Graduate recruiters see hundreds of CVs from people with the same degree classification. What gets you shortlisted is showing what you can actually do. We write graduate CVs for the UK job market that turn your degree, projects, part-time jobs and activities into clear evidence of the skills employers want.
What UK graduate employers look for
Most graduate job adverts and graduate schemes ask for a similar set of skills, often called competencies. Your CV needs to show each one with a real example, not just claim it.
- Communication: presentations, reports, customer-facing jobs, tutoring.
- Teamwork: group projects, sports teams, society committees, shift work.
- Problem-solving: your dissertation, a technical project, a process you improved at work.
- Organisation: balancing study with a part-time job, running an event, managing a budget.
- Commercial awareness: understanding the employer's industry, customers and competitors.
How we structure a graduate CV
- Contact details: name, phone, email, town or city and LinkedIn. No photo, date of birth or full address.
- Profile: three or four lines on your degree, your strongest skills and the role you're aiming for.
- Education: degree, university, classification or expected grade, and the most relevant modules, projects and dissertation.
- Experience: placements, internships, part-time and holiday jobs, with what you achieved in each.
- Skills: software, languages, technical skills and certifications relevant to the role.
- Activities and achievements: volunteering, societies, awards and sport, if they add evidence.
Part-time jobs count. "Worked at a café" says little. "Trained four new staff and handled up to 200 customers a day during exam season" shows responsibility, communication and the ability to cope under pressure.
Graduate CV example (UK)
Here's how one part of a graduate CV changes when it's rewritten. The candidate is fictional, but the changes are the ones we make on real CVs.
| Before | After |
|---|---|
| "Hard-working Business graduate seeking a challenging role where I can develop my skills." | "Business Management graduate (2:1, University of the West of England) with retail management experience and a dissertation on supply chain resilience. Applying for graduate roles in operations and logistics." |
| "Sales Assistant, Supermarket, 2022–2025. Worked on tills and stacked shelves." | "Sales Assistant, Supermarket, 2022–2025, part-time alongside study. Trusted to supervise evening shifts of up to six staff from my second year, and suggested a restocking rota that cut end-of-day overtime." |
| "Skills: teamwork, communication, Microsoft Office." | "Skills: Excel (pivot tables, VLOOKUP), Power BI, stock control, shift supervision, presenting to groups of 50+." |
CVs for graduate schemes
Many large employers recruit graduates through structured graduate schemes, usually with an online application form, psychometric tests and an assessment centre. Some ask for a CV upload, and many ask you to copy details from your CV into their form. A strong CV still matters: it gives you the examples you'll use in application questions and interviews, and it's what you send for jobs outside formal schemes, which is where most graduates are hired.
- Match your examples to the competencies the scheme lists on its careers page.
- Keep the dates, grades and job titles on your CV identical to those in your application form.
- Keep a version tailored to each sector you apply to, such as finance, engineering or the public sector.
Common graduate CV mistakes
- A generic objective like "seeking a challenging role in a dynamic company".
- Listing every module instead of the three or four that matter for the job.
- Describing duties ("responsible for…") instead of results.
- Skills with no evidence, such as "excellent communicator" with nothing to back it up.
- The same CV sent to every employer without adjusting it to the advert.
Graduate CV prices
Fixed prices whatever your degree or background. Most graduates start with the Basic Package.
Basic Package
- Professional CV, written from scratch
- ATS-friendly, Word & PDF
- One round of revisions
Professional Package
- Everything in Basic
- Tailored cover letter
- LinkedIn profile rewrite
- Two rounds of revisions
CVFactory Recruiter
- Everything in Professional
- 20 matched jobs a month
- 20-min coaching every 2 weeks
- Offer negotiation support
Get your graduate CV written
A CV writer will turn your degree and experience into a CV that gets you shortlisted.
Get StartedGraduate CV questions
I don't have any work experience. What goes on my CV?
More than you think. Your degree, modules, dissertation and projects, part-time and holiday jobs, volunteering, societies, sports, and anything you've organised or led. We turn these into evidence of the skills employers ask for, like teamwork, communication and problem-solving.
How long should a graduate CV be?
One to two pages. Most graduates fit comfortably on two pages without padding, and one strong page is better than two thin ones.
Should I put education or experience first?
For most recent graduates, education goes first, because your degree is your strongest qualification. Once you have a year or two of relevant work, experience moves to the top.
Do I need a different CV for every application?
Your core CV stays the same, but you should adjust your profile and the order of your skills to match each job advert. The Professional Package includes a tailored cover letter to go with it.
I'm an international student in the UK. Can you help?
Yes. We'll state your right to work in the UK clearly, which is one of the first things employers check, and explain any overseas qualifications or experience in terms UK recruiters understand.
Which package do graduates usually choose?
The Basic Package covers your CV. If you're applying to graduate schemes or jobs that ask for a cover letter, and want your LinkedIn profile to match, the Professional Package covers all three.