Graduate CV With No Experience — What to Include and How to Write It

You Have More to Show Than You Think

Most graduates approach their first CV with the assumption that they have nothing relevant to include. This is almost never true.

Recruiters reviewing graduate applications know the candidates are recent graduates. They are not comparing you against professionals with 10 years of experience. They are asking: Does this person show initiative? Can they communicate clearly? Will they learn quickly?

Your job is to present what you have in a way that answers those questions.

What Counts as Experience on a Graduate CV

Internships and work placements

Even one or two weeks of work experience in a relevant field belongs on your CV. Treat it like any other job: job title, organisation, dates, and bullet points describing what you did and what you contributed.

Part-time and casual work

Retail, hospitality, tutoring, delivery, freelancing — all of this demonstrates real-world skills: customer handling, time management, reliability, working under pressure. Do not leave it off because it seems unrelated to the role.

University projects and dissertations

A final-year dissertation is a significant piece of independent research. List it. Include the title, a one-line description of what it involved, and any notable outcomes (grade, publication, real-world application).

Group projects demonstrate collaboration. Independent projects demonstrate initiative. Both are worth including — especially for roles in engineering, data, technology, business and research.

Extracurricular activities and societies

Captain of the football team? Events coordinator for a student society? Volunteer at a charity? These demonstrate leadership, organisation and initiative — qualities that are genuinely difficult to assess from academic results alone.

Volunteering

Any structured volunteering role should be listed. Include the organisation, your role, how long you were involved, and what you contributed.

Online courses and certifications

Google Analytics, HubSpot, AWS Cloud Practitioner, Coursera, Codecademy, LinkedIn Learning — if you completed a course and received a certificate, list it. It demonstrates self-directed learning, which employers value highly in graduates.

The Graduate CV Structure

Unlike experienced-professional CVs, graduate CVs typically lead with education:

1. Contact details — name, phone, email, LinkedIn, city
2. Personal statement — 3–4 lines positioning you as a candidate
3. Education — degree, A-levels, grades, relevant modules
4. Work experience / internships — even part-time counts
5. Projects and dissertations
6. Skills — software, tools, languages
7. Extracurricular and volunteering

How to Write a Personal Statement for a Graduate CV

Your personal statement (also called a professional summary) is 3–4 lines at the top of your CV. It should answer:

• Who are you? (degree subject, university)
• What do you bring? (relevant skills, experience, interests)
• What are you looking for? (the type of role or industry)

Weak example:

I am a motivated and hardworking recent graduate looking for an opportunity to develop my skills in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.

This says nothing. Every graduate writes something like this.

Strong example:

Economics graduate from the University of Leeds with a 2:1, a dissertation on behavioural pricing, and six months of marketing internship experience. Strong analytical skills developed through data-focused modules and independent research. Seeking a graduate role in marketing analytics or consumer insights.

How to Write Bullet Points Without Much Experience

Use this formula for each bullet: action verb + what you did + outcome or scale

• "Managed social media for the university debating society, growing Instagram following by 40% in one term"
• "Conducted primary research for dissertation involving 120 survey participants and regression analysis"
• "Handled customer complaints independently during peak retail periods, maintaining a calm and solutions-focused approach"

Notice that every bullet starts with a strong verb (managed, conducted, handled). Avoid starting with "Responsible for..."

Common Graduate CV Mistakes

• Listing every module you studied — pick 4–6 most relevant ones only
• Padding with soft skills — "team player", "excellent communicator" tell employers nothing
• Using a generic objective — replace with a specific personal statement
• No quantification — add numbers wherever you can, even approximate ones
• Sending the same CV to every job — tailor the keywords and summary for each application
• Leaving off any experience because you think it does not count — let the recruiter decide

Length for a Graduate CV

One page is standard for a graduate CV with limited experience. If you have substantial internship experience, project work, or volunteering, two pages is acceptable — but only if every section earns its place.