personal statement for fresh graduate cv

Resume personal statement examples

If you want to secure job interview, you need a strong personal statement at the top of your resume.

Your resume personal statement is a short paragraph which sits at the very top of your resume – and it’s aim is to summarize the benefits of hiring you and encourage employers to read your resume in full.

In this guide I have included 17 resume personal statement examples from a range of professions and experience levels, plus a detailed guide of how to write your own personal statement that will get you noticed by employers

Resume templates 

17 resume personal statement examples

To start this guide, I have included 10 examples of good personal statements, to give you an idea of how a personal statement should look , and what should be included.

Note: personal statements are generally used by junior candidates – if you are experienced, check out our resume summary examples instead.

College graduate resume personal statement (no experience)

Although this college graduate has no paid work experience , they compensate for it by showcasing all of the skills and knowledge the have gained during their studies, and demonstrating how they apply their knowledge in academic and personal projects.

When you have little or no experience, it’s important to draw out transferable workplace skills from your studies and extracurricular work, to showcase them to employers.

College graduate resume personal statement (part time freelance experience)

This candidate has graduated college with a degree in biochemistry but actually wants to start a career in marketing after providing some digital freelance services to fund their studies.

In this case, they haven’t made much mention of their studies because they aren’t relevant to the marketing agencies they are applying to. Instead they have focused their personal statement around their freelance work and passion for the digital field – although they still mention the fact they are degree educated to prove their academic success.

High school leaver resume personal statement (no experience)

This candidate is 16 years old and has no work experience whatsoever, but they compensate for this by detailing their academic achievements that relate to the roles they are applying for (maths and literacy are important requirements in finance and accountancy roles).

They also add some info on their extracurricular activities and high school work-placements, to strengthen this student resume further.

Top tips for writing a resume personal statement

• Thoroughly research the jobs and companies you are planning to apply for to identify the type of candidate they are looking for – try to reflect that in your personal statement
• Don’t be afraid to brag a little – include some of your most impressive achievements from education, work or personal life
• Focus on describing the benefits an employer will get from hiring you. Will you help them to get more customers? Improve their workplace? Save them time and money?
• If you have no work experience, demonstrate transferable workplace skills from your education, projects, or even hobbies

High school leaver resume personal statement (part time experience)

Although this person has only just left high school, they have also undertaken some part-time work in a call center alongside their studies.

To make the most of this experience, they have combined their academic achievements with their workplace exposure in this personal statement.

By highlighting their future studies, summer programme involvement, work experience and expressing their ambitions to progress within sales, this candidate really makes an appealing case for hiring them.

College leaver resume personal statement (no experience)

This candidate has left college with good grades, but does not yet have any work experience.

To compensate for the lack of workplace exposure, they have made their honor results prominent and highlighted skills and experience which would benefit the employers they are targeting.

Any recruiter reading this summary can quickly understand that this candidate has great academic achievements, a passion for IT and finance and the ability to transfer their skills into an office environment.

College student resume personal statement (freelance experience)

As this student has picked up a small amount of freelance writing work during their studies, they have made sure to brag about it in their personal statement.

They give details on their relevant studies to show the skills they are learning, and boost this further by highlighting the fact that they have been applying these skills in a real-life work setting by providing freelance services.

They also include key action verbs that recruiters will be looking for , such as creative writing, working to deadlines, and producing copy.

Academic resume personal statement

Aside from junior candidates, the only other people who might use a personal statement, are academic professionals; as their resume’s tend to be more longer and detailed than other professions.

This candidate provides a high level overview of their field of study, length of experience, and the roles they have held within colleges.

High school leaver resume personal statement with sports experience

Although this person has no work experience, they are still able to show employers the value of hiring them by selling their other achievements and explaining how they could benefit an organization.

They expand on their sports club involvement to demonstrate their teamwork, leadership skills, communication and motivation, which are all important traits in the workplace, and will be looked upon favourably by recruiters and hiring managers.

They also draw upon their future plans to study business studies at college and take a part time job, to further prove their ambition and dedication.

History graduate resume personal statement

This history graduate proves their aptitude for both academic achievement and workplace aptitude by showcasing valuable skills from their degree and voluntary work.

They do this by breaking down the key requirements for each and showing how their skills could be beneficial for future employers, such as listening, communication, and crisis management.

They also describe how their ability to balance studies alongside voluntary work has not only boosted their knowledge and skills, but also given excellent time management and organizational skills – which are vital assets to any employer.

Law graduate resume personal statement

This legal graduate makes the most from their college work placements by using it to bulk out the contents of their resume personal statement.

They include their degree to show they have the necessary qualifications for legal roles, which is crucial, but more importantly, they showcase how they applied their legal skills within a real-life work setting.

They give a brief overview of the types of legal professionals they have been working alongside and the type of work they have been carrying out – this is all it takes to get the attention of recruiters and show employers they have what it takes to fulfil roles in the legal sector.

Medical student resume personal statement

This medical student proves their fit for the role by showcasing the key skills they have gained from their studies and their work experience placements.

In just these few sentences, they are able to highlight the vast amount of experience they have across different disciplines in the industry, something which is particularly important in the medical sector.

As they have not graduated yet and are still studying, they have provided proof of their most recent grades. This can give the recruiter some indication as to the type of grade they could be graduating with in the near future.

Masters student resume personal statement

This masters student has started by specifying their area of study, in this case, accounting, and given details about the specific areas of finance they are most interested in. This can hint towards their career goals and passions.

They have then carefully listed some of the key areas of accounting and finance that they are proficient in. For example, business finance, advanced corporate finance and statistics.

They have also outlined some of the transferable skills needed for accounting roles that employers will be looking out for, such as communication, attention to detail and analytical skills.

Finance student resume personal statement

As this finance student has recently undertaken some relevant work experience, they’ve made sure to shout about this in their personal summary.

But more than this, they have included a list of some of the important finance skills they gained as a result of this work experience – for example, financial reporting, processing invoices and month-end reconciliations.

Plus, through power words and phrases such as ‘prevent loss’ and ‘improve upon accuracy and efficiency’, they have also showcased how they can apply these skills in a workplace setting to benefit the potential employer.

Internship resume personal statement

This digital marketing professional has started their personal summary by outlining their most relevant qualifications and work experience, most notably their freelance role as a content manager.

They have also provided examples of some of the key marketing skills that potential employers might be looking for, including very detailed examples of the platforms and tools they are proficient in – for example, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.

They have then closed their statement by giving a detailed description of the type of role or opportunity they are looking for. In this case, an in-house position in a marketing company.

College graduate career changer personal statement

Switching careers as a college graduate can be tough. Especially when it comes to writing a personal statement that will attract employers in your new chosen field.

This candidate is looking to move from history teaching into journalism, so they have created a statement which briefly mentions their current workplace, but mainly focuses on highlighting transferable skills which are relevant to journalism. They achieve this by discussing the writing skills they use in their current role, and mentioning their hobby of writing – including some publications they have been featured in for extra brownie points.

Business management graduate personal statement

This business management proves their ability to work within a junior business management position by swiftly highlighting their impressive degree (to ensure it is not missed) and summarizing some of the real-life experience they have gained in management during their college placements and volunteering. They do not let their lack of paid work experience, stop them demonstrating their valuable skills.

PhD graduate

PhD graduate roles attract a lot of competition, so it’s important that your resume contains a personal statement that will quickly impress and attract recruiters.

This candidate provides a short-but-comprehensive overview of their academic achievements, whilst demonstrating their exceptional level of knowledge in research, languages and publication writing.

By highlighting a number of skills and abilities that are in high-demand in the academic workplace, this resume is very likely to get noticed and land interviews.

How to write a personal statement for your resume

Now that you’ve seen what a personal statement should look like and the type of content it should contain, follow this detailed guide to one for your own resume – and start racking those interviews up.

Guide contents

What is a resume personal statement?

Resume personal statement or resume summary, personal statement format, what to include in a resume personal statement.

• Personal statement mistakes

How to write persuasively

A personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of your resume which gives employers an overview of your education, skills and experience

It’s purpose is to capture the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers when your resume is first opened – encouraging them to read the rest of it.

You achieve this by writing a tailored summary of yourself that explains your suitability for the roles you are applying for at a very high level, and matches your target job descriptions .

One question candidates often ask me is , “what is the difference between a personal statement and a resume summary?”

To be honest, they are almost the same – they are both introductory paragraphs that sit at the top of your resume… but there are 2 main differences:

A personal statement tends to be used more by junior candidates (college graduates, high school leavers etc.) and is relatively long and detailed.

A resume summary tends to be favoured by more experienced candidates , and is shorter in length than a personal statement.

Note: If you are an experienced candidate, you may want to switch over to my resume writing guide , or example resume summaries page.

To ensure you grab recruiters’ attention with your personal statement, lay it out in the following way.

Positioning

You need to ensure that your personal statement sits at the very top of your resume, and all of it should be totally visible to readers, without the need to scroll down the page.

Do this by reducing the top page margin and minimizing the space taken up by your contact details.

This will ensure that your whole personal statement can be seen, as soon as your resume is opened.

We have a resume template which can help you to get this right.

Size/length

Your personal statement needs to contain enough detail to provide an introduction to your skills and knowledge, but not so much detail that it bores readers.

To strike the right balance, anything between 8-15 lines of text is perfect – and sentences should be sharp and to-the-point.

As with the whole of your resume , your personal statement should be written in a simple clean font at around size 10-12 to ensure that it can be read easily by all recruiters and employers.

Keep the text color simple, ensuring that it contrasts the background (black on white is best) and break it into 2 or even 3 paragraphs for a pleasant reading experience.

It should also be written in a punchy persuasive tone, to help you sell yourself and increase your chances of landing interviews , I cover how to do this in detail further down the guide.

Quick tip: A poorly written resume will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy Resume Builder to create a winning resume in minutes with professional resume templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Once you have the style and format of your personal statement perfected, you need to fill it with compelling content that tells recruiters that your resume is worth reading.

Here’s what needs to go into your personal statement…

Before you start writing your personal statement, it’s crucial that you research your target roles to find out exactly what your new potential employers are looking for in a candidate.

Run a search for your target jobs on one of the major job websites, look through plenty of adverts and make a list of the candidate requirements that frequently appear.

This research will show you exactly what to include in your personal statement in order to impress the recruiters who will be reading it.

Education and qualifications are an important aspect of your personal statement, especially if you are a junior candidate.

You should highlight your highest and most relevant qualifications, whether that is a degree or your GED. You could potentially go into some more detail around modules, papers etc. if they are relevant to the roles you are applying for.

It’s important that you discuss the experience you have gained in your personal statement, to give readers an idea of the work you are comfortable undertaking.

This can of course be direct employed work experience, but it doesn’t have to be.

You can also include:

• High school/college work placements
• Voluntary work
• Personal projects
• Hobbies/interests

As with all aspects of your resume , the content should be tailored to match the requirements of your target roles.

