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How to write a school leaver CV (with template & example)

8 min read · Updated on August 15, 2024

Thinking about stepping into the world of work?

As a student or school leaver, you're probably wondering how to write an impressive CV that will help you onto the career ladder. Don't fret – even if you have no previous work experience, you can write a CV that showcases your skill set. Read on to find out how to write a school leaver CV, what to include and exclude, along with a template and example to use as inspiration.

What is a school leaver CV?

A school leaver CV is a document that provides a brief account of your education, qualifications, and employment or volunteer experience. Whether you've completed year 11 with GCSEs, or college with a BTEC, GNVQ, A Levels, or Highers and Advanced Highers, you need a CV.

As a current student or recent school leaver, you may have limited professional experience. However, qualifications, skills, and voluntary work can be used on your CV to demonstrate your competencies when applying for your first job, apprenticeship, or internship.

What to include in a school leaver CV

The format of a CV is flexible. After all, every person and their experiences are unique, so the document structure must be malleable. However, there are essential elements to include in your CV that prospective employers expect to see and that you can leverage as a school leaver. They include:

Contact information (or CV header )

Personal statement

Competencies and skills

Work and voluntary experience

Hobbies and interests

How to write each section of your school leaver CV

Ready to put pen to paper? To help increase your chances of success in securing your first job, follow these steps to create your school leaver CV:

1. Contact information

Every CV starts with your contact information, not the title “CV” or “Curriculum Vitae.” The information to include is your full name, location, phone number, and email address. If you have a link to your LinkedIn profile , a website or a professional online portfolio , you can add that too.

2. Personal statement

Next on your CV is a personal statement, which is also known as a professional summary or personal statement. Note that this is not the same as a personal statement written as part of a university application. 

Your personal profile is a short paragraph consisting of two or three sentences summarising who you are, your relevant qualifications or experience, and your job goals. For example, as a school leaver, you may write that you have recently completed school and are looking to take your first steps in a particular industry.

3. Competencies and skills

Following your personal statement is a section designed to highlight your most relevant competencies, skills, and achievements. 

Use bullet points to list between six and nine of your most impressive abilities and achievements that are relevant to the role you're applying for. They could be hard skills from particular classes, such as IT, or soft skills you have cultivated throughout your education.

Top tip: Tailoring this CV section to each position, as it's often the first thing a hiring manager reads. If your points align with the role requirements and the potential employer's needs, you'll create a powerful first impression.

4. Education

Since you're a school leaver, your education is very important and is likely to be a stronger representation of your skill set than your work experience. This is especially true if you're applying for your first job. As a result, it should be the next section on your CV. Here's a quick breakdown of how you can optimise this section: 

Use reverse chronological order: Detail your educational history from GCSE level onwards, working in reverse chronological order . For each institution, include the school name and bullet point the name of the qualifications you gained there, along with the grade. If you're awaiting results, you can add predicted grades and the expected date of completion. 

Prioritise your highest qualifications: If you're attending college, summarise your GCSEs in one line as your college-level qualification is more advanced and therefore a more accurate representation of your current competency level. However, we would recommend mentioning Maths and English GCSE grades as they're often a prerequisite for many jobs. For example, “9 GCSEs including grade 6 in English and Maths.” 

Add awards and memberships: If you've received academic awards, were a member of any clubs, or took part in extracurricular activities, you may choose to list them in this section too. Alternatively, you can list them in a dedicated awards section or your hobbies and interests section.

5. Work and volunteer experience

If you have some work or volunteer experience, no matter how brief, it could be a great addition to your CV. However, if you don't, you can skip this section.

Listing relevant work experience is very similar to your education section, whereby each experience is listed in reverse chronological order, detailing the company name, your job title, employment dates, a brief overview of your role to add context, and a bullet-point list of key achievements.

To ensure that your listed experience strikes a chord with the prospective employer, review the job description and identify key requirements and phrases that align with your own experience and be sure to reference them. 

