Graduate CV example
This example is for a recent business graduate with national service experience and part-time work, applying for entry-level finance and administration roles. It leads with education and gives national service the same weight as a job, because for most graduates it is the most relevant experience they have.
Who this example is for
Recent university graduates applying for their first full-time role.
Why this CV works
- The summary names the kind of job wanted, so a recruiter knows immediately where the CV fits.
- Education comes first and includes the class of degree and a relevant final-year project.
- National service is written like a real job, with specific tasks and results.
- A part-time job shows reliability and customer skills even though it is not in finance.
- Skills are specific (Excel functions, accounting software) rather than generic words like “hardworking”.
Tips for writing your own
Treat national service as work experience
List your posting under Work Experience with your role, the organisation and the dates. Describe what you actually did — reports prepared, records managed, people served — not just the department name.
Use your final-year project
A project shows you can plan and finish a piece of work. Add it under Projects with one or two lines on what you did and what you found.
Keep it to one or two pages
Most graduate CVs fit on one page. Remove secondary school details if you are short of space and they add nothing new.
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