Whilst discussing your experience, you should touch upon skills used, industries worked in, types of companies worked for, and people you have worked with.

Where possible, try to show the impact your actions have made. E.g.  A customer service agent helps to make sales for their employer.

Any industry-specific knowledge you have that will be useful to your new potential employers should be made prominent within your personal statement.

For example

• Knowledge of financial regulations will be important for accountancy roles
• Knowledge of IT operating systems will be important for IT roles
• Knowledge of the national curriculum will be important for teachers

You should also include some information about the types of roles you are applying for, and why you are doing so. Try to show your interest and passion for the field you are hoping to enter, because employers want to hire people who have genuine motivation and drive in their work.

This is especially true if you don’t have much work experience, as you need something else to compensate for it.

Resume personal statement mistakes

The things that you omit from your personal statement can be just as important as the things you include.

Try to keep the following out of your personal statement..

Irrelevant info

Any information that doesn’t fall into the requirements of your target roles can be cut out of your personal statement. For example, if you were a professional athlete 6 years ago, that’s great – but it won’t be relevant if you’re applying to advertising internships, so leave it out.

Generic clichés

If you are describing yourself as a “ dynamic team player with high levels of motivation and enthusiasm” you aren’t doing yourself any favours.

These cliché terms are vastly overused and don’t provide readers with any factual details about you – so keep them to a minimum.

Stick to solid facts like education, skills , experience, achievements and knowledge.

If you really want to ensure that your personal statement makes a big impact, you need to write in a persuasive manner.

So, how do you so this?

Well, you need to brag a little – but not too much

It’s about selling yourself and appearing confident, without overstepping the mark and appearing arrogant.

For example, instead of writing.

“Marketing graduate with an interest in entering the digital field”

Be creative and excite the reader by livening the sentence up like this,

“Marketing graduate with highest exam results in class and a passion for embarking on a long and successful career within digital”

The second sentence is a much more interesting, makes the candidate appear more confident, throws in some achievements, and shows off a wider range of writing skills.

Quick tip: A poorly written resume will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy Resume Builder to create a winning resume in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Your own personal statement will be totally unique to yourself, but by using the above guidelines you will be able to create one which shows recruiters everything they need.

Remember to keep the length between 10-20 lines and only include the most relevant information for your target roles.

You can also check our college graduate resume example , our best resume templates , or our library of example resumes from all industries.

Good luck with the job hunt!

How to Write a CV Personal Statement [+4 Real-life Examples]

Creating an effective CV takes time and close attention to detail. You've already included your jobs and experience , and now you want to allow the recruiter or hiring manager to understand the strategic value you can add.

This is when you need to utilize a personal statement at the top of your CV.

How to Write a CV Personal Statement [+4 Real-life Examples] 

What is a Personal Statement? 

A personal statement is a few brief and direct sentences at the top of your CV. The personal statement is also referred to as a career summary or personal mission statement.

This is used to grab the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager and summarizes essential experiences or training that you can bring to this position.

Why do I Need a Personal Statement?

A recruiter or hiring manager is tasked with sorting through an enormous amount of resumes every single day. A personal statement is a way to separate yourself from the other applicants.

This statement summarizes your experience and highlights your unique talents . The CV personal statement is meant to demonstrate why you are the perfect fit for the job. 

Even med students need a medical school personal statement , as it is what differentiates them from all the other students applying. Plus, it allows them to share their personal stories and objectives.

Where do I Start? 

Always begin by reading the job description carefully and thoroughly.

Your personal statement should be tailored to each job description, so it explicitly states the value you’ll bring to the position you are applying. A generic personal statement cannot do that. 

Once you have a solid handle on the job description, you can begin writing. It’s important to keep your personal statement brief, about 50-200 words will do.

Don’t forget that you have your whole cover letter to show some personality and include engaging content.

The personal statement should be a quick summary that highlights why you are the best person for the job. 

You’ll need to decide whether you are writing your personal statement in first- or third-person. This should follow how you've written the rest of your CV.

For example, if you've already written, “I grew and developed a team of 50 salespeople,” in your CV then you will want to keep your personal statement in first-person to match the prevailing style.

No matter what you choose, make sure that you keep it consistent throughout. Do not switch between first- and third-person as that will get confusing to the hiring manager.

Writing a personal statement for your CV in first-person does not mean you need to start every sentence with “I.”

There are ways to craft your personal statement to sound snappy, concise and personal, and here are a few examples to help inspire your personal statement. 

CV Personal Statement Examples

It doesn’t matter what chose as your desired career or how much experienc e you have, use these examples to drive the creation of your own personal statement.

You can take snippets from each or write something completely different. Always remember that your personal statement is a reflection of yourself and should align with your own personal goals and experience.

If these examples don’t fit your exact career, feel free to take some pointers and write yours from scratch. 

#1: Personal Statement Example for Recent Graduate CV

“As a recent graduate from university, with an honors degree in communications, I held several internships within leading organizations, including Bertelsmann. These internships enabled me to gain experience in the field and learn how to serve up valuable contributions in a fast-paced, professional environment.”

Explanation: This example should be customized to include the university you’ve graduated from and any relevant internships. A compelling personal statement always highlights relevant skills and experiences.

In this case, a recent graduate does not have extensive experience in the workforce, so soft skills like experiencing success in a fast-paced work environment and becoming a trusted team member become even more critical.

#2: Personal Statement Example for Returning to the Workforce CV

“A highly motivated and experienced office administrator, I am currently looking to resume my professional career after an extended hiatus to raise my family. Proficient in all Microsoft Office programs, I can lead meetings and work with clients to keep your office running smoothly and efficiently. After spending several years volunteering as an administrative worker for a local charity, I am committed to resuming my professional career on a full-time basis.”

Explanation: After time off from a career, it can be hard to break back into the market. This personal statement outlines the reason for the break, the relevant qualifications and what the applicant has been doing in between jobs.

Any volunteer experience becomes highly relevant when there is no concrete professional experience to draw upon, to demonstrate the use of those skills. 

#3: Personal Statement Example for a Career Change CV

“With over 15 years as a sales manager, I have extensive experience building high-functioning sales teams that consistently achieve budget numbers. In fact, my ability to grow talent led to a 20% increase in annual renewals across the board. Now, after 15 years, I am seeking new challenges to flex my marketing muscles in a fast-paced environment.” 

Explanation: When changing careers , it's essential to highlight skills that are transferable between industries.

In this case, leadership and team-building experience can apply to any industry. Homing in on concrete numbers and percentages increases credibility when applying for a position.

The applicant ends with the reason behind the desired career change. This part is not necessary but may be appealing to some hiring managers who are wondering what the impetus for the career change.

#4: Personal Statement Example for a Experienced Professional CV

“As a friendly, professional and highly trained educator, I am passionate about teaching and have an innate ability to understand student’s needs. Creating a safe and productive environment for optimal learning is my top priority. I’ve worked as a teacher for nearly 10 years in a variety of subjects and my experience and skill set make me the perfect fit for your team.”

Explanation: With more experience comes more skills and a better idea of strengths and weaknesses. Showcasing your passion for the industry is a great way to begin a personal statement, as it shows the hiring manager your dedication to the craft. 

A personal statement can be written in many different ways, but it is ultimately up to you to determine what skills you want to highlight for your chosen position.

You can follow these examples or take learnings from each to contribute towards your personal statement. 

If you understand the job you are applying for and know the unique skill set that you bring to the table, you will have a stellar personal statement for your CV that will get you across the table from the hiring manager in no time.  

Suggested Reading:

• How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) in 2024 [31+ Examples]
• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume  [With Tips + Tricks]
• How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”

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Writing a personal statement for your CV

CV personal statements are like the sales pitch of your CV, but not everyone thinks they're useful. Discover if they're really necessary, how to write a CV personal profile and templates for inspiration

What is a CV personal statement?

A CV personal statement is a concise paragraph or summary, which details what you can bring to a job or company. It's also known as an opening statement, personal profile, personal summary or executive summary.

Sitting at the top of your CV, it's your opportunity to sell yourself to employers and to highlight the relevant skills and experience you possess.

While effectively and succinctly convincing recruiters that you're a good fit for the role, a personal statement gives you the chance to show off your strengths and share your career goals.

'The focus of your CV statement should be to target your offer to employers - why should they hire you and how are you different to other graduates? Therefore, making your personal statement as unique as possible is crucial to ensure you stand out from the crowd,' explains Alex Proctor, careers consultant at the University of Bradford.

Do I need a personal summary on my CV?

Traditionally, almost all CV types include a personal statement but there is some debate about whether you actually need to include one.

Some recruiters and careers advisers believe that personal profiles are one of the most important parts of a CV, as they provide an easily accessible overview of a candidate's ability, while others feel that personal statements are a waste of valuable space and time.

The latter belief is often the case with graduate CVs, as some employers feel that those just stepping onto the career ladder don't necessarily have enough knowledge or experience to warrant a personal statement. Because of this, a graduate's personal profile runs the risk of being bland and generic and stating things that should be a given, such as, 'I'm hardworking and organised,' which is why some recruiters believe that they are best suited to more senior CVs.

So while your CV doesn't need a personal statement, employers spend only seconds looking at application documents. With this in mind, a CV personal statement gives you an invaluable opportunity to make your application stand out as quickly as possible.

Alex believes 'that a CV personal statement is a good idea, because employers often have so many CVs to read through and the personal statement, if clear and concise, can elevate your chances of getting through to the next stage of the recruitment process.'

If you'd like to include a personal statement on your CV it might be best, as a graduate, to focus on your educational background and the career path you'd like to embrace. If you have relevant experiences use these to make your personal statement unique. 'If you haven’t got much work experience, focus on what experience you can extract from your degree,' advises Alex. 'If you have taken part in various projects demonstrate what your role was. Alternatively, if you have written a dissertation, showcase your topic and what skills you have developed from this experience. Employers will value your individuality even if you haven't had masses of practical work experience.'

If you're struggling to give it context and get it right, make an appointment with your university's careers or employability service and ask an adviser to help you hone your writing. 

What should I include in my CV personal profile?

In terms of length, a CV personal profile should be no longer than 150 words. 'It should be short, impactful and aligned effectively with the CV content,' explains David Ainscough, careers consultant team lead and deputy director at the University of Cambridge.

'A personal CV profile should include details of your educational background, evidence of work experience, as well as your career aspirations. You ideally need to ensure you are telling the reader what you can offer skill-wise and don't be afraid to also share any accomplishments,' adds Alex.  

If you're struggling with what to write, break your personal statement down into three parts. Focus on:

• who you are
• what you can offer
• your career aims.

Start by introducing yourself. For example, 'A recent graduate with a 2:1 in English literature from the Hillview University' or a 'Highly-skilled physiotherapist with five years’ experience…'

Next, detail what you can offer the company. Ask yourself why you're suited to the role and cover any relevant skills or experience. If you lack practical work experience instead draw attention to your academic achievements, such as contributing to university publications, which developed written communication, attention to detail and teamworking skills. Or how you applied skills learned on your physical therapy degree during your time as a physio assistant for university sport teams.