6. Relevant hobbies and interests

Include this section especially if you're writing a CV for a school leaver with no experience. While a hobbies and interests section is optional when writing a CV for a school leaver, it can be used to leverage your candidacy and show off your personality.

Hobbies and interests that relate to key requirements listed in the job description and showcase your work ethic would be a good addition to your school-leaver CV. For example, playing football would suggest you possess motivation and teamwork abilities and can work under pressure.

If you're not sure whether you should add a hobby or interest, always ask yourself, “Will adding this help me to get the job?” If the answer is no, it's okay to leave it out.

How to format a school leaver CV

By this point, you should feel ready to write your CV. Here are a few formatting tips and tricks and general guidelines when writing a school leaver CV:

Headings: Use clear headings for each section of your CV to make the document easily digestible.

Font type: Contemporary, simple font types are better as they create a modern and clean read.

Font size: Keep body text between 10 and 12 point font and headings between 14 and 18.

Length: Your CV should be two pages maximum . As a school leaver, it could easily be one page.

Spacing: Standard 1.15 spacing is your best option on a CV.

Margins: 2.5cm margins are standard, but you can decrease them to 1.5cm if you want to fit your CV nearly onto one or two pages.

File type: The best CV file type is a Word document, as it will maintain formatting and an ATS will be able to read it accurately. 

Bonus: what not to include on a school leaver CV

There are a few details that you don't need to list on a school leaver CV. They include:

Referees: You don't  need to add the line “references available upon request” at the end of your CV, as asking for references is standard recruitment practice and employers know you will have them available.

Headshot: You do not need to add a photo of yourself to your CV. While commonplace in other countries, it is not a requirement in the UK due to anti-discrimination legislation.

Protected characteristics: You do not need to include sensitive information, such as age, race, religion or belief, marital status, sexual orientation, sex or gender reassignment, or disabilities as they are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 .

CV template for a school leaver or student

School leaver CV example

To help guide you, here's an example CV for a school leaver in the UK:

Ready to craft your CV?

Writing an interview-winning school leaver CV can be daunting, but it's definitely achievable. If you lack the professional experience, remember to lead with your hobbies and interests while weaving in the appropriate skills throughout your CV. Follow our step-by-step guide and use the provided template and example to guide you along the way.

To save you any doubts, submit your CV for a free review and our experts will tell you if you're on the right track to job search success.

This article was originally written by Laura Slingo and has been updated by Charlotte Grainger.

Recommended reading:

How to write a CV for a 16-year-old (with examples)

How to write a CV for a job with no experience

How to write a personal statement for a CV

Related Articles:

The 9 best CV makers: compare top features & costs

How to demonstrate teamwork skills on your CV (with examples)

What are hard skills? List and examples to include in your CV

See how your CV stacks up.

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School leaver CV example

As a school leaver you might not have much in the way of work experience but it's important not to sell yourself short when applying for a job. Take a look at our example school leaver CV to find out how to present yourself in the best light

Ellie Johnson 15 That Street, Thistown, XY99 9XP [email protected] 07777 888999

I'm planning a business degree, either part-time through an apprenticeship or on a full-time course. My aim is to go into finance. An online business summer school showed me what a vast and varied world this is. During my work experience, I saw how different jobs fit together in a finance department and how a company plans its finances and runs its business systems in the short, medium and long term. My part-time job at Big Stores gives me practical experience in a small branch of a large organisation.

Education and Qualifications

Thistown Central Academy - A-levels (2022)

Business A, Maths B, Computer Science B

GCSEs - Grades 9-4 (2020)

English  Language, French, Spanish, PE, Art and Design, Computer Science, History, Maths, Combined Science                 

Employment and Work Experience

Big Stores Minimart (2021 - present)

Starting as a shelf stacker I progressed to till operator and am now a team leader. I contribute to:

• Staff shift pattern, including early mornings and lates, making sure all areas are covered
• Security of premises, sometimes unlocking and locking up, including cash handling
• Customer service, including complaints and returns
• Monitoring sell-by dates and minimising waste, reordering and stock control.

