How do I create a student CV?

Creating a CV is an essential step in the job search process.
This applies whether you’re looking for an internship, a student job or your first position.
To set yourself apart from other candidates and capture the attention of recruiters, it’s crucial to design an eye-catching CV.
Presentation is just as important as content, and shouldn’t be overlooked.
Find out here about the key elements to include in your CV and the structure to follow.

Preliminaries for a good student CV

Before you start creating your CV, it’s important to take a look at the preliminary work involved.

Which design to use?

The design, while it should represent your personality, is in line with the codes of each sector.
For example, if you’re applying for a creative job, you can opt for a colorful CV with a distinctive design.
On the other hand, if you’re targeting fields such as finance or politics, opt for a sober, elegant CV.

Whatever the case, your CV needs to be easy to read and, above all, captivating.
With dozens or even hundreds of other student applications, you need to stand out from the crowd to arouse curiosity.
To do this, don’t hesitate to take inspiration from different CV ideas.

To write a CV, you can use the Word format if you want to make a Word CV, a simple CV, a professional CV or a classic CV.
A CV example or CV templates can help you write your CV with Microsoft Word.
For the perfect CV, you can also use downloadable CV templates.
In fact, it’s possible to download a beautiful CV free of charge to create your CV.
This fill-in-the-blank CV will provide you with an effective CV for applying for your student job with a view to securing an interview.

With or without photo?

We strongly advise you to include a photo in your CV, as it’s an excellent way of personalizing it.
It allows you to present a clean, professional image through your posture, dress and make-up.
Why not organize a photoshoot at home?

However, bear in mind that this advice does not apply universally!
For example, it’s rare to see photos on CVs in England.
So it’s a good idea to do your research beforehand.

In any case, it’s important to consider that recruiters often tend to search for your name on the Internet to satisfy their curiosity!
In this respect, it’s essential to check your digital identity using a tool such as this site.
This will give you an overview of your digital footprint.
Take the opportunity to remove any compromising photos to present a solid, trustworthy image, perfectly consistent with your CV.
Don’t forget to pay attention to your social networks, and set them to private if necessary!

Layout of the different parts of the CV

And don’t forget to pay particular attention to the layout of the headings, as this says a lot about your character!
A disorganized CV gives an impression of disorder and can sometimes be perceived as immature by recruiters, so it’s essential to pay attention!
What’s more, an incoherent CV makes it more difficult for companies to understand your background, and can diminish interest in your profile.
To help you structure your CV clearly and efficiently, there are a number of free sites like Impress that can assist you in creating a powerful curriculum vitae.

You’ll need to choose an original layout here, so take a look at some free sample templates.
Creative resume templates allow you to adopt good graphics and use the right font characters to stand out from the crowd.

The different parts of the CV

Like any CV, a student CV must have a clear structure and include essential elements that will enable recruiters to assess the quality of your profile.

Identity and contact details

If your profile catches the recruiter’s eye, it’s essential that they can contact you easily.
So include your first and last name, telephone number and e-mail address in a clearly visible section of your student CV.
If you’re applying internationally, it’s a good idea to include the area code (+33 for France).
For your e-mail address, use a professional format including your first and last name or initials, and avoid pseudonyms.

Although recruiters rarely contact you by mail, it’s a good idea to include your address.
This lets them know whether you live in the city or region where the job is advertised.
You can also indicate your availability for mobility instead of your address.
If the position you’re applying for requires travel, mention your license category in this section.

CV title

The title of your CV helps recruiters quickly understand what you’re looking for.
It’s a good idea to use a larger font than the rest of your CV.
This title can include your training, the position you’re looking for or targeting, and your availability.
For work-study positions, it’s a good idea to indicate your work-study schedule.

If you’re responding to a job or internship offer, include the job title in your headline: for example, “Human resources assistant (ref. 12345) – Available for a 6-month internship starting in September 2024.”
For an unsolicited application, specify the desired department: for example, “Seeking an internship in human resources – Available immediately for a 6-month internship.”

CV summary

Just below the title of your CV, you can add a more detailed summary of yourself.
This summary will highlight your education, skills and experience in relation to the position you are applying for.
For example:

“Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Resources Management at Panthéon Sorbonne University in Paris, I’m keen to develop my career in talent acquisition and retention. Endowed with a great capacity for self-training and a sharp critical mind, I enjoy teamwork while being able to work independently.”

Training courses

In this section, you’ll list your qualifications and training.
Depending on your profile, it’s not always necessary to mention them all.
For example, if you’re preparing for a Master’s degree after having obtained a DUT and a licence, it’s not essential to mention your baccalaureate.
Don’t forget to include the dates corresponding to each of your courses.

You should take care here to list your training courses in the chronological order in which they were taken.
It’s the key to a successful CV.

Professional experience

Your work experience will consist of your previous internships.
If you haven’t yet had the opportunity to do one, you can include your experience in associations or student jobs in this section.
This will enable recruiters to assess your motivation and determination.
In the absence of ideas, any experience demonstrating your willingness and ability to get involved professionally is worth mentioning.