Conclude your personal statement by highlighting your career goals. For example, 'I am looking to start my career in the exciting world of publishing and to develop the skills learned through my university studies and internships.'

It's up to you how you present this information; there is no hard and fast rule. However, personal statements are generally displayed as a single paragraph, without a title or subheading. You'll need to keep it consistent with the rest of your CV formatting, meaning that the font size and type will need to be the same throughout your document.

Also, consider the voice and tense you'd like to use. Personal statements can be written in either the first or third person, but you'll need to maintain this voice throughout - don't switch between the two.

Take a look at  how to write a CV .

How can I make it stand out to employers?

• 'Remember that first impressions count so make sure you're giving the recruiter a comfortable reading experience. Layout and clarity are crucial,' says David.
• Tailor your CV personal statement (and CV in general) to each application.
• Be honest. Untruths are easy to uncover and lying on your CV is a criminal offence.
• Provide evidence of skills and experience but remember to keep it brief. For example, 'experienced event manager, who led a team to organise a charity ball for 150 people, raising £5,000 - a 20% increase on previous years.'
• Use the job description to help form your CV personal profile.
• Stick to the word limit.
• Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. The personal summary sits at the top of your CV so any errors will be immediately apparent.
• 'Keep it fresh. It needs to be reviewed in each application you make so consider something new to say each time,' adds David.
• Read it aloud once you've finished writing to make sure it flows.
• Copy and paste from your  cover letter or from online CV personal statement examples. Your personal summary needs to be unique and personal to you.
• Include unnecessary personal information such as your age, marital status etc.
• Use clichés, slang or jargon.
• Use bland, empty statements like 'I work well independently and as part of a team'. This tells employers absolutely nothing about what you’re capable of.
• Overuse buzzwords.
• Include quotes from previous employers.
• Ramble. Recruiters don't have time to read through waffle, so get to the point.

Think about the connotations of the words you use - 'currently studying' implies things might change, 'trying' implies failure, 'might' or 'maybe' sounds like you're not sure. The words you use have power so choose them carefully. You want to sound confident, positive and enthusiastic.

Find out more about the  top 7 CV mistakes .

CV personal statement examples

To help you get started take a look at the following CV personal profile examples.

As a recent graduate from the University of Townville, with a 2:1 honours degree in marketing, I have undertaken internships at industry-leading agencies such as Beyond Imagination and Noah Freemans. These placements have allowed me to develop sector knowledge and gain hands on experience, as well as expand transferable skills such as commercial awareness, communication and negotiation and analytical skills. My career aim is to gain a role which allows me to further my expertise and take on increased responsibility at a market-leading digital marketing agency.

I am a highly motivated 2:1 forensic science graduate from Groveshire University, looking to secure a graduate position that enables me to use and develop my analytical, attention to detail and communication skills. I have gained relevant experience in both scientific and hospital laboratories, which allowed me to build on my problem solving, concentration and team working skills. My career goal is to assume a role that enables me to analyse and interpret forensic data and to eventually move into crime scene investigation.

Remember; avoid copying and pasting ready-made examples. Instead use them as a guide to craft your own, tailored CV personal statement. Take a look at our  example CVs .

Find out more

• Learn more about  applying for jobs .
• Get more advice on CVs and cover letters .

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PrepScholar GRE Prep

Gre prep online guides and tips, 3 successful graduate school personal statement examples.

Looking for grad school personal statement examples? Look no further! In this total guide to graduate school personal statement examples, we’ll discuss why you need a personal statement for grad school and what makes a good one. Then we’ll provide three graduate school personal statement samples from our grad school experts. After that, we’ll do a deep dive on one of our personal statement for graduate school examples. Finally, we’ll wrap up with a list of other grad school personal statements you can find online.

Why Do You Need a Personal Statement?

A personal statement is a chance for admissions committees to get to know you: your goals and passions, what you’ll bring to the program, and what you’re hoping to get out of the program.  You need to sell the admissions committee on what makes you a worthwhile applicant. The personal statement is a good chance to highlight significant things about you that don’t appear elsewhere on your application.

A personal statement is slightly different from a statement of purpose (also known as a letter of intent). A statement of purpose/letter of intent tends to be more tightly focused on your academic or professional credentials and your future research and/or professional interests.

While a personal statement also addresses your academic experiences and goals, you have more leeway to be a little more, well, personal. In a personal statement, it’s often appropriate to include information on significant life experiences or challenges that aren’t necessarily directly relevant to your field of interest.

Some programs ask for both a personal statement and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. In this case, the personal statement is likely to be much more tightly focused on your life experience and personality assets while the statement of purpose will focus in much more on your academic/research experiences and goals.

However, there’s not always a hard-and-fast demarcation between a personal statement and a statement of purpose. The two statement types should address a lot of the same themes, especially as relates to your future goals and the valuable assets you bring to the program. Some programs will ask for a personal statement but the prompt will be focused primarily on your research and professional experiences and interests. Some will ask for a statement of purpose but the prompt will be more focused on your general life experiences.

When in doubt, give the program what they are asking for in the prompt and don’t get too hung up on whether they call it a personal statement or statement of purpose. You can always call the admissions office to get more clarification on what they want you to address in your admissions essay.

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What Makes a Good Grad School Personal Statement?

A great graduate school personal statement can come in many forms and styles. However, strong grad school personal statement examples all share the same following elements:

A Clear Narrative

Above all, a good personal statement communicates clear messages about what makes you a strong applicant who is likely to have success in graduate school. So to that extent, think about a couple of key points that you want to communicate about yourself and then drill down on how you can best communicate those points. (Your key points should of course be related to what you can bring to the field and to the program specifically).

You can also decide whether to address things like setbacks or gaps in your application as part of your narrative. Have a low GPA for a couple semesters due to a health issue? Been out of a job for a while taking care of a family member? If you do decide to explain an issue like this, make sure that the overall arc is more about demonstrating positive qualities like resilience and diligence than about providing excuses.

Specific Examples

A great statement of purpose uses specific examples to illustrate its key messages. This can include anecdotes that demonstrate particular traits or even references to scholars and works that have influenced your academic trajectory to show that you are familiar and insightful about the relevant literature in your field.

Just saying “I love plants,” is pretty vague. Describing how you worked in a plant lab during undergrad and then went home and carefully cultivated your own greenhouse where you cross-bred new flower colors by hand is much more specific and vivid, which makes for better evidence.

A strong personal statement will describe why you are a good fit for the program, and why the program is a good fit for you. It’s important to identify specific things about the program that appeal to you, and how you’ll take advantage of those opportunities. It’s also a good idea to talk about specific professors you might be interested in working with. This shows that you are informed about and genuinely invested in the program.

Strong Writing

Even quantitative and science disciplines typically require some writing, so it’s important that your personal statement shows strong writing skills. Make sure that you are communicating clearly and that you don’t have any grammar and spelling errors. It’s helpful to get other people to read your statement and provide feedback. Plan on going through multiple drafts.

Another important thing here is to avoid cliches and gimmicks. Don’t deploy overused phrases and openings like “ever since I was a child.” Don’t structure your statement in a gimmicky way (i.e., writing a faux legal brief about yourself for a law school statement of purpose). The first will make your writing banal; the second is likely to make you stand out in a bad way.

Appropriate Boundaries

While you can be more personal in a personal statement than in a statement of purpose, it’s important to maintain appropriate boundaries in your writing. Don’t overshare anything too personal about relationships, bodily functions, or illegal activities. Similarly, don’t share anything that makes it seem like you may be out of control, unstable, or an otherwise risky investment. The personal statement is not a confessional booth. If you share inappropriately, you may seem like you have bad judgment, which is a huge red flag to admissions committees.

You should also be careful with how you deploy humor and jokes. Your statement doesn’t have to be totally joyless and serious, but bear in mind that the person reading the statement may not have the same sense of humor as you do. When in doubt, err towards the side of being as inoffensive as possible.

Just as being too intimate in your statement can hurt you, it’s also important not to be overly formal or staid. You should be professional, but conversational.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

Our graduate school experts have been kind enough to provide some successful grad school personal statement examples. We’ll provide three examples here, along with brief analysis of what makes each one successful.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 1

PDF of Sample Personal Statement 1 – Japanese Studies

For this Japanese Studies master’s degree, the applicant had to provide a statement of purpose outlining her academic goals and experience with Japanese and a separate personal statement describing her personal relationship with Japanese Studies and what led her to pursue a master’s degree.

Here’s what’s successful about this personal statement:

• An attention-grabbing beginning: The applicant begins with the statement that Japanese has never come easily to her and that it’s a brutal language to learn. Seeing as how this is an application for a Japanese Studies program, this is an intriguing beginning that makes the reader want to keep going.
• A compelling narrative: From this attention-grabbing beginning, the applicant builds a well-structured and dramatic narrative tracking her engagement with the Japanese language over time. The clear turning point is her experience studying abroad, leading to a resolution in which she has clarity about her plans. Seeing as how the applicant wants to be a translator of Japanese literature, the tight narrative structure here is a great way to show her writing skills.
• Specific examples that show important traits: The applicant clearly communicates both a deep passion for Japanese through examples of her continued engagement with Japanese and her determination and work ethic by highlighting the challenges she’s faced (and overcome) in her study of the language. This gives the impression that she is an engaged and dedicated student.

Overall, this is a very strong statement both in terms of style and content. It flows well, is memorable, and communicates that the applicant would make the most of the graduate school experience.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 2

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 2 – Musical Composition

This personal statement for a Music Composition master’s degree discusses the factors that motivate the applicant to pursue graduate study.

Here’s what works well in this statement:

• The applicant provides two clear reasons motivating the student to pursue graduate study: her experiences with music growing up, and her family’s musical history. She then supports those two reasons with examples and analysis.
• The description of her ancestors’ engagement with music is very compelling and memorable. The applicant paints her own involvement with music as almost inevitable based on her family’s long history with musical pursuits.
• The applicant gives thoughtful analysis of the advantages she has been afforded that have allowed her to study music so extensively. We get the sense that she is insightful and empathetic—qualities that would add greatly to any academic community.

This is a strong, serviceable personal statement. And in truth, given that this for a masters in music composition, other elements of the application (like work samples) are probably the most important.  However, here are two small changes I would make to improve it:

• I would probably to split the massive second paragraph into 2-3 separate paragraphs. I might use one paragraph to orient the reader to the family’s musical history, one paragraph to discuss Giacomo and Antonio, and one paragraph to discuss how the family has influenced the applicant. As it stands, it’s a little unwieldy and the second paragraph doesn’t have a super-clear focus even though it’s all loosely related to the applicant’s family history with music.
• I would also slightly shorten the anecdote about the applicant’s ancestors and expand more on how this family history has motivated the applicant’s interest in music. In what specific ways has her ancestors’ perseverance inspired her? Did she think about them during hard practice sessions? Is she interested in composing music in a style they might have played? More specific examples here would lend greater depth and clarity to the statement.

