CV Writing Guide

Your CV is your first shot at getting screened in. A strong CV helps employers quickly see your value, your experience, and your fit for the role. It does not need to look fancy, but it does need to be clear, relevant, and easy to scan.

What is a CV, and why does it matter?

A CV is a short summary of your education, experience, skills, and achievements. Its main job is to help you get to the next stage, whether that is an interview, an online assessment, or a recruiter callback.

For business students, your CV is more than a record of what you have done. It is a marketing document that shows what you can offer, backed by evidence from your studies, projects, internships, part-time work, student activities, and volunteering.

What makes a good CV?

There is no single perfect way to write a CV. But a strong CV is:

  • Clear and easy to read.
  • Relevant to the job.
  • Friendly for recruiters and ATS.
  • Built with evidence, not vague claims.

Your goal is simple: do not get screened out in the first round. Make it easy for employers to understand what you did, what skills you used, and why that matters.

Step 0: Gather your information

Before you start writing, do a full stock take of your experience. Most students have more useful material than they think.

Look at:
  • Group projects.
  • Presentations and case competitions.
  • Internships.
  • Part-time and casual jobs.
  • Volunteering.
  • Student societies and leadership roles.
  • Exchange, overseas, or cross-cultural experiences.
  • Online courses, certifications, and training.

Do not wait until you have a “perfect” internship. Employers also care about initiative, teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and results.

Step 1: Start your CV

Use a clean structure so employers can find the important details fast.

A typical business student CV may include:
  • Personal particulars.
  • Profile, optional.
  • Education.
  • Work experience.
  • Other learning experiences.
  • Skills and interests.
Personal particulars

Include your name, phone number, email address, and LinkedIn profile if it is updated. Keep this section simple and professional.

Profile, optional

A profile is a short summary at the top of your CV. It is optional, so only include it if it adds clear value. If you use one, keep it short and specific.

Education

List your degree, university, expected graduation date, and key academic details if relevant. You can also include exchange, awards, scholarships, or courses that connect directly to the role.

Work experience

This section includes internships, part-time jobs, freelance work, and other relevant experience. Focus on what you did, how you did it, and what impact you made.

Other learning experiences

This is where you can include case competitions, consulting projects, student leadership, volunteering, business simulations, or major class projects. This section is useful if you have limited formal work experience.

Skills and interests

Include relevant languages, software, tools, and certifications. Interests can stay if they help show personality or fit, but keep them brief and genuine.

Length and format

Keep your CV clean, professional, and easy to scan. A clear structure matters more than design-heavy formatting. Use these basics:

  • Keep it to one or two pages, depending on your experience.
  • Use clear headings and consistent formatting.
  • Write in bullet points, not long paragraphs.
  • Use a simple font and enough white space.
  • Save and send it as a PDF unless the employer says otherwise.

Avoid tables, graphics, icons, photos, and decorative elements that may distract recruiters or confuse ATS tools.

Step 2: Strengthen your bullet points

This where many students get stuck. A weak CV lists duties. A strong CV shows evidence and impact.

Each bullet should try to show:
  • What you did.
  • How you did it.
  • Why it mattered.

Use strong action verbs to start your bullet points. Action verbs help your experience sound active, focused, and credible.

Before

Taught students homework in different languages

After

Assisted Primary 4 to 6 students with homework by reviewing answers and explaining key concepts in multiple languages, helping students strengthen understanding and complete tasks more confidently.

Before

Organised house activities such as sports day and inter-house singing competition

After

Led a team of 5 to organise house activities, including sports day and singing competitions, to boost participation, teamwork, and house spirit.

How to add impact

You do not need huge numbers to show impact. Small details can still make a bullet stronger.

You can add:

  • Team size.
  • Frequency.
  • Scope.
  • Tools used.
  • Outcome.
  • Improvement made.

For example, instead of writing “Helped with social media,” write “Created weekly Instagram content for a student event campaign, helping increase engagement and event awareness.” That sounds clearer, stronger, and more useful to an employer.

Step 3: Tailor your CV for each job

Do not send the exact same CV to every employer. Tailoring your CV improves your chances of getting noticed because it shows clear fit for the role.

To tailor your CV:
  1. Read the job description carefully.
  2. Highlight the skills and keywords the employer repeats.
  3. Move your most relevant experience higher up.
  4. Rewrite bullets so they match the role more clearly.
  5. Remove details that do not support your application.

Tailoring is not about changing your story. It is about choosing the best evidence for that specific opportunity.

Common mistakes to avoid
  • Writing one generic CV for every job.
  • Listing tasks without results.
  • Using long paragraphs instead of bullet points.
  • Adding too much personal information.
  • Using weak phrases such as “responsible for” or “helped with.”
  • Sending a CV with spelling, grammar, or formatting errors.

Resources

Start with our CV template if you are unsure how to format your document. It gives you a clean structure you can build on.

Book a consultation

Want feedback on your CV? Book a consultation and get practical advice on structure, bullet points, and how to tailor your content for business roles.