How To Write Your First CV

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I have had conversations with young school graduates who have no idea what to include in their CV. This feeling is natural and can be very frustrating as they lack or have little work experience to land that special job.

Most employers request for work experience when recruiting for entry-level positions and the practice has left most school leavers wondering how to secure the job when they have not been employed to gain the necessary skills and experience.  Writing a catchy and great CV for your first job becomes a daunting task. 

Experience 

One of the most important things for anyone seeking to write his or her first CV is to jot down what you have done. 

The popular belief that you do not have experience is a disservice to oneself. You probably have more than you think. Think about what you did each day.

Even though you do not possess proven experience in the job field or hold such job title,  you will need to leverage your transferable skills to sell yourself and secure the job. Next time when you are faced with difficulty writing your first CV or you are interested in a position and you have no proven experience, think of what you have done previously, each day and recently to develop transferable skills needed for the job. Employers like to see them on CV's.

Every job has transferable skills required to succeed in the position. Write down those skills and apply them to your CV.

There have been times you were charged with the responsibility to ensure letters of notification or invitation to a meeting is being delivered to members of your religious organization or school unions and you made sure that the letters were delivered on time.

You have developed a great time management skill and it's a skill employers look for. 

A job requirements stating communication and customer service skills or experience may look like a hindrance to your job application. Have you forgotten your school debate which you participated and won awards and probably you have helped your parents during holidays to stay at the store and attended to customers. That's a good communication and customer service skills that shouldn't be ignored on your CV.

Cash handling skills are required by employers to work as a Cashier, Receptionist, Accountant and so on.  There must be a moment you have handled cash for your thrift and saving society or for a group to carry out a special project. You can add such skills to your CV. Include experience that shows you are reliable. You can use this to think through any part-time job you have done.

Even if you've never worked. A lot of people out there never had a job. If you belong to this category, think about what you’ve done at your leisure: things like hobbies, clubs, extracurricular activities, or volunteering.

There’s always something you can say, you just need to think about the type of job you want. Have you helped build a shed or put up some shelves at home?

I remember applying for a TV Presenter position in a leading TV Station some years ago. Even though I haven't work in a media house before and I have no experience whatsoever, I crafted a catchy CV after I identified the transferable skills in the job description and specification to write a skill based CV. I was invited for an interview even though I did not secure the job, but it drew me nearer to the recruiters. I have used this strategy to secure jobs in the hospitality and telecom industries. It’s not just about writing that you’re interested, it’s about proof.

Remember to talk about your education too. What courses have you done? What have you learned?

How To Get A Good Reference

The first thing to remember is that it is not necessary to put references on your CV. Instead, you can say "References available on request" . This also gives  you time to think about who would be a good reference for that particular job.

Who To Ask For Reference

You might think about asking one of your subject teachers. Meet someone who know you very well that understand  relevant skills or experience for the job. Your our lecturer can stand as your reference.

You could ask your supervisor whom supervised your academic projects, or any other work experience, for a reference. Other activities like Student Union Government, sports teams, or volunteering give you more options.

How To Get A Reference 

Be polite when approaching someone to act as your reference. You should give them reason(s) you need their reference and why you want the job. It is  ideal to let them know the skills the employer is asking for, so they can comment on them any time they're asked. Inform them when they might need to supply the reference.

Download Skills Based CV for your first job here;

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