Thistown College Business and Finance Summer School (July 2022)

Five-day online programme covering:

• Business models, economic theory and concepts, marketing and business strategy
• Seminars with business leaders
• Group work presentation on a business case study.

Thistown Engineering Ltd, Finance Department (July 2021)

Two weeks work experience in the finance department of a local SME:

• Helping with the migration of financial information across IT systems, using my IT skills
• Spending a day in different areas of the department, including shadowing the finance director.

Year 13 Charity Rep on School Council (2021-2022)

Working with reps from other year groups to organise the school’s charity fundraising. I was involved in:

• Getting suggestions from my year group about charities to support and which events to run
• Planning events and organising volunteers to help
• Being responsible for cash during events
• Reporting back to the Head after each event (what we learned, how would we do it next time).

References available on request

Please be aware that this is an example. Use it as a template to help generate ideas and structure your own CV but avoid copying and pasting. Your own CV needs to be original and tailored to the job you're applying for.

As a school leaver you might not have a lot of experience to flesh out your CV with, but employers don't expect someone who's just left school to have a massive amount of experience so don't worry about the length of your CV. Most CVs are two pages long but as a recent school leaver yours might only be one. As you gain experience, you'll be able to add to it.

Your personal profile should sit at the top of the page. Use it to summarise your 'best bits' - and tailor it for each application. It can be easier to write this after you've set out the other information so if you're struggling come back to this last.

As always, presentation is important so don't leave a couple of lines trailing onto another page. You can adjust the spacing, font size, margins etc depending on whether you have a lot to squeeze in, or less to say, which might need spacing out to fill the page.

Make sure every word counts and that all the relevant information is there. If you don't include it, no-one will know about it. However, it's just as important to consider what to leave out. Ask yourself 'Will this help me get a job?'   Include relevant hobbies, for example, caring for a family member on a nursing application or DIY projects for a construction apprenticeship. Socialising with friends is best left off. We all enjoy that, but it's unlikely to get you a job.

It's important to try and show what you've gained from your experiences, rather than just listing what you did - remember to relate the skills and knowledge you've gained to the job you're applying for.

Find out more

• View all example CVs .
• Discover  how to write a CV .
• Learn how to avoid the  top 7 CV mistakes .
• Take a look at how to write a personal statement for your CV .

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• CV and Cover Letter
• How to write a school leaver...

How to write a school leaver CV (with template & example)

8 min read · Updated on August 15, 2024

Thinking about stepping into the world of work?

As a student or school leaver, you're probably wondering how to write an impressive CV that will help you onto the career ladder. Don't fret – even if you have no previous work experience, you can write a CV that showcases your skill set. Read on to find out how to write a school leaver CV, what to include and exclude, along with a template and example to use as inspiration.

What is a school leaver CV?

A school leaver CV is a document that provides a brief account of your education, qualifications, and employment or volunteer experience. Whether you've completed year 11 with GCSEs, or college with a BTEC, GNVQ, A Levels, or Highers and Advanced Highers, you need a CV.

As a current student or recent school leaver, you may have limited professional experience. However, qualifications, skills, and voluntary work can be used on your CV to demonstrate your competencies when applying for your first job, apprenticeship, or internship.

What to include in a school leaver CV

The format of a CV is flexible. After all, every person and their experiences are unique, so the document structure must be malleable. However, there are essential elements to include in your CV that prospective employers expect to see and that you can leverage as a school leaver. They include:

Contact information (or CV header )

Personal statement

Competencies and skills

Work and voluntary experience

Hobbies and interests

How to write each section of your school leaver CV

Ready to put pen to paper? To help increase your chances of success in securing your first job, follow these steps to create your school leaver CV:

1. Contact information

Every CV starts with your contact information, not the title “CV” or “Curriculum Vitae.” The information to include is your full name, location, phone number, and email address. If you have a link to your LinkedIn profile , a website or a professional online portfolio , you can add that too.

2. Personal statement

Next on your CV is a personal statement, which is also known as a professional summary or personal statement. Note that this is not the same as a personal statement written as part of a university application. 