Sample Personal Statement for Graduate School 3

PDF of Sample Graduate School Personal Statement 3 – Public Health

This is my successful personal statement for Columbia’s Master’s program in Public Health. We’ll do a deep dive on this statement paragraph-by-paragraph in the next section, but I’ll highlight a couple of things that work in this statement here:

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• This statement is clearly organized. Almost every paragraph has a distinct focus and message, and when I move on to a new idea, I move on to a new paragraph with a logical transitions.
• This statement covers a lot of ground in a pretty short space. I discuss my family history, my goals, my educational background, and my professional background. But because the paragraphs are organized and I use specific examples, it doesn’t feel too vague or scattered.
• In addition to including information about my personal motivations, like my family, I also include some analysis about tailoring health interventions with my example of the Zande. This is a good way to show off what kinds of insights I might bring to the program based on my academic background.

Grad School Personal Statement Example: Deep Dive

Now let’s do a deep dive, paragraph-by-paragraph, on one of these sample graduate school personal statements. We’ll use my personal statement that I used when I applied to Columbia’s public health program.

Paragraph One: For twenty-three years, my grandmother (a Veterinarian and an Epidemiologist) ran the Communicable Disease Department of a mid-sized urban public health department. The stories of Grandma Betty doggedly tracking down the named sexual partners of the infected are part of our family lore. Grandma Betty would persuade people to be tested for sexually transmitted diseases, encourage safer sexual practices, document the spread of infection and strive to contain and prevent it. Indeed, due to the large gay population in the city where she worked, Grandma Betty was at the forefront of the AIDS crises, and her analysis contributed greatly towards understanding how the disease was contracted and spread. My grandmother has always been a huge inspiration to me, and the reason why a career in public health was always on my radar.

This is an attention-grabbing opening anecdote that avoids most of the usual cliches about childhood dreams and proclivities. This story also subtly shows that I have a sense of public health history, given the significance of the AIDs crisis for public health as a field.

It’s good that I connect this family history to my own interests. However, if I were to revise this paragraph again, I might cut down on some of the detail because when it comes down to it, this story isn’t really about me. It’s important that even (sparingly used) anecdotes about other people ultimately reveal something about you in a personal statement.

Paragraph Two: Recent years have cemented that interest. In January 2012, my parents adopted my little brother Fred from China. Doctors in America subsequently diagnosed Fred with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). My parents were told that if Fred’s condition had been discovered in China, the (very poor) orphanage in which he spent the first 8+ years of his life would have recognized his DMD as a death sentence and denied him sustenance to hasten his demise.

Here’s another compelling anecdote to help explain my interest in public health. This is an appropriately personal detail for a personal statement—it’s a serious thing about my immediate family, but it doesn’t disclose anything that the admissions committee might find concerning or inappropriate.

If I were to take another pass through this paragraph, the main thing I would change is the last phrase. “Denied him sustenance to hasten his demise” is a little flowery. “Denied him food to hasten his death” is actually more powerful because it’s clearer and more direct.

Paragraph Three: It is not right that some people have access to the best doctors and treatment while others have no medical care. I want to pursue an MPH in Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia because studying social factors in health, with a particular focus on socio-health inequities, will prepare me to address these inequities. The interdisciplinary approach of the program appeals to me greatly as I believe interdisciplinary approaches are the most effective way to develop meaningful solutions to complex problems.

In this paragraph I make a neat and clear transition from discussing what sparked my interest in public health and health equity to what I am interested in about Columbia specifically: the interdisciplinary focus of the program, and how that focus will prepare me to solve complex health problems. This paragraph also serves as a good pivot point to start discussing my academic and professional background.

Paragraph Four: My undergraduate education has prepared me well for my chosen career. Understanding the underlying structure of a group’s culture is essential to successfully communicating with the group. In studying folklore and mythology, I’ve learned how to parse the unspoken structures of folk groups, and how those structures can be used to build bridges of understanding. For example, in a culture where most illnesses are believed to be caused by witchcraft, as is the case for the Zande people of central Africa, any successful health intervention or education program would of necessity take into account their very real belief in witchcraft.

In this paragraph, I link my undergraduate education and the skills I learned there to public health. The (very brief) analysis of tailoring health interventions to the Zande is a good way to show insight and show off the competencies I would bring to the program.

Paragraph Five: I now work in the healthcare industry for one of the largest providers of health benefits in the world. In addition to reigniting my passion for data and quantitative analytics, working for this company has immersed me in the business side of healthcare, a critical component of public health.

This brief paragraph highlights my relevant work experience in the healthcare industry. It also allows me to mention my work with data and quantitative analytics, which isn’t necessarily obvious from my academic background, which was primarily based in the social sciences.

Paragraph Six: I intend to pursue a PhD in order to become an expert in how social factors affect health, particularly as related to gender and sexuality. I intend to pursue a certificate in Sexuality, Sexual Health, and Reproduction. Working together with other experts to create effective interventions across cultures and societies, I want to help transform health landscapes both in America and abroad.

This final paragraph is about my future plans and intentions. Unfortunately, it’s a little disjointed, primarily because I discuss goals of pursuing a PhD before I talk about what certificate I want to pursue within the MPH program! Switching those two sentences and discussing my certificate goals within the MPH and then mentioning my PhD plans would make a lot more sense.

I also start two sentences in a row with “I intend,” which is repetitive.

The final sentence is a little bit generic; I might tailor it to specifically discuss a gender and sexual health issue, since that is the primary area of interest I’ve identified.

This was a successful personal statement; I got into (and attended!) the program. It has strong examples, clear organization, and outlines what interests me about the program (its interdisciplinary focus) and what competencies I would bring (a background in cultural analysis and experience with the business side of healthcare). However, a few slight tweaks would elevate this statement to the next level.

Graduate School Personal Statement Examples You Can Find Online

So you need more samples for your personal statement for graduate school? Examples are everywhere on the internet, but they aren’t all of equal quality.

Most of examples are posted as part of writing guides published online by educational institutions. We’ve rounded up some of the best ones here if you are looking for more personal statement examples for graduate school.

Penn State Personal Statement Examples for Graduate School

This selection of ten short personal statements for graduate school and fellowship programs offers an interesting mix of approaches. Some focus more on personal adversity while others focus more closely on professional work within the field.

The writing in some of these statements is a little dry, and most deploy at least a few cliches. However, these are generally strong, serviceable statements that communicate clearly why the student is interested in the field, their skills and competencies, and what about the specific program appeals to them.

Cal State Sample Graduate School Personal Statements

These are good examples of personal statements for graduate school where students deploy lots of very vivid imagery and illustrative anecdotes of life experiences. There are also helpful comments about what works in each of these essays.

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However, all of these statements are definitely pushing the boundaries of acceptable length, as all are above 1000 and one is almost 1500 words! Many programs limit you to 500 words; if you don’t have a limit, you should try to keep it to two single-spaced pages at most (which is about 1000 words).

University of Chicago Personal Statement for Graduate School Examples

These examples of successful essays to the University of Chicago law school cover a wide range of life experiences and topics. The writing in all is very vivid, and all communicate clear messages about the students’ strengths and competencies.

Note, however, that these are all essays that specifically worked for University of Chicago law school. That does not mean that they would work everywhere. In fact, one major thing to note is that many of these responses, while well-written and vivid, barely address the students’ interest in law school at all! This is something that might not work well for most graduate programs.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 10

This successful essay for law school from a Wheaton College undergraduate does a great job tracking the student’s interest in the law in a compelling and personal way. Wheaton offers other graduate school personal statement examples, but this one offers the most persuasive case for the students’ competencies. The student accomplishes this by using clear, well-elaborated examples, showing strong and vivid writing, and highlighting positive qualities like an interest in justice and empathy without seeming grandiose or out of touch.

Wheaton College Personal Statement for Graduate School Sample 1

Based on the background information provided at the bottom of the essay, this essay was apparently successful for this applicant. However, I’ve actually included this essay because it demonstrates an extremely risky approach. While this personal statement is strikingly written and the story is very memorable, it could definitely communicate the wrong message to some admissions committees. The student’s decision not to report the drill sergeant may read incredibly poorly to some admissions committees. They may wonder if the student’s failure to report the sergeant’s violence will ultimately expose more soldiers-in-training to the same kinds of abuses. This incident perhaps reads especially poorly in light of the fact that the military has such a notable problem with violence against women being covered up and otherwise mishandled

It’s actually hard to get a complete picture of the student’s true motivations from this essay, and what we have might raise real questions about the student’s character to some admissions committees. This student took a risk and it paid off, but it could have just as easily backfired spectacularly.

Key Takeaways: Graduate School Personal Statement Examples

In this guide, we discussed why you need a personal statement and how it differs from a statement of purpose. (It’s more personal!)

We also discussed what you’ll find in a strong sample personal statement for graduate school:

• A clear narrative about the applicant and why they are qualified for graduate study.
• Specific examples to support that narrative.
• Compelling reasons why the applicant and the program are a good fit for each other.
• Strong writing, including clear organization and error-free, cliche-free language.
• Appropriate boundaries—sharing without over-sharing.

Then, we provided three strong graduate school personal statement examples for different fields, along with analysis. We did a deep-dive on the third statement.

Finally, we provided a list of other sample grad school personal statements online.

What’s Next?

Want more advice on writing a personal statement ? See our guide.

Writing a graduate school statement of purpose? See our statement of purpose samples  and a nine-step process for writing the best statement of purpose possible .

If you’re writing a graduate school CV or resume, see our how-to guide to writing a CV , a how-to guide to writing a resume , our list of sample resumes and CVs , resume and CV templates , and a special guide for writing resume objectives .

Need stellar graduate school recommendation letters ? See our guide.

See our 29 tips for successfully applying to graduate school .

Ready to improve your GRE score by 7 points?

Author: Ellen McCammon

Ellen is a public health graduate student and education expert. She has extensive experience mentoring students of all ages to reach their goals and in-depth knowledge on a variety of health topics. View all posts by Ellen McCammon

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• CV Examples

Graduate CV: Examples, Template + Writing Guide [2024]

Write a graduate CV that’ll get you a job before the ink on your degree is dry. Check out our graduate CV examples and writing tips to get you hired fast, even without experience.

The average annual cost of university in the UK is now in excess of £20,000 a year. That’s a massive investment you’ve just made in yourself so make sure it pays dividends.

Get out there and get the best job possible for your qualifications. For that, you need a graduate CV that best shows off all the knowledge and skills you’ve gained.

In the time it takes to make a cup of tea you’ll see:

• A job-winning graduate CV template.
• A fresh graduate CV examples that’ll get you more interviews.
• How to write a graduate CV even if you have no experience.
• Graduate CV examples and tips on how to make full use of your hard-earned education.

