Graduate Ready Template: The New Graduate's CV

The difficulty in a new graduate's CV is that the experience section is empty or nearly so. This template solves it through structure rather than padding: education, academic projects, internships and short courses all get real space, turning the page from a shortfall into evidence of capability.

The steps

1. Open it and start with education: degree, field, institution, graduation year
2. Add an academic projects section with three bullets each: goal, your role, outcome
3. Add internships plus any part-time or voluntary work
4. Add short courses and certifications relevant to your field only
5. Add skills in three families: technical, tools, interpersonal

Practical tips

• State your GPA if it is strong; otherwise lead with your projects instead
• Your capstone project is your strongest asset — write it in more detail than anything else
• Start months before graduation so you are ready for the hiring season

Common mistakes to avoid

• Leaving an empty experience section — rename it "experience and internships" and fill it
• Stacking unevidenced qualities like "natural leader"

Frequently asked questions

Should I include my GPA?

Include it if it is high or clearly good. If not, replace it with your class ranking or a strong capstone project.

Should I mention student activities?

Yes, if they demonstrate a wanted skill — running an event, managing a team. An activity with no clear responsibility adds nothing.

Links for this guide

• See the Graduate Ready template
• See objective examples