Your personal profile is a short paragraph consisting of two or three sentences summarising who you are, your relevant qualifications or experience, and your job goals. For example, as a school leaver, you may write that you have recently completed school and are looking to take your first steps in a particular industry.

3. Competencies and skills

Following your personal statement is a section designed to highlight your most relevant competencies, skills, and achievements. 

Use bullet points to list between six and nine of your most impressive abilities and achievements that are relevant to the role you're applying for. They could be hard skills from particular classes, such as IT, or soft skills you have cultivated throughout your education.

Top tip: Tailoring this CV section to each position, as it's often the first thing a hiring manager reads. If your points align with the role requirements and the potential employer's needs, you'll create a powerful first impression.

4. Education

Since you're a school leaver, your education is very important and is likely to be a stronger representation of your skill set than your work experience. This is especially true if you're applying for your first job. As a result, it should be the next section on your CV. Here's a quick breakdown of how you can optimise this section: 

Use reverse chronological order: Detail your educational history from GCSE level onwards, working in reverse chronological order . For each institution, include the school name and bullet point the name of the qualifications you gained there, along with the grade. If you're awaiting results, you can add predicted grades and the expected date of completion. 

Prioritise your highest qualifications: If you're attending college, summarise your GCSEs in one line as your college-level qualification is more advanced and therefore a more accurate representation of your current competency level. However, we would recommend mentioning Maths and English GCSE grades as they're often a prerequisite for many jobs. For example, “9 GCSEs including grade 6 in English and Maths.” 

Add awards and memberships: If you've received academic awards, were a member of any clubs, or took part in extracurricular activities, you may choose to list them in this section too. Alternatively, you can list them in a dedicated awards section or your hobbies and interests section.

5. Work and volunteer experience

If you have some work or volunteer experience, no matter how brief, it could be a great addition to your CV. However, if you don't, you can skip this section.

Listing relevant work experience is very similar to your education section, whereby each experience is listed in reverse chronological order, detailing the company name, your job title, employment dates, a brief overview of your role to add context, and a bullet-point list of key achievements.

To ensure that your listed experience strikes a chord with the prospective employer, review the job description and identify key requirements and phrases that align with your own experience and be sure to reference them. 

6. Relevant hobbies and interests

Include this section especially if you're writing a CV for a school leaver with no experience. While a hobbies and interests section is optional when writing a CV for a school leaver, it can be used to leverage your candidacy and show off your personality.

Hobbies and interests that relate to key requirements listed in the job description and showcase your work ethic would be a good addition to your school-leaver CV. For example, playing football would suggest you possess motivation and teamwork abilities and can work under pressure.

If you're not sure whether you should add a hobby or interest, always ask yourself, “Will adding this help me to get the job?” If the answer is no, it's okay to leave it out.

How to format a school leaver CV

By this point, you should feel ready to write your CV. Here are a few formatting tips and tricks and general guidelines when writing a school leaver CV:

Headings: Use clear headings for each section of your CV to make the document easily digestible.

Font type: Contemporary, simple font types are better as they create a modern and clean read.

Font size: Keep body text between 10 and 12 point font and headings between 14 and 18.

Length: Your CV should be two pages maximum . As a school leaver, it could easily be one page.

Spacing: Standard 1.15 spacing is your best option on a CV.

Margins: 2.5cm margins are standard, but you can decrease them to 1.5cm if you want to fit your CV nearly onto one or two pages.

File type: The best CV file type is a Word document, as it will maintain formatting and an ATS will be able to read it accurately. 

Bonus: what not to include on a school leaver CV

There are a few details that you don't need to list on a school leaver CV. They include:

Referees: You don't  need to add the line “references available upon request” at the end of your CV, as asking for references is standard recruitment practice and employers know you will have them available.

Headshot: You do not need to add a photo of yourself to your CV. While commonplace in other countries, it is not a requirement in the UK due to anti-discrimination legislation.