Want to save time and have your CV ready in 5 minutes? Try our CV builder. It’s fast and easy to use. Plus, you’ll get ready-made content to add with one click. See 20+ CV templates and create your CV here .

Create your CV now

Sample graduate CV— See more CV examples here .

Want other CV writing guides? Read more:

• Student CV Example & Writing Guide
• Waitress CV Example & Writing Guide
• Retail / Sales Assistant CV & Writing Guide
• Receptionist CV Example & Writing Guide
• Customer Service CV Example & Writing Guide
• Medical  CV Example & Writing Guide
• Legal CV Example & Writing Guide
• 18+ Creative CV Templates to Download

Graduate CV Example

Megan Sykes

Ph: 0777 777 7777

Email: [email protected]

LSE graduate with BSc Hons in Economics. My studies have given me a detailed understanding of economic theory and its application through practical data analysis. Looking to apply my skills in a fast-paced business environment in the role of graduate Data Analyst with Equinox.

BSc (Hons) 2:2 Economics, September 2016–June 2019

The London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Key skills gained:

• Fundamental elements of micro and macroeconomic principles and analysis, econometrics, and theoretical statistics.
• Highly developed analytical skills with the ability to balance a heavy workload and prioritise accordingly.
• Ability to examine complex datasets drawing conclusions appropriate to the problems at hand.
• Advanced written and verbal communication skills through the production of essays and reports adhering to strict guidelines and delivering presentations to large groups.
• Proficient in MS Office suite including advanced Excel knowledge, G Suite, Stata, Matlab, and SAS.

A levels: Maths, Mandarin, Economics, September 2014–June 2016

Forest Hill Comprehensive, London, UK

11 GCSEs including Mathematics and English, September 2012–June 2014

• Skills Summary

COMMUNICATION

• Developed skills in interpersonal communication with colleagues and customers working as a Customer Assistant.
• Gained leadership and mentoring skills through volunteer coaching of children’s football classes.
• Honed written communication skills as contributor to LSE student economics magazine, Rationale.

ORGANISATION

• Balanced challenging workload of university studies, part-time work, extra-curricular activities and volunteer work.
• Helped to arrange events as active member of LSE SU Economics society including guest speakers and helping to arrange annual boat party event.

IT & TECH SKILLS 

• Competent in C++
• Advanced Photoshop and image editing skills. 

Work Experience

Customer Assistant

Bartlebys Books, Clapham, London

October 2017–Present

• Serving and assisting customers, using comprehensive product knowledge to meet and anticipate their requirements.
• Delivering as a team member at a store that consistently meets sales targets and receives excellent reviews for customer service.
• Stock management including visual displays, completing all tasks within required timeframes.
• Mandarin—advanced
• Silver Award, Economics Society—LSE SU Awards 2018

Volunteering

• Volunteer Befriender with Age UK. Helping to provide companionship and care to the aged.

Impressive, isn’t it? Here’s how to make your graduate CV equally good:

Choose the Best Graduate CV Format

You’ve successfully finished university, so no doubt you’ve written a CV before. Find that old CV and bin it.  

It’s time to rewrite it from scratch with the best CV format, taking into account the full picture with regards to the skills you’ve gained from your years of study. 

CV examples in the UK tend to follow two formats. The best known is the reverse-chronological format . It’s centered on your employment history, presented with your most recent role first and working back in time from there. Perfect for people with a decent amount of work experience under their belt, not so great for a graduate just starting out. But there is a solution.

For a graduate CV template, you should follow the skills based CV   format also known as functional format. This takes the pressure off in terms of work history and instead focuses on your abilities, qualifications and of course your skills. Those are the key selling points on a CV for a fresh graduate without experience. Here’s how to structure it properly.

Graduate CV Template—Section Order

• Personal statement
• Work experience
• Additional sections

That’s the basic structure for your CV template, but it needs to be presented in a visually appealing way. The best way to do that is with good layout.

Use Good Graduate CV Layout

Find a clock, count off 9 seconds. That’s how long the average employer takes to scan your CV. In less time than it takes Usain Bolt to run 100 metres your fate is sealed. You need to make every nanosecond count by making sure they can find the information they need fast. 

Good layout makes your CV easy to read and ensures you make a good first impression. For the purpose of writing a graduate CV, stick to standard business layout. Here’s what to do:

Graduate CV Layout Rules

• Set margins of one inch on each side of the page.
• Set spacing to 1.15.
• Use a clear, readable font set at 10 to 12 point.
• Left align only, no justification.
• Double-space between sections for emphasis and clarity.

Not sure what font to use? Go for the classics such as Calibri, Cambria, Helvetica, Verdana, or Didot.

There’s most likely one more layout question on your lips. How long should a graduate CV be? The answer is, drum roll please, no more than two pages. A one page CV should usually be enough for a graduate, but two pages is not a problem.

One last thing. Save your CV as PDF . It preserves the beautiful layout you’ve just created. However, also save a copy in another format, like MS Word DOC, as some employers won’t accept PDF. For extra flexibility make a copy in Google Docs and create a sharing link to it as a backup.

So your word processor is fired up, your layout is set and we’re ready to begin.

Start Your Graduate CV With a Header

This is the very first section at the top of your CV that gives your name and contact details. Not an exciting subject, but absolutely necessary, so let’s get it over with quickly.

Start with your full name in a font 4–6 points larger than your body text. Then your contact details. Phone number and a clickable email address are essential, but residential address is optional. This also happens to be the only section of your CV where centre alignment is ok.

Also, make sure the email address you use for your job search is a sensible one. [email protected] was funny when you were 16, not so much now. Here’s the right way to structure your header:

Graduate CV Example Header 

Next up, your personal statement.

Write Your Graduate CV Personal Statement

Your personal statement sets the tone for the CV content that follows. It’s a brief summary of your skills and experience and should always be tailored to the job you’re applying for. 

Do that by carefully reading the job description included with the job advert. Note the skills and qualifications that the employer requires. Then make sure you address them in your personal statement. 

Space on your graduate CV is precious so make it no longer than 200 words, or a maximum of four lines. Aim to answer three simple questions. Who are you? What can you offer to the employer? And, what are your career goals? Always aim to give examples with measurable achievements. See the examples.

Graduate CV Examples: Personal Statement

Your CV personal statement needs to be short and sweet, but also specific to the role you’re applying for . The first example does exactly that, stating the graduate’s achievements, objective, skills, and homing in on the role being applied to. 

The second one sounds like it’s been copied into every application being sent, and that’s the last thing you want. It doesn’t even mention the university that the candidate attended. Excellent communication skills? That’s pretty vague. Just mentioning data analysis software is too vague as well. Be specific.

Include Your Education with Skills

We’ve already said it, you’ve just made a huge financial outlay in your education . Don’t be half-hearted in promoting your achievement. 

An education section is essential on any CV, but for a graduate CV it’s particularly important. Make it the very first section following your personal statement. 

Here’s how format the education section:

• Write in reverse-chronological order. So Uni is first and school follows.
• For uni, include your full, named degree e.g. BSc in Mathematics, with classification. 
• List your university using the full formal name, with dates you attended. 
• Don’t include individual modules, unless they’re relevant to the job you’re applying for. 
• Use bold and italic will help the vital information stand out.

Include a skills summary directly under your university degree like this. 

• Aim for 4–6 bullet points listing the skills/knowledge you’ve gained from your degree. 
• Include a combination of soft skills and hard skills. 

Next comes school, which looks like this.

• List A levels individually. 
• For GCSEs just list the number you got, but do specify Maths and English as most employers consider these to be essential. 
• Don’t include school grades as your uni degree is the most recent and relevant of your educational attainments.

Here’s a sample to show you how it’s done.

Graduate CV Example—Education Section

Done right, this is the part of your graduate CV that makes an employer stop thinking about what sandwich they’ll have for lunch and start thinking about what a fabulous candidate you are. 

The first example has a fantastic list of skills and ticks all the boxes for necessary details and layout.

The second might work for someone with years of employment experience, but it doesn’t cut it for a graduate CV. Vital details about the degree missing and no skills summary. If you want your CV to disappear into oblivion then this is a good way to do it.

Your degree isn’t the sole source of your talents though. You’ll have gained skills that are valuable to employers by other means, too. Read on to see how to include them.

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check . Start building your CV here .

When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

Pop your CV into some different templates to see how it looks. Read more here: 20+ Free CV Templates to Download Now

Create a Skills Summary for Your Graduate CV

Use this section for skills you’ve gained outside of your degree. The same rule applies here as to the rest of your graduate CV. Make sure they increase your desirability as an employee and that they’re relevant to the job you’re applying for. 

A whopping 61% of employers say they’ve been impacted by a lack of required skills so getting this right is an essential part of your job search. 

Organise your skills into categories such as communication, organisation, and IT and tech skills. Then put a couple of bullet points under each. Give specific scenarios and achievements showing how you’ve attained them, where possible. As always, leverage your layout for maximum visual appeal.

Here’s how it should look.

Graduate CV Example—Skills Summary

You don’t need a first from Oxford to see which of those is more attractive to an employee. Apart from skills specific to the job description you should also consider the top general skills sought after by top UK employers . Skills such as adaptability, problem-solving and valuing diversity are big wins, regardless of the job.

Include All Work Experience in Your Graduate CV

Like the title says, include all work experience that you have. On a graduate CV this won’t be a glittering career history and it isn’t expected to be. 

However any job that you’ve had should be included. Apart from skills and experience gained it really helps your CV to stand out just that little bit more.

Here’s how to do it:

• Write in reverse chronological order, starting on your most recent job and working back.
• Include the job title, company name and location, and the dates of employment.
• Use 4–6 bullet points that combine responsibilities with achievements. 
• Target your skills and achievements to the job you’re applying for.
• Use the PAR (Problem-Action-Result) formula for maximum impact.

Now see that advice in action.

Graduate CV Example—Work Experience

The first example is like Bram Stoker’s Dracula next to that awful Twilight fan fiction you wrote as a teenager. It shows a combination of duties, useful skills, and achievements that back them up, such as meeting sales targets. Don’t just rattle off your duties like the second example does.

We’re not finished yet though. Not by a long shot. There are some final touches you can add to give your CV an extra boost.

Add Extra Sections to Your Graduate CV

There are around 250 applicants for every job . With such strong competition, you need a secret ingredient that bumps your CV up from a third to a first. 

You’ve probably got other skills and experience that don’t fit neatly into the sections we’ve already covered. Include some additional sections to show these off and shift the odds in your favour. 

First, some suggested additional sections for a CV for a fresh graduate without experience.

Graduate CV Examples—Additional Sections

• Volunteer Work

Awards and Honours

• Hobbies and Interests
• Certification

Each of these has the potential to add value to your application and convince the hiring manager of your credentials. Here’s how to write them.

