight your degree, relevant coursework, projects, honors, and any academic achievements right at the top. If you’ve got a solid GPA or specialized training, this is the place to show it off.
2. Skills Section Front and Center
- Why? If your experience is light, put your skills section right below your education. This allows you to immediately showcase the abilities that make you a good fit for the job. Customize this section to mirror the job description, emphasizing both hard and soft skills that match the role.
3. Include a Relevant Experience Section
- Why? Even if you don’t have much traditional work experience, create a section for “Relevant Experience” where you can include internships, volunteer work, freelance gigs, school projects, or anything else that relates to the job. Focus on what you did, what you learned, and how it applies to the role you’re targeting.
These structure suggestions help highlight what a recent grad does have, rather than what they might be lacking in formal work experience.
3. Crafting the Objective or Summary
Your objective or summary should be all about the specific job you’re going for. Think of it as your elevator pitch—a quick, punchy statement that tells the recruiter who you are and why you’re the right person for the job.
Example:
𝙼𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜-𝚘𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝙴𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖-𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚞𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝙰𝙱𝙲 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚢’𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖.Does the objective really matter that much?
It can, especially when you’re just starting out and your experience is limited. A well-crafted objective can grab the recruiter’s attention right away and set the tone for the rest of your CV. It’s your first impression on paper, so it’s worth the effort to get it right.
How do I make my objective stand out?
Be specific and show enthusiasm. Instead of saying something generic like, “Looking for a challenging role in marketing,” try something like, “Recent marketing graduate passionate about digital strategies, eager to apply creative problem-solving skills to drive brand growth at [Company Name].” Tailor it to the job and the company, and let your personality shine through.
Is it appropriate to include personality in my objective or summary?
Absolutely! A little personality can make your objective stand out. Just keep it professional. For example, “Creative problem-solver with a knack for finding efficient solutions,” shows both your skills and a bit of who you are.
Should I even bother with an objective if the company didn’t ask for one?
It’s a personal choice, but a well-written objective or summary can add value by quickly summarizing why you’re a great fit for the role. If you feel confident that it strengthens your application, go for it. If not, you can skip it and focus on making the rest of your CV shine.
What’s the difference between an objective and a summary?
An objective is about what you’re looking for in a job, while a summary is more about what you bring to the table. A summary is often better for grads with some experience or specific skills to highlight, while an objective can work well if you’re still carving out your career path.
How long should my objective or summary be?
Keep it short, and sweet—two to three sentences is good. You want to quickly convey who you are, what you can do, and why you’re a good fit.
What should I include in my objective or summary?
Focus on three main things: who you are (your professional identity), what you’re looking for (the role), and why you’re the perfect fit (your unique skills or experiences). For example, “Recent marketing graduate with a passion for digital strategy, seeking a role where I can leverage my content creation skills to drive engagement.
What if I don’t have much experience?
That’s okay! Emphasize your education, skills, and any relevant projects or internships. For example, “Motivated business graduate with hands-on experience in data analysis, eager to apply my skills in a dynamic team environment.
Okay, but why haven’t I ever gotten an interview when I’ve tailored every objective to each job?
Try revisiting your CV as a whole to make sure everything aligns and tells a strong story. Maybe your objective isn’t matching up with the rest of your CV, or it’s not quite hitting what the employer is looking for. Sometimes it’s about the overall CV, not just the objective. Make sure the rest of your CV is as strong as your objective. Also, consider whether the jobs you’re applying to are a good match for your skills and experience. Finally, it could be about how you’re applying—are you following up, networking, or making sure your CV is getting to the right people?
How can I avoid sounding too generic?
Don’t be vague, using phrases like “hard-working” or “dedicated.” Hit specifics that relate to the job. Skills, experiences, or goals that make you unique. For example, instead of “seeking a role in finance,” you could say, “seeking to leverage my analytical skills and finance internship experience to contribute to [Company Name]’s growth.”
What if I’m not 100% sure what job I want yet?
If you’re still exploring options, lead with a summary that highlights your strengths and what you’re passionate about. You can tweak it for each job to emphasize the parts that match the role. It’s okay not to have everything figured out—just show that you’re motivated and eager to learn.
Can I use the same objective for multiple job applications?
You can, but it’s always better to tailor it to each job. Recruiters can tell when something’s generic, and a personalized objective makes it clear that you’re serious about the specific role. It might take a little extra time, but it can make a big difference in getting noticed.