Protected characteristics: You do not need to include sensitive information, such as age, race, religion or belief, marital status, sexual orientation, sex or gender reassignment, or disabilities as they are protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010 .

CV template for a school leaver or student

School leaver CV example

To help guide you, here's an example CV for a school leaver in the UK:

Ready to craft your CV?

Writing an interview-winning school leaver CV can be daunting, but it's definitely achievable. If you lack the professional experience, remember to lead with your hobbies and interests while weaving in the appropriate skills throughout your CV. Follow our step-by-step guide and use the provided template and example to guide you along the way.

To save you any doubts, submit your CV for a free review and our experts will tell you if you're on the right track to job search success.

This article was originally written by Laura Slingo and has been updated by Charlotte Grainger.

Recommended reading:

How to write a CV for a 16-year-old (with examples)

How to write a CV for a job with no experience

How to write a personal statement for a CV

Related Articles:

The 9 best CV makers: compare top features & costs

How to demonstrate teamwork skills on your CV (with examples)

What are hard skills? List and examples to include in your CV

See how your CV stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & CV tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

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School Leaver CV Examples & UK Templates

The prospect of writing a school leaver CV can feel daunting. Where do you begin with no experience, or at least very little?

There is no need to stress writing a school leaver CV without experience. With the correct formatting and strategy, you can still create a CV that grabs the hiring manager's attention and helps you get that all-important interview.

At Resume.io, we have helped job seekers from all walks of life find their dream job – with or without experience. We have a wide range of CV examples you can choose from in various professions. You can also use our CV builder to help you create the perfect CV. We will help you get those thoughts down onto paper while making a real impact.

In this school leaver CV guide, together with the CV example, we will cover these topics:

• How to write your school leaver CV – including tips and tricks for making it impactful
• The best format to use for your school leaver CV
• Advice on how to make the most of each section of your CV
• Layout and design hints and tips

How to write a school leaver CV

There are various sections that are a must-have for your school leaver CV. The insertion of these will ensure that you cover all the key points of your skills and experience:

• Employment History

Every hiring manager wants to feel that you have considered the role and the company, so you should aim to tailor your CV to suit the position you are applying for. As a school leaver, you are likely to be applying for a range of different roles in an array of industries, but even making minor tweaks will show that you are focused on the role you are applying for.

Do as much research as you can about the role, the company, and the hiring manager, and in this way, you will be able to get the tone right. Then, use our CV examples to inspire you to create your own.

Here is a tried and tested formula to use when writing your school leaver CV:

• Make sure the style and tone are adapted to suit the employer you are applying to.
• Ensure your school leaver's CV is professional and use a polished format to create the right impression.
• Consider that the employer may have an ATS (Applicant Tracking System), so use relevant keywords throughout your CV. You can find these on the job spec.

How much do school leavers earn?

The average salary for a school leaver in the UK is £16,622. The actual figure you can expect to earn will derive from factors like your qualifications, relevant experience, job location, and industry. You should always be paid at the national minimum wage , which is £7.49 from April 2023 for employees aged 18-20. Companies are legally obliged to pay this.

Choosing the best CV format for a school leaver

In most cases, the reverse chronological order, defined by the employment history section, is the favourable option. However, in the case of a school leaver, you may want to start with the education section since you are less likely to have experience.

You can make the education section more extensive than you would if you already had a lot of professional experience to fill your CV to at least one page in length. Although, two pages is ideal. Use our CV samples for additional guidance.

If you have any achievements from school that you are particularly proud of and feel would be relevant, you may want to consider creating an additional 'achievements' section. It will not only make your school leaver CV stand out a bit more, but it will also add to the length, making your CV more appealing.

CV summary example: your story so far

Your story is just beginning as a school leaver, but you still have a tale to tell. Beneath your name and contact details is where you will place your CV summary (otherwise known as profile), which is a short introduction to who you are and what has led you to apply for the role.

The summary section needs only two or three statements that show the expertise and skills you possess relevant to the role. You should avoid using 'I' when devising your statements. Instead, you should use action verbs, such as managed, demonstrated, or developed.