Volunteering is a powerful addition to your CV. A survey by Deloitte revealed 82% of employers are more likely to consider candidates with volunteering experience . That’s an incredibly powerful boost to your chances. Contributing your time unpaid also shows motivation and work ethic. Qualities that are desired by every employer.

Volunteer Work—Example

An easy win. Recognition of your talents and abilities is a great way of making you stand out in terms of skills and achievements.

Awards and Honours—Example

You just need to include the details of the award and the year you achieved it. Do keep it recent and relevant though. Best leave off your third-place win in the speed pint drinking contest.

Language skills boost your career. In an increasingly global and interconnected economy this is an additional section that’s a must-have.

Languages—Example

Simply state the language and your level of fluency.

We’re almost finished, but there’s one more thing.

Attach a Cover Letter to Your Graduate CV

Cover letters are still a thing and they’re still very important. Almost half of employers will reject your application if you don’t include one.

But it's easy when you know what to include in a cover letter :

• Follow standard business formatting rules and use the right cover letter length . That's one page tops.
• Mention the hiring manager by name when addressing your cover letter.
• Write an attention-grabbing cover letter introduction.
• Highlight your most impressive skills and achievements.
• End your cover letter with a closing statement that includes a call to action.

And we’re all done.

Make sure your cover letter formatting is perfect. Read more:  How to Format a Cover Letter [Examples & Step-by-Step Guide]

For even more great CV writing tips check out this guide: 20+ Job Winning CV Tips and Advice

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your resume will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here.  Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaways

Writing a graduate CV needn’t be painful, even when you don’t have experience. Here’s a cheat sheet to help get your job search started in style:

• Use skills-based format for your graduate CV. It’s the best choice when your work experience is limited.
• Build your CV on a foundation of good layout so every line is easily read.
• Write a personal statement that’ll make the employer eager for more.
• Keep the focus on your education and skills, but never leave out work experience. Then add value with additional sections.

If you’ve got questions, then we’ve got answers. Use the comments section to get more info on how you can write the perfect graduate CV.

About Zety’s Editorial Process

Our editorial team has thoroughly reviewed this article to ensure it follows Zety’s editorial guidelines . Our dedication lies in sharing our expertise and providing you with actionable career advice that offers you real value. Every year, the quality of our content attracts 40 million readers to our site. But that’s not all – we conduct original research to gain a detailed understanding of the labour market. We take pride in being cited by top universities and leading media outlets in the UK and worldwide .

• https://hbr.org/2014/09/workers-dont-have-the-skills-they-need-and-they-know-it#:~:text=The%20most%20important%20skills%20that,skills%20were%20second%20most%20important.
• https://www.pcc.edu/staff/tmaldona/wp-content/uploads/sites/114/2018/08/Samples-of-a-PAR-formula-statements.pdf
• https://www.glassdoor.com/employers/blog/50-hr-recruiting-stats-make-think/
• https://www2.deloitte.com/content/dam/Deloitte/us/Documents/us-deloitte-impact-survey.pdf

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3 Graduate CV Examples (+How to Write a Graduate CV)

Posted by CV Nation on Jan 28, 2021

An in-depth, illustrated guide to writing a fantastic graduate CV, which includes 3 graduate CV templates that you can use now.

Preparing an effective graduate CV can be a daunting task. How do students and recent graduates show employers that they’re the best candidates for jobs when they have little or no experience?

In this guide, we’ll show you how to do exactly that.

We’ll show you how to package your academic experiences in a way that makes recruiters see you as a worthy candidate among experienced professionals.

Graduate CV Example

How to Write a Graduate CV

Contact details.

It goes without saying that your CV should include your contact details. However, there is often some confusion among job-seekers regarding the way this information should be presented.

So, what are the key points to consider?

There is no need to include your full address, unless recruiters have requested you to do so. Instead, simply include the name of the town/city and country that you live in.

If you have a LinkedIn profile, include your LinkedIn profile URL. However, if your LinkedIn profile is very basic, don’t include your LinkedIn URL until you’ve improved it and added quality, engaging content that makes you stand out.

Basic, bare-bones LinkedIn profiles can do more harm than good to your applications.

Ensure to include your phone number and email address. Use a professional email address. Unprofessional email address – such as funnyman@ or beeroclock@ - may indicate an unprofessional candidate.

Personal Statement/Professional Profile

Personal statements, often called professional profiles or summaries, are short introductions to your CV. Their aim is to sell you to the reader and show your value in just a few sentences.

Graduates' personal statements should touch on their academic skills and experiences that are pertinent to the professional world .

For example, law graduates may have gained various legal skills while obtaining their degree. They may also have completed internships with law companies and undertaken legal projects at university.

Such skills and experiences are what graduates should draw attention to in their CV’s personal statement. Focusing on skills and experience gained during your time in academia that are relevant to the job you’re pursuing will show recruiters that you’re ready to make an instant impact.

Here is an example of a graduate’s personal statement:

Create a skills section that highlights your key capabilities. In this section, focus on hard skills – acquired skills that are necessary to perform the job you are pursuing.

The required hard skills will depend on the career you are pursuing.

For example, if you’re looking to land jobs in law, essential hard skills will include research and legal knowledge. If you aim to secure a graduate job in marketing, essential hard skills will include data analysis and digital marketing.

However, there are a number of soft skills that employers in all fields look for in graduates. If you can demonstrate these on your CV, you’ll stand a great chance of impressing recruiters and progressing to the next stage of the application process.

Soft Skills

When it comes to soft skills, it’s much more beneficial to show, rather than tell .

Stating that you have good communication skills, for example, holds little weight. However, revealing that you’ve completed multiple public presentations, shows that you’ve got good communication skills.

The best places to show your soft skills on your CV include work experience and internship sections, voluntary work sections, and education sections.

Let’s take a look at the most important soft skills for graduates and how to demonstrate them in your graduate CV.

Which soft skills do employers value most in graduates?

1. Time Management

The ability to effectively manage time is one of the most sought-after soft skills in graduates. Good time management improves efficiency and provides a platform for the success of operations.

Abraham Lincoln once said, ‘Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe’.

The point is that achieving success very often depends on how you manage your time.

If your CV communicates your time management skills, you will stand a greater chance of impressing recruiters and employers.

How do you show your time management skills on your graduate CV?

One of the best ways to show your time management skills is to detail your achievements that came about as a result of your time management.

Here is an example:

Reduced delivery times by 2 days by streamlining the packaging process and implementing new software systems.

If you have no work experience, you may want to highlight specific projects that you have completed in your CV’s education section. Here, you can show how you used your time management skills to achieve positive outcomes.

2. Communication

Communication is widely recognised as a valuable soft skill for graduates. Employees with good communication skills are able to follow instructions, improve relationships with customers and maximise operational efficiency.

How do you show your communication skills on your CV?

Draw attention to times you have delivered presentations or completed group projects. These types of activities demonstrate your communication acumen.

Note in the example below how the candidate illustrates her communication skills by describing her experience delivering public presentations in the education section of her CV.

Another way of showcasing your communication proficiency is to ensure your CV is professionally written, using a broad vocabulary, excellent grammar and polished writing.

3. Commercial Awareness

As a graduate with little or no work experience, employers will often want to know that you understand the workings of their industry.

Use your personal statement/professional profile to demonstrate your knowledge of your targeted industry. You may also want to touch on work experiences or internships that have introduced you to the industry.

4. Problem Solving

Problem solving is a an important soft skills for graduates. Employees who can respond to problems in a composed manner, generate effective solutions and implement corrective actions can play a big role in business success.

Good problem solving is made up of analytical acumen, lateral thinking, flexibility, creativity and decision-making. So, if you can demonstrate your problem solving capabilities on your CV, you’ll also convince employers that you possess a whole range of other valuable soft skills.

How do you demonstrate your problem solving skills on your graduate CV?

To showcase your problem solving skills, detail examples of your problem solving achievements in your work experience section.

Improved customer response times by 32% by sourcing and implementing new client management software following a string of complaints from customers.

As Yolanda Lau – co-founder and chief talent officer at FlexTeam and chief experience officer at Liquid – touches on in her article on Forbes , empathy is one of the most in-demand soft skills.

Why is empathy an important soft skill? Why do employers care about empathy?

Employees with empathy care about their colleagues, understand their colleagues’ views and communicate more effectively.

In turn, this maximises efficiency and improves overall business performance.

How do you show your empathy in your graduate CV?

The best way of showing your empathy is to touch on your voluntary work or extra-curricular activities. Have you volunteered at charities? Do you spend your free time helping others?

Such activities can be highlighted in a ‘voluntary’ section or an ‘interests’ section’ to demonstrate your empathy.

The education section is arguably the most important section on a graduate CV.

Not only is this the place to show off your degrees and qualifications, but you can also highlight other key skills and experiences gained during your time in academia.

For many graduates, this makes up for a lack of work experience .

For example, when writing about your university degrees, you could include a number of key projects that you undertook to show your expertise and skills.

How do you format your education section on your graduate CV?

List the qualification you obtained, as well as the grade you achieved, the name of the university attended and the dates of the course. Include the key modules undertaken as this can help to convey your knowledge and expertise. Additionally, include the title of any dissertations you have completed.

Here is an example of a graduate CV’s education section:

Work Experience and Internships

Now it’s time to include your work experience.

Consider splitting your work experience up into separate sections. These separate sections might include ‘relevant work experience’, ‘internships’ and ‘other work experience’. This will enable you to draw more attention to your most relevant experiences.

List your work experience in reverse-chronological order. The involves listing your current or most recent position first, then moving on to your previous position and so on.

You may think some or all of your work experience is irrelevant. For example, if you’re pursuing a career in business management, but have work experience as a waitress, you might question if you should include this experience on your CV.

In most cases, you absolutely should include it.

This kind of work experience allows you to demonstrate various valuable, sought-after soft skills. For example, touching on your experience dealing with irate customers and achieving positive outcomes demonstrates strong problem solving skills.

What to do if you have no work experience to include on your graduate CV

If you have no experience, think about your extra-curricular activities and non-paid endeavours.

This may include volunteering at charities, even if only for short periods of time. Other common forms of non-paid work include writing for websites and working with family members.

Of course, you should never lie on your CV and try to pass such activities off as paid work if they were not. Be honest and state that you weren’t employed. You can still use these activities to demonstrate your skills and your ability to add value.

Awards can play a big role in improving your CV and making you stand out from the competition. If you’ve been presented with any awards, whether during employment, academic experiences or extra-curricular activities, ensure to list them in this section.

Include the title of the award, the name of the institution that presented you with the award and the date you achieved the award.

Here is an example of a graduate CV’s awards section:

Hobbies and Interests

Most professionals are not recommended to include hobbies and interests on their CV as they’re usually not directly relevant.

However, for graduates who may not have a great deal of work experience, hobbies and interests can be a fantastic way of showcasing your skills, experiences and knowledge.

For example, do you enjoy taking part in public speaking competitions? If so, including details of this on your CV would indicate you’ve got good communication skills. Have you captained your local sports team? If so, including details of this on your CV would indicate sound leadership skills.