4. Highlighting Your Skills
When you’re putting together a CV to get your foot in the door, the skills section is where you can really shine. Even if your experience isn’t extensive, this is your chance to show what you’re capable of.
Example of a Skills Section:
𝚂𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚜
- 𝙳𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝚂𝙴𝙾, 𝚂𝙴𝙼, 𝚂𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚐𝚢
- 𝙰𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜: 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝙰𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜, 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚊 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝙰/𝙱 𝚃𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐
- 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗: 𝙲𝚘𝚙𝚢𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗
- 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝: 𝙰𝚐𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚃𝚘𝚘𝚕𝚜 (𝚃𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘, 𝙰𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚊)
- 𝚃𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚂𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚜: 𝙷𝚃𝙼𝙻/𝙲𝚂𝚂, 𝙼𝚒𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝙾𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚎, 𝙰𝚍𝚘𝚋𝚎 𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚘𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚙Customize this section to match the job description and highlight the skills that fit best with what the employer is after.
What if I don’t have the exact skills listed in the job description?
No sweat! Focus on the skills you do have that are similar or related. For instance, if the job calls for project management but you’ve only coordinated group projects at school, that still counts. It’s all about showing that you have the foundational skills and are eager to build on them.
How do I know which skills to highlight?
Start by studying the job description carefully. The key skills they mention should be front and center on your CV. Also, think about what you’re really good at—what do people always ask you for help with? Those are the skills to emphasize, as long as they’re relevant to the job.
Should I list soft skills like communication or problem-solving, or stick to technical skills?
Both! Employers want to see a mix of soft skills and technical know-how. Communication, teamwork, and problem-solving are just as important as things like coding or data analysis. Just make sure you back up your skills with examples or results wherever you can.
Can I include skills I’m still learning or not fully confident in yet?
Yes, but be honest about your proficiency. If you’re still learning something, you can mention it as a ‘developing skill’ or say you have a basic understanding. This shows that you’re proactive about learning and growth, which is a plus in any job.
What if I feel like I don’t have enough skills to fill this section?
You probably have more skills than you think! Consider everything—school projects, part-time jobs, hobbies, volunteer work. Even things like organizing events or tutoring can demonstrate valuable skills. If you’re still coming up short, consider picking up some new skills through online courses or workshops. Employers appreciate candidates who are committed to self-improvement.
5. Showcasing Your Experience
Even if you don’t have tons of formal work experience, you can still make this part of your CV stand out. The secret? Focus on what you’ve learned and how it connects to the job you’re going for.
Example of an Experience Section:
𝙴𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎
𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗
𝚇𝚈𝚉 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙰𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚢, 𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹
- 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚎𝚌𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚜, 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝟷𝟻% 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝.
- 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚎𝚜.
- 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚋𝚢 𝟸𝟶% 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚜.
- 𝙳𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝚗𝚎𝚠𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜.
𝚂𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎
𝚁𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚎, 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝-𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 (𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷-𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸)
- 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚎, 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝟷𝟶% 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜.
- 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗-𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎.
- 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, 𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜.
In this section, focus on results and the impact of your contributions. Even small wins can demonstrate your potential to future employers.
What counts as ‘experience’ if I haven’t had a traditional job?
Experience isn’t just about traditional jobs. Internships, part-time gigs, volunteer work, freelance projects, and even school activities all count. Anything where you’ve gained skills or knowledge relevant to the job can go here.
How do I make unrelated jobs seem relevant?
The trick is to highlight the transferable skills. Did you work in retail? Talk about customer service, communication, or teamwork. Did you do a summer camp job? Focus on leadership, problem-solving, and responsibility. Most jobs teach you something that’s useful in other fields, so find that link.
What if I only have unpaid or volunteer experience?
That’s completely fine. Unpaid work is still work. Emphasize the skills you gained and the responsibilities you had, just like you would with a paid job. Employers care more about what you can do than whether you got paid to do it.
Should I list every job I’ve ever had?
Quality over quantity. Focus on the roles that are most relevant to the job you’re applying for. If you have space, you can include other jobs, but don’t feel like you need to list every single one. The goal is to show your strengths and how they align with the role.
How do I describe my role in a way that impresses employers?
Be specific about your tasks and achievements. Instead of saying, “Handled customer inquiries,” you could say, “Resolved customer issues in a fast-paced environment, improving satisfaction ratings by 15%.” Numbers and results make a bigger impact and show that you got things done.
Should I mention jobs that aren’t related to my career goals?
It depends. If the job taught you valuable skills that are relevant to the role you want, include it. If it’s completely unrelated and doesn’t add much to your CV, it might be better to leave it out or give it less focus. Tailor your CV to match the job as closely as possible.
