Creating a CV for beginners or with little professional experience

Creating an effective CV is essential, even when you are just starting out or have limited experience. This guide explains how to structure a beginner CV that highlights your skills and motivation, so you can attract recruiters' attention.

Structuring a beginner CV: the key sections

1. Header: your identity and essential information

The header of your CV should include clear information to make it easy to get in touch.

• Full name
• Contact details: phone, professional email.
• LinkedIn or portfolio link: essential if you have a website or online projects.

2. Summary: capture attention from the start

A short paragraph summarizes your ambitions and qualities for a recruiter.

Example: "Computer science student with a passion for web development, looking to join an innovative company where I can apply my skills and learn new technologies."

3. Education: showcase your academic background

For a beginner, your education is a major asset. Include the following details:

• Degrees obtained or in progress: include the institution name, years, and relevant modules or projects.
• Online certifications: highlight courses taken on platforms like Coursera or Udemy.

4. Skills: technical and personal

Identify the skills that match the requirements of the job you are targeting.

• Technical skills: programming languages, software, project management.
• Personal skills: communication, organisation, team spirit.
• Languages: state your level for each language (e.g., English B2).

5. Academic or personal projects: illustrate your skills

Academic or personal projects can allow you to demonstrate your practical skills.

Example: development of a task management app - Built a mobile application with React Native. - Skills used: front-end development, project management. - Impact: over 50 users adopted the app, improving their task management.

6. Professional experience: make the most of every experience

Any professional experience, however brief or seasonal, is valuable. It is important to highlight the transferable skills gained.

Example: waiter at a local restaurant - Managed orders and customer service. - Skills gained: organisation, stress management, communication.

7. Extracurricular activities and commitments: show your drive

Volunteer or association activities illustrate your involvement and energy — qualities recruiters look for.

Example: volunteer at a local charity - Organised fundraising events. - Skills gained: planning, teamwork, leadership.

Diagram of CV sections

graph TD
    A[Header] --> B[Summary]
    B --> C[Education]
    C --> D[Skills]
    D --> E[Projects]
    E --> F[Experience]
    F --> G[Extracurricular activities]

Tips for optimising your beginner CV

• Clarity and structure: a clear, well-organised CV is easier to read.
• Personalisation: adapt your CV to each job offer, especially by using the specific keywords from the listing.
• Length: if you are just starting out, keep your CV to one page.
• Keywords: use terms from the job offer to increase your chances of being selected by CV-screening software.

Conclusion: create an impactful CV as a beginner

A successful beginner CV relies on showcasing your education, skills, and personal projects. The key is to show your motivation and potential. You can test your new CV with our CV analysis tool to make sure it follows best practices and maximise your chances of landing an interview.