When writing your CV, use your hobbies and interests to your advantage to demonstrate your skills, experiences and knowledge.

Additional Information

Include any additional information in the final section of your CV. Additional information may include language skills, IT/software proficiency and licences.

Further CV Writing Tips for Graduates

Should you include references on your graduate cv.

References do not need to be included on CVs, unless you have been asked to by recruiters.

When submitting a CV, you are usually at a very early stage of the job application process. References will be requested by employers at a later stage of the application process.

How long should your graduate CV be?

The optimal length for graduate CVs is two pages. This should provide enough space to illustrate your experiences, skills and ambitions.

CVs that are longer than two-pages risk losing the attention of recruiters.

If you have little or no work experience, a one-page CV may prove more beneficial. One-page CVs have various advantages, including the fact that they are concise and the key information is easy to locate.

Should you include a photo on your graduate CV?

CVs for applications in the UK, United States, Australia and Canada should not have a photo, unless you’re pursuing jobs in modelling, cabin crew or acting.

However, photos are often expected on CVs in many countries in Continental Europe, including Germany and Spain.

For find out if photos are expected on CVs in your country and profession, take a look at our guide on the topic .

We hope you’ve found this guide helpful in preparing a great graduate CV. For more in-depth CV writing support, view our ultimate guide on how to write a CV .

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Resume Summaries for Fresh Graduates with Examples

A resume summary is a short description at the top of your resume that briefly describes your experience, skills and why you’re an ideal candidate for a job. Using a resume summary can help recruiters decide whether they want to give your resume more attention or not. In this article, you can review various examples of resume summaries for recent graduates with explanations for each sample.

Resume summary examples for recent graduates

Here are some examples of resume summaries for recent graduates that you can use when writing own resume:

Retail Associate

Example:  ‘Aspiring Retail Associate with strong interpersonal and communication skills. Goal-oriented individual with a strong understanding of how to treat customers. Participated in skills development workshops at Boston College.’

This example begins with a statement of your career goals backed with soft skills needed for the job. As a recent graduate, it can help to focus on what you can offer to the recruiter rather than your specific experience.

Customer Service Representative

Example: ‘A former part-time shop attendant with a basic understanding of customer service looking for an opportunity in sales. Hard-working, proactive individual with strong problem-solving and communication skills and the ability to learn new concepts fast.’

When writing a resume summary as a new graduate applying to a Customer Service Representative position, focus on soft skills that are important for the job. Hiring managers in the customer service industry often focus more on a candidate’s experience and skills related to the job rather than the educational background. Start the resume summary by mentioning previous work experience relevant to customer service before describing your soft skills. 

Sales Assistant

Example: ‘Recent graduate with a degree in business administration and a GPA of 3.5 looking for a position as a Sales Assistant. Reliable communication skills, both oral and written, with a basic understanding of sales and marketing. Capable of working in a fast-paced and demanding environment.’

Highlighting your achievements relevant to the job no matter how small they might be can be very useful in giving your resume an appeal to recruiters. Emphasizing GPA, academic training and responsibilities in school can give an impression of how responsible you are with fulfilling tasks. Soft skills necessary for the job are also important to include in your resume summary.

Nursing Assistant

Example: ‘Nursing student with a passion for helping people looking for a position as a Nursing Assistant. Demonstrated strong communication and leadership skills through volunteering with Red Cross International.’

This example is brief but informs the hiring manager about the individual’s background by highlighting skills and interests. It also shows that this is the right career path for the applicant because the interests and skills align well with the industry.

Gym Instructor

Example: ‘Health Science student with a major in Fitness and Nutrition. Highly motivated to work as a fitness instructor to demonstrate communication, time management and problem-solving skills. Physically fit to serve as a role model to new clients.’

If you have no experience working in the field, it is recommended that you focus on your coursework to give recruiters an idea of your educational background. You can also add important skills and characteristics that can show recruiters what you can contribute to the position and why you are an ideal candidate. 

Medical Scribe

Example: ‘Recent graduate with technical knowledge in computing, data entry, communication software and databases. Interned as a clinic assistant at St. Luke’s Medical Center. Self-motivated, eager to learn, can work in a fast-paced environment and effectively communicate with other people.’

This resume summary for a Medical Scribe started by emphasizing technical skills fitting for an ideal candidate. It also indicated an internship experience which most recruiters prefer from fresh graduate applicants, and soft skills ideal to perform the tasks.

Information Technology (IT)

Example: ‘IT graduate major in computer programing with a background in Java application, HTML, CSS, Python, Tomcat, MySQL and Oracle database. Experience working in an IT company as software support as part of on-the-job training. Highly analytical, motivated and skilled at solving programming problems. Can work well both independently and in a team.’

When making a resume summary for the IT industry, you have to be specific with your skills. You need to emphasize which area you are most capable in to make sure that recruiters know that you are qualified for the job. Both technical and soft skills are important in the IT industry, so it is ideal to highlight them first in your resume.

Example: ‘Recent graduate with a degree in finance and knowledge of data management and cost and performance analysis. Skilled in identifying and resolving wash sales and share quantity discrepancies. Knowledge in virtual portfolio management, stock valuations, financial statement analysis and business management. Excellent problem-solving skills and experienced with using the latest financial software.’

A powerful resume summary understands the importance of providing specific information to readers. It should be able to cover a wide range of skills and background for the job and include enough information to highlight the strongest points of your resume to capture the attention of hiring managers.

Example: ‘Recent college graduate with an internship at Wall Street Financial Group. Seeking an entry-level accounting position to demonstrate accounting skills and knowledge. Highly competent, hardworking and detail-oriented with the capacity to go beyond what is expected to achieve higher career goals.’

This is an example of a resume summary that is brief but shares enough detail to encourage the hiring manager to read the resume more. In this example, the academic background is not mentioned. Instead, it focuses more on skills, experience and goals.

Primary Teacher

Example: ‘A recent graduate with a degree in primary education and a teaching certification, capable of teaching math to children between the ages of seven and 12 years old. Highly adept at various teaching techniques and ensures quality teaching by following education board standards, while making the learning environment fun and conducive to learning.’

This is an ideal resume summary for applicants applying to a teaching position because it highlights teaching skills and academic background. In your summary, you should mention specific credentials, such as the teaching certification, and show positive and nurturing characteristics, as well as other soft skills, to assure the recruiter that you work well with children.

Math Teacher 

Example: ‘A highly organized Math Teacher with proven skills in teaching through teacher certification, academic awards and on-the-job training as a teacher’s assistant in a private school. Ability to work in a team, solve problems professionally and create a nurturing environment. Skilled at communicating complex ideas in a simple but entertaining manner. Looking for an opportunity to share my knowledge and skills in a school that offers career progression.’

This resume summary is very informative about the applicant’s background. It highlights academic achievements and skills that are ideal for a teaching position. It also sounds professional while highlighting a career-driven goal.

Example: ‘Graduate with a degree in office administration experienced in handling calls and organizing schedules. Possesses strong analytical and problem-solving skills, and takes a practical approach in handling different tasks. Looking for a position as a Secretary in a fast-paced environment.’

Recent graduates applying for secretarial jobs whether entry-level or not, should focus on highlighting their specific skills related to the role. Showing the capacity to fulfill the job is ideal to observe in resume summaries, especially that a secretarial job requires strong organization and communication skills aside from having a good credential. It is also advisable to include how an applicant deals with the day-to-day tasks of a Secretary. 

Receptionist

Example: ‘Highly-skilled hospitality management graduate with various on-the-job training in a hotel, restaurant and office setting. Friendly and works well with customer concerns and has strong interpersonal and communication skills. Looking for a position as a Receptionist in the hospitality industry.’

Ideally, a resume summary for a Receptionist role highlights your educational background, experience in the industry (if available) and most importantly, the soft skills. It is highly recommended to indicate a customer-friendly and inviting personality in your resume summary.

Logistics Clerk

Example: ‘Recent graduate with strong attention to detail and organization skills looking for an entry-level job as a Logistics Clerk to build a career in the logistics industry. Can handle large amounts of information, multitask, answer calls and perform data entry jobs.’

While highlighting experience is ideal, resume summary for logistics focuses more on the skills required to function on the job. It would also help to express the kind of personality fitting for the job as well as the career goals.

Human Resources Assistant

Example: ‘Goal-oriented Human Resources recent graduate with experience as a Human Resources intern in an outsourcing company to assist in training and skill development. Highly adept in developing training programs and has excellent oral and written communication skills.’

This resume summary for an HR Assistant focuses mainly on academic background, work experience and specific skills gained from previous first-hand experience in the field. This is one way to emphasize how prepared you are for the job which can leave a good impression on recruiters. 

Related: Writing a Resume Summary (With Examples)

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Home » CV Examples » Entry Level » Graduate student

Graduate CV example

Graduates come from a wide range of educational backgrounds – but there’s one thing they have in common. They’re all ready to secure their first graduate role after university. As well as promoting your educational success, you’ll want to sell your transferable skills like communication, computer literacy, and problem solving.

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A solid graduate CV is your ticket to your first job after university. It showcases your educational achievements to date and demonstrate how they relate to the job you’re applying for. That’s paired with your work history and any transferable skills you’ve acquired through previous roles.

In the current job market, competition is fierce – especially for graduates who have little to no experience in their industry outside of their studies. The pressures can be overwhelming for graduates looking to get their foot in the door and embark on their dream career, particularly as student loans loom overhead.

So, when that perfect job comes along, being ready is of vital importance. From preparing for interview questions to reading CV examples , there are many steps you can take to give yourself the best chance of job application success.

To make things easier, myPerfectCV has a range of graduate CV samples and templates, plus step-by-step guidance.

Sample graduate CV

Graduate cv template, choosing a format for your graduate cv, how to write a cv for a graduate, dos and don’ts for your graduate cv, top faqs about your graduate cv, build a first-class uk graduate cv.

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• Visual Example
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Colleen James 217C Fairey Street Birmingham B45 8GWA 987654321 [email protected]

Professional summary Effective Graduate Student committed to learning, developing skills in Economics and team contribution. Self-directed and energetic with superior performance in both autonomous or collaborative environments working independently and collaborating with others on group projects.

• Point Of Sale system operation
• Account management
• Payment accepting
• Cash handling
• Purchase assistance
• Customer advising
• Cash register operations
• Service knowledge
• Report writing
• Pricing structures
• Forecasting skills
• Economic development consultations
• Economic policy research
• Econometrics
• Economic planning
• Work history

June 2022 – Current Shop&Save – Birmingham Cashier

• Handled cash and card payments with precision, maintaining customer confidentiality and discretion throughout.
• Used cash registers and POS systems to request and record customer orders and compute transactions.
• Educated customers on promotions, offers and special events to enhance product sales.
• Completed opening and closing procedures each day.