How do I show that I’ve learned something valuable from each experience?
Think about what each role taught you—whether it’s time management, teamwork, or problem-solving—and how that relates to the job you want. Frame your experience in a way that highlights growth and learning. For example, “Managed a team of five during a group project, developing leadership and coordination skills.” Show that you’re always learning and improving.
6. Emphasizing Your Education
For a CV that gets your foot in the door, your education section is what HR gravitates toward first—especially if you don’t have much work experience yet. Be sure to spotlight any coursework, projects, or honors that tie into the job you’re after.
Example of an Education Section:
𝙴𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 :
𝙱𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐
𝚄𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝙱𝙲, 𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹
- 𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔: 𝙳𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝙱𝚎𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚛, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑, 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝
- 𝙷𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚜: 𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚗’𝚜 𝙻𝚒𝚜𝚝, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚕𝚞𝚋 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝
𝙲𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜:
- 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝙰𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜 𝙲𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍
- 𝙷𝚞𝚋𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝 𝙸𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
If you’ve taken any additional courses or earned certifications outside of your degree, be sure to include those as well.
What if I didn’t get any honors or awards?
No worries! You don’t need a list of awards to impress. Focus on coursework or projects that are relevant to the role. Talk about the skills you picked up or the challenges you overcame in those classes. Employers care more about what you’ve learned and how you can apply it than a fancy title.
Should I include my GPA?
This depends. If your GPA is impressive (think 3.5 or higher), it’s worth including, especially if you’re applying to companies that value academic achievement. If it’s lower, you might want to leave it out and instead focus on highlighting specific coursework or projects that demonstrate your strengths.
How do I make coursework sound relevant to a job?
The trick is to translate what you did in class into skills or knowledge the job requires. For example, if you took a marketing course, mention any campaigns you designed, even if they were just for class. Or, if you did a research project, highlight the analytical skills you developed. Frame everything in a way that shows how it prepped you for the real world.
What if my degree isn’t directly related to the job I’m applying for?
That’s okay! Focus on the transferable skills. Almost every degree teaches you something valuable, whether it’s critical thinking, communication, or problem-solving. Also, emphasize any elective courses or projects that align more closely with the job. You can show that you’ve got a well-rounded background that’s still relevant.
Should I list high school details if I’m a recent grad?
Once you’re in college or beyond, it’s usually better to focus on your higher education. However, if something from high school is really impressive—like a major award, leadership position, or a relevant internship—you can include it. Just be sure it adds value and doesn’t clutter up the more important info from your college years.
7. Adding Extra Value with Additional Sections
Depending on what you’ve been up to, you might have some extra experiences or skills that can really make your CV pop. If you’ve got space, think about adding sections for volunteer work, projects, languages, or any cool extracurricular activities.
Example of Additional Sections:
𝚅𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝙴𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎
𝚂𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚅𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚛
𝙻𝚘𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝙰𝚗𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚕 𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸
- 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚋𝚢 𝟸𝟻%.
- 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜.
𝙻𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜
- 𝙴𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑: 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎
- 𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑: 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎 (𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕)
What if my volunteer work isn’t related to the job I’m applying for?
That’s totally fine! Volunteer work shows you’re proactive and committed. Even if it’s not directly related, it can still highlight transferable skills like leadership, teamwork, or time management.
Should I include every project I’ve worked on, or just the most impressive ones?
Focus on the projects that best showcase skills that are relevant to the job. Quality over quantity here—pick the ones that really make you look good and align with the role.
What if I don’t speak another language fluently?
Even if you’re not fluent, basic language skills can be a plus, especially if the company operates in different countries or deals with international clients. Just be honest about your proficiency, and it could still give you an edge!
8. The Finishing Touches
Before you send off your CV, double-check for any errors or formatting issues. A polished, error-free CV shows attention to detail and professionalism. Consider using tools like Grammarly or asking a friend to review your CV for any mistakes you might have missed.
Finally, always save your CV as a PDF before sending it out to ensure that your formatting remains consistent regardless of the device or software the recruiter is using.