For each experience you choose to mention in your student CV, indicate the name of the organization, its city, the position you held, the missions you were entrusted with, as well as the period of this experience.
It’s important to specify the dates and duration of these different experiences.
This will help recruiters avoid wasting time on calculations, and allow them to concentrate more on the content of your student CV.
It’s also a good idea to start your missions with action verbs in the infinitive.

However, it should be pointed out that many students have little or no professional experience.
This part of the student CV is probably the trickiest.
However, with a little creativity, it’s possible to compensate for this lack and enrich your CV in a positive way by highlighting other sections.
School and extracurricular projects, volunteer work, sporting achievements and awards can all work in your favor.

Points of interest

Although not compulsory, your interests help recruiters get a better idea of your profile and tastes.
For a job in communications, for example, having a blog is a real asset.
In this case, don’t hesitate to include a link to your blog or portfolio, so that the recruiter can assess the skills you’ve developed.
If you’re applying for a position requiring teamwork, playing a team sport will certainly be valued by recruiters.

Languages mastered

In certain sectors, such as import-export, tourism or international business, mastery of one or more foreign languages is highly valued.
It’s important to mention not only the language, but also your level of proficiency.
Using the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is recommended, as it classifies levels into six categories:

Level A1 and A2: Elementary user
Level B1 and B2: Independent user
Level C1: Experienced user
Level C2: Complete mastery

These levels describe your ability to understand and use the language in different situations, from basic to advanced and fluent.

Additional tips

To perfect your CV, you can pay particular attention to other elements that are often overlooked by most candidates.

How to introduce the CV?

Here’s a checklist of information you shouldn’t forget on your CV:

Your professional e-mail address so that the recruiter can contact you.
Avoid addresses like bogossedu93 or charodu94!
Your telephone number.
If you’re applying from abroad, add the international dialling code (+33 for metropolitan France).
Mention whether you have a driver’s license and whether you use a car, as this can be an asset when hiring.
You can also indicate your age, but this is not compulsory.

Generally, the first and last name appear at the top of the CV, in a larger font.
The title of your CV, just below, generally corresponds to the position you’re looking for, precise and similar to the title of the vacancy you’re applying for.

Under the photo, if there is one, is often the personal description.
This is essential to introduce yourself and show your interest in the company.
It should include who you are and what you aspire to become, while incorporating relevant keywords linked to the offer you’re responding to.
These elements are vital if you are to stand out from the crowd!

Don’t neglect soft skills

89% of unsuccessful recruitments are attributed to personality or motivation issues.
Soft skills include personal, social and professional competencies, as well as relational and emotional intelligence.
In short, they are all the characteristics that define your personality.
These skills are increasingly in demand, as new working methods place greater value on them.
Don’t hesitate to highlight them on your CV!

Use social networks as an additional asset

Your curriculum vitae must be perfectly consistent with your LinkedIn profile.
If you don’t already have one, now’s the time to create one!
LinkedIn has become an indispensable tool for human resources professionals, as well as an effective means of developing and maintaining your network.

Thanks to LinkedIn, you can increase your chances of finding a job by showcasing your skills!
Many recruiters scan profiles of interest directly on this network.
To make the most of it, don’t hesitate to use relevant keywords and ask for recommendations from your former employers.
These recommendations are invaluable and add value to your profile!

Add your relevant experience and turn your interests to your advantage

Although you may not have years of professional experience to put on your CV, that doesn’t mean you lack valuable experience for the recruiter.
Whether through internships, volunteer activities or extracurricular commitments, you’ve probably acquired skills that you can include on your student CV.

To make the most of your qualifications, consider replacing the traditional “Professional Experience” section with a “Relevant Experience” section.
This will enable you to present your achievements and skills in a more focused way.

When it comes to interests, this is a key point not to be overlooked!
Showing your interests reveals your personality, and may even help you find common ground with the recruiter.
Who knows?
You and your future employer might share a passion, practice the same sport or have visited the same country?

This section is often underestimated, but it’s one of the most important because it says a lot about your character.
Have you played basketball?
This shows your ability to work as part of a team.
Have you won medals?
That shows your perseverance.
Are you involved in an association?
That shows your reliability.

In addition to this, you need to proofread the CV and have it proofread, to absolutely avoid mistakes that are a real turn-off on the job market, and to guarantee its readability.
To attract attention and land your first job, you can not only use a sample curriculum vitae and adapt it to your sector of activity, but also accompany it with a good cover letter.

As you can see, your CV is your business card, and could be the key to your future job!
So it’s essential that it reflects your personality in both form and content.

You now have everything you need to stand out from the crowd and get a job interview.
It’s always a good idea to accompany your CV with a cover letter.
In both cases, make sure you avoid mistakes!
They are a real turn-off for employers, so take the time to proofread before sending.

Try the Impress app to create your student CV