Education June 2023 University of Birmingham Birmingham Bachelor of Science Economics

Create this CV

Using a pre-made CV templates will help you get the right CV structure for graduates with all the right sections and a suitable design. You can then tailor it to your requirements to build a mathematics or psychology graduate CV, for example. You’ll thank yourself later, when your CV takes around half the time to create and looks a whole lot better.

Your CV format refers to the ‘blueprint’ that sets out how information will be displayed in your graduate CV. In the UK, there are two CV formats that are used most frequently. Generally speaking, the standard format is reverse chronological CV . This places your work history at the forefront, as not only is it the largest section in the CV, but it also appears right near the top, just after your personal statement.

Your work history will be recorded in reverse-chronological order, meaning that the most recent job should be listed first. Then, you’ll work backwards through relevant job roles. Many graduate CV examples will use this format, as it can showcase your practical work experience alongside knowledge gained on your degree.

However, if you have little to no work experience, a skills-based CV might be a better option. A graduate CV that utilises this format will feature a larger section for ‘skills’ where there would usually be a ‘work history’ section. For this structure, you’ll list the competencies that you excel at, with specific examples of how you’ve achieved core competencies in each group.

The other part of the answer is how you should format your CV in terms of its appearance. Here are some things to bear in mind:

• Your CV should be 1-2 pages – ideally one or two rather than one and a half, for example
• A professional font like Arial or Times New Roman is best
• Use subheadings and bullet points to break up text
• Save your CV as a Word document or PDF ready for sending – unless the job ad specifies another format

Choose your format now

Whether it’s a recent graduate CV or you’re just planning ahead for life after graduation, our guide on  how to write a CV for graduates will help your application pass with flying colours.

Contact details for your graduate CV

How to nail your graduate cv personal statement, how to get experience right on a graduate cv, top skills for your graduate cv, get top marks for education on your graduate cv.

An important but often overlooked section of any graduate CV example is the contact details. You need to make sure you list several ways for recruiters to get in touch. That includes your full name and address, as well as an up-to-date phone number and email.

Make sure it’s the number of a phone you have to hand and an email address you check, so you can respond to recruiters quickly. You should also ensure that the email address is work-appropriate. Don’t be tempted to use [email protected] in your graduate CV.

• Your full name – no need for middle names
• Location – so that employers know your area
• Phone number – pick a mobile if possible
• Email address – ensure this is a professional email address

Example of how to display your contact details

Elana Walls 284B McKelvie Road Glasgow, G12 1U 07912345678 [email protected].

A personal statement acts as a CV summary for fresh graduates. It introduces you with a brief profile, including your degree, an overview of any relevant experience, and some key personal qualities. In terms of length, it shouldn’t exceed four sentences, so keep it succinct. Don’t be tempted to copy and paste details from your work experience or education. Your personal statement should be unique and distinct from the body of your CV.

Whether you’re writing a chemistry graduate CV or looking for your first job as an engineer or a data analyst, your personal profile should include specific details that show why you’re the perfect candidate for the role. You can also use this section to highlight your own career goals and why this particular role fits your career progression like a glove.

Given that this is the first thing recruiters will read, it’s good to grab their attention with some specifics in this section. That could be your 100% attainment in a particular subject, 5 years of experience in voluntary roles, or just your first-class honours degree in a relevant subject.

Here are some other simple tips to keep the personal statement on point:

• Writing in the third person is more professional, taking the focus off of you and putting it on your skills
• 50-100 words is fine for your personal statement
• Keep the tone professional from the get-go – don’t take “personal” too literall
• Write your personal statement with the job description in mind

To get your graduate CV profile right, it’s best to look at a few CV personal statement graduate examples. This will give you a better idea of what exactly to include, how to word your summary, and how to keep things concise.

Example of personal statement for a graduate CV

Ambitious Hospitality graduate with two years’ experience in entry-level roles. Knowledgeable about customer care, event planning, and team management. Clear communicator with great attention to detail and a hard-working nature.

Proactive and energetic graduate with focus on using marketing training to build a career foundation. Holds a 2:1 degree in Digital Marketing from Salford University. Seeks out opportunities to go beyond basic course material and gain deeper understanding or hands-on experience.

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Though you might initially assume that a graduate CV will focus on education, that doesn’t mean that your work experience section isn’t important too.

Whether you’ve worked in many jobs or none at all, taking a look at a graduate CV example can help you to decide what to include. And if you’re in need of some extra CV writing guidance, take a look at our work experience advice below:

Make it transferable

When writing a graduate CV, you might assume that your work history is irrelevant. However, you could be surprised by what’s relevant to your job application. Even if you don’t have work experience specific to the industry, you might have plenty of relevant transferable qualities.

For example, if you’ve worked in waitressing, you’ll have lots of experience with communication and teamwork. No matter the job, these kinds of soft skills are always essential and can help you to stand out from the crowd.

Again, there’s no need to pad out your graduate CV with unnecessary details. Keep to the last two to three roles, focusing on relevant aptitudes and competencies. If you have little to no experience, a skills-based CV format might be a better choice for you.

Tick all the boxes

Just like your education history, you’ll need to list out your work experience in a particular order. Here are the sections you’ll need to include:

• Start and end dates of employment
• Job title, company, and location
• 3-6 duties and responsibilities

Like in this example:

01/2022 – Present Cashier | Shop & Save – Reading

• Processed POS transactions, including checks, cash and credit purchases or refunds.
• Worked with customer service to resolve issues.
• Operated cash registers with proficiency during high-volume shopping times, reducing customer queues.

Key CV skills  are an essential part of any graduate CV example. Whether it’s Photoshop and graphic design for an artist CV or budgeting and data for an accountant CV, the more industry-specific capabilities you have, the better. Quite simply, ability is integral to a graduate CV, as you may still not have the level of work experience that other candidates have.

In a skills-based CV, you have more room to go into detail about how you’ve showcased your qualities. Even in a reverse-chronological CV, you can emphasise the knowledge and abilities you’ve developed through work and academic experience. Taking a look at some graduate CV examples can help you to decide exactly how you want to set them out.

While competencies may vary based on your specialism, there are a selection of must-have transferable qualities that all graduates should possess:

Must-have graduate skills for your CV

• Attention to detail
• Clear communication
• Time management
• Task prioritisation
• Analytical skills and critical thinking
• Word processing skills including Microsoft Office

Soft skills as an added extra

• Teamwork from group projects
• Presentations and public speaking
• Notetaking and shorthand
• Following a brief
• Project management
• Business acumen

On a graduate CV, your solid education is arguably one of the most important sections you’ll write. This will include details of your academic background, so recruiters can see at first glance how you’ll fit into the role. However, learning how to write a CV often means realising what not to include. Here are some tips to get it right the first time.

Add relevant qualifications

Whether you’re writing a CV for a finance assistant role or a computer science graduate CV, you’ll need to include the most relevant qualifications to the job you’re applying to. In the case of a graduate CV, this will usually be your bachelor’s degree. For some jobs, this could even be enough for your education history. However, for many jobs you’ll also need to include your A-Levels.

Don’t go too far back

There’s no need to include your entire education history, however. Recruiters looking for a dental assistant are unlikely to be interested in a music studies GCSE. Only your most recent and relevant qualifications are required. Don’t be tempted to fluff out your CV with unnecessary information.

List the most recent first

In a graduate CV, you’ll usually need to record your education history in reverse-chronological order – in other words, your most recent qualifications first. You’ll need to include some specific pieces of information:

• Date the qualification was received (or when it’s expected)
• Level of qualification and subject
• Institution where qualification was studied

Example of education for a graduate CV

Expected in 2023 Bachelor of Science: Economics University of Manchester

• DO make your graduate CV job-specific As a graduate, there’s a chance you’ll be applying for quite a diverse range of roles. If you send a generic graduate CV sample to recruiters, they’ll usually be able to spot it. Instead, tailor your CV to the job you’re applying for using keywords from the job description. It will improve your chances with ATS software and keep recruiters happy.
• DO show your specialism Recruiters should be able to tell the difference between a computer science graduate CV and one for a law graduate. While it’s important to include plenty of transferable aptitudes, you should also ensure your graduate job CV is focused to your area of expertise and how this makes you a good fit for the job at hand.
• DON’T skip the cover letter Along with a graduate CV, another important tool for graduates is a covering letter . A cover letter should be no more than one page and feature several paragraphs that provide a succinct overview of why you’re the ideal candidate. You can also use it to go into more detail about your education and experience, as well as how this job fits into your future career.
• DON’T forget to double-check In a recent graduate CV, it’s pretty likely that attention to detail will be amongst your key transferable qualities. That won’t seem to be true if it’s contained within a CV that’s full of errors. However confident you are with your finished CV, make sure you proofread from top to bottom for typos, mistakes, or anything that doesn’t make sense.

How to write a graduate CV with no experience?

Whilst it can be daunting at first, writing a graduate CV with no experience isn’t as complicated as you might think:

• Firstly, it’s best to create a skills-based CV that focuses more closely on your abilities, rather than your work history.
• Like our graduate CV example, you should balance your area of expertise with transferables acquired through your studies or previous roles.
• If you do have some experience from part-time work, summer jobs or voluntary roles, be sure to include it in a work history section, which comes after your skills.
• It’s usually a good idea to have a few versions of your CV tailored to different roles, which can be further personalised with some key phrases from the job description.
• Taking a look at some graduate CV examples – or examples from your desired career path.

What should a graduate CV look like?

In terms of appearance, your graduate CV layout should be easy for recruiters to skim-read. The best way to do this is by separating it into sections with clear headings, such as:

• Personal statement

Design-wise, it’s best to stay formal with a conventional font like Arial. You can use professional colours like navy for headings or margins if you want to give your graduate CV a touch of personality, but the main body should use black font. Using a graduate CV template will give you a head start with a suitable design.

How long should a graduate CV be?

In the UK, a general rule of thumb is to keep your CV within one to two pages. The CV structure for graduates is no exception. If you’re lacking work experience, it’s definitely worth keeping your CV to one page in length. Recruiters won’t want to read more than a page unless it’s highly relevant to the role. Use bullet points for key skills and job responsibilities to keep your CV concise.

Does a graduate CV need a personal statement?

Yes – a graduate CV should always have a personal statement. It can make a very big difference to how employers receive your CV. You need to grab their attention quickly by summarising the most important parts of your CV right at the top of the page.

How to make a good CV for a fresh graduate?

To create a successful fresh graduate CV, you’ll need to ensure that your CV is focused on the most relevant capabilities and experience for the job you’re applying to. Always ensure you’ve read the job description and person specification several times before gathering information for your CV.

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From physics to finance, accounting to engineering, and criminology to computer science, myPerfectCV can help you build a graduate CV that ticks every box. Find the perfect layout with our pre-made CV templates . See how it’s done with graduate CV examples . Then download in PDF, Word or other formats when your CV is completed.

With our CV builder, you can even select pre-written content for your personal statement, skills, and work history. Get started on your graduate CV today!

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