Sample CV to Copy
Use this sample foot-in-the-door CV as a template. Simply copy, paste, and customize it to fit your own experiences and the job you’re applying for:
𝙽𝚊𝚖𝚎 𝙷𝚎𝚛𝚎
[𝚈𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜] | [𝙲𝚒𝚝𝚢, 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚎, 𝚉𝚒𝚙] | [𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝙽𝚞𝚖𝚋𝚎𝚛] | [𝙴𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝙰𝚍𝚍𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚜] | [𝙻𝚒𝚗𝚔𝚎𝚍𝙸𝚗 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚏𝚒𝚕𝚎]
𝙾𝚋𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎
𝙼𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚊 𝚍𝚎𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚜-𝚘𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝. 𝙴𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚐𝚎 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚋𝚕𝚎𝚖-𝚜𝚘𝚕𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚞𝚝𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝙰𝙱𝙲 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚢’𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚟𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚎𝚊𝚖.
𝚂𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚜
- 𝙳𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝚂𝙴𝙾, 𝚂𝙴𝙼, 𝚂𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚐𝚢
- 𝙰𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜: 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝙰𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜, 𝙳𝚊𝚝𝚊 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝙰/𝙱 𝚃𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐
- 𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗: 𝙲𝚘𝚙𝚢𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙿𝚞𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚌 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝙳𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚐𝚗
- 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚓𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝: 𝙰𝚐𝚒𝚕𝚎 𝙼𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚍𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚎𝚜, 𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝, 𝙲𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚃𝚘𝚘𝚕𝚜 (𝚃𝚛𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚘, 𝙰𝚜𝚊𝚗𝚊)
- 𝚃𝚎𝚌𝚑𝚗𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚂𝚔𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚜: 𝙷𝚃𝙼𝙻/𝙲𝚂𝚂, 𝙼𝚒𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚘𝚏𝚝 𝙾𝚏𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚎 𝚂𝚞𝚒𝚝𝚎, 𝙰𝚍𝚘𝚋𝚎 𝙿𝚑𝚘𝚝𝚘𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚙
𝙴𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎
𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚗
𝚇𝚈𝚉 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙰𝚐𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚢, 𝚂𝚞𝚖𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹
- 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚎𝚌𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚌𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚜 𝚟𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚝𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖𝚜, 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝟷𝟻% 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝.
- 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚙𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚜𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚒𝚗𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚖 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗 𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚎𝚜.
- 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚏𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚘𝚠𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚋𝚢 112% 𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚎𝚎 𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚑𝚜.
- 𝙳𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚝𝚛𝚒𝚋𝚞𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚕𝚘𝚐 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚎𝚖𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝚗𝚎𝚠𝚜𝚕𝚎𝚝𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜.
𝚂𝚊𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎
𝚁𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚕 𝚂𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚎, 𝙿𝚊𝚛𝚝-𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎 (𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟷-𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸)
- 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚟𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚎𝚡𝚌𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚒𝚌𝚎, 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚞𝚕𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝟷𝟶% 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚛𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚝 𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚜.
- 𝙰𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚞𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚝𝚘 𝚊 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚗-𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎.
- 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚊𝚜𝚑 𝚛𝚎𝚐𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚘𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜, 𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚍𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚜𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜.
𝙴𝚍𝚞𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
𝙱𝚊𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝚛𝚝𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐**
𝚄𝚗𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚏 𝙰𝙱𝙲, 𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚍𝚞𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚢 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟹
- 𝚁𝚎𝚕𝚎𝚟𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚜𝚎𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚔: 𝙳𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚝𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐, 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚜𝚞𝚖𝚎𝚛 𝙱𝚎𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚛, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑, 𝙱𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝
- 𝙷𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚜: 𝙳𝚎𝚊𝚗’𝚜 𝙻𝚒𝚜𝚝, 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚕𝚞𝚋 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚝
𝙲𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜
- 𝙶𝚘𝚘𝚐𝚕𝚎 𝙰𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚢𝚝𝚒𝚌𝚜 𝙲𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚎𝚍
- 𝙷𝚞𝚋𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚝 𝙸𝚗𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚎𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙲𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚒𝚏𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗
𝚅𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝙴𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎
𝚂𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝙼𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚅𝚘𝚕𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚛
𝙻𝚘𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝙰𝚗𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚕 𝚂𝚑𝚎𝚕𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝟸𝟶𝟸𝟸
- 𝙼𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚕 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊 𝚊𝚌𝚌𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚜, 𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝚎𝚗𝚐𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚖𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚋𝚢 𝟸𝟻%.
- 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚜𝚌𝚑𝚎𝚍𝚞𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚝𝚜 𝚙𝚛𝚘𝚖𝚘𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚙𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚏𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚌𝚊𝚖𝚙𝚊𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚜.
𝙻𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚞𝚊𝚐𝚎𝚜
- 𝙴𝚗𝚐𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚑: 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎
- 𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚜𝚑: 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎 (𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕)
Conclusion
A foot-in-the-door CV is your first big chance to score an interview. Even if you don’t have tons of experience, you can still make a strong case for yourself by tweaking your CV to show off your skills, potential, and anything relevant you’ve done. After all, every pro started somewhere, and with the right CV, you’re one step closer to landing that dream job.
