Written by Helen Cartwright, Services to Graduates and Editorial Team, Graduate Prospects..
More and more employers are looking for graduates who have got work experience as well as a good degree. Although not everyone is lucky enough to have had a year out or to have summer experience in a role related to their careers choice, most graduates have got some sort of work experience, even if it is only babysitting or dog walking. The hard bit is making the work you have done sound useful and relevant to your future career. The first thing to consider is what is useful to an employer? Your CV should just be two sides of A4 so everything you write must be relevant. Remember that employers are interested in what you can do and how quickly you learn. The easiest way to make yourself sound good is to list your achievements in each job. For example, for a data entry role: ‘I enjoyed working in an office environment and learned how to use Access/Excel etc to a high standard’ or ‘I used my knowledge of Access/Excel to improve the procedure that was currently being used and trained other members of staff.' If you worked on a production line in a factory, you probably learned about the importance of accuracy, teamwork and deadlines. Your CV is not the place to be modest; it is your biggest selling tool. If you have industry-specific experience, it is better to put this on the first page of your CV under a heading of ‘Industry Experience’ and to keep other work experience on the second page. Under ‘Industry Experience’ you can highlight knowledge of specific procedures or techniques, training courses you’ve been on and membership of professional bodies. If you do not have any industry-specific experience, do not worry. The work experience that you have got will be beneficial. Everything from answering the phone to attending meetings and working in a team can be used to show that you are an effective communicator if you include specific examples of the things that you achieved. If you highlight examples of when you used your initiative, took the lead, held positions of responsibility and used strong interpersonal skills, you won’t go far wrong. Related topics
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