You may be looking for some inspiration when writing your summary so that you can take a look at our related CV samples such as our student CV sample and graduate CV example. You may also find useful information in our internship CV sample.

Enthusiastic individual with experience in delivering excellent customer service. Experienced in anticipating deadlines and coordinating complex schedules. Excellent computer skills and proficient in a range of data entry and calendar management software. 

CV education example

As discussed in the guide, the standard format for a CV is usually the employment section situated after the summary. However, it would make more sense to start with your education with a school leaver CV, as this will be the most important.

With experienced candidates, the detail of school qualifications is usually irrelevant. However, with a school leaver CV, you should note the number of GCSEs/Highers (or equivalent) that you possess, including the grades. You can also add an achievement section under this if you have achieved anything that would make you stand out, for instance, an award for highest attendance, the best project in Year 1, and the like.

Westminster City School, London  September 2016 - June 2023  

• Achieved 7 GCSEs (Art, History, Biology, Chemistry, English, French, Computing Studies)
• 3 A Levels (Computing Studies, Art and English)

Employment history sample: the next step

The employment history section can seem very tricky for a school leaver with little to no experience. Of course, you can't leave it blank, but how do you write about experience if you don't have any?

Any experience counts here so that you can use this section to detail unpaid work, volunteer work, or activities associated with clubs or sports. The focus should be to highlight transferable skills you have developed during these jobs or activities. For example, building relationships, providing excellent customer service, and developing communication skills.

You can use bullet points when describing the duties associated with these. Instead of using 'I' – for instance”'I babysat my neighbours children during school holidays”, you could say “responsible for attending to the needs of my neighbour’s children during evening hours”

Crew Member at McDonalds, London December 2021 - Present

• Communicating with customers to deliver their orders and ensure satisfaction.
• Collaborating with other crew members to follow safety guidelines.
• Monitoring cleanliness of restaurant and executing general cleaning tasks.
• Balancing till and recording data in company software.

Babysitting, London September 2021 - June 2022

• Responsible for taking care of multiple after school.
• Coordinating the children’s after school activities.
• Staying on top of children’s needs including cooking meals.

If you did not receive the qualifications to attend university, or you're not interested in going, you're not alone. Following the pandemic, a poll revealed that more than one fifth of school leavers planned to pursue a job rather than higher education.

School leaver CV skills example: leading the way

If you have little or no experience, you may want to focus on the soft skills you possess. Of course, it is better to have a mix of both hard skills and soft skills, but it will depend on whether you have been previously employed. Next, consider the skills you possess that might be relevant to the role. For instance, is the hiring manager looking for an excellent communicator? Do they need someone with great problem-solving skills? Use this section to hone your skills. Below you’ll find the skills from our CV sample.

• Coordination Skills
• Customer Service Skills
• Attention to Detail
• Team Player
• Excellent Phone Manner

CV layout and design: creating a great first impression

With your school leaver CV, you are hoping to get to the interview stage, which involves writing great content and a clear layout and design. Hiring managers are not looking for your CV to be anything outlandish; they should just be easy to read, with clear, defined sections.

There is no need to complicate the design of your school leaver CV; keep it simple. The hiring manager may only read the cover letter for a mere second, so they should be instantly attracted to the design and style. Use our CV examples for inspiration on the CV layout and design.

You should always play to your strengths when writing your school leaver CV, which includes structuring it to highlight the most critical areas of your skills and experience. These, of course, must be relevant to the role.

Writing a CV always comes with challenges, and it's important that you get it right. We have a range of tried and tested CV templates that you can use to help you create your work of art. In addition, some of the less enjoyable tasks can be taken off your shoulders using our CV templates.

Key takeaways for a school leaver CV

• Before you get started on your school leaver CV, create a draft of the sections you'll like to include and the order.
• A school leaver CV should focus on the education and skills section, as the experience section may be non-existent or minimal.
• Tailor your CV to the role you are applying to and the company; even minimal changes will help make it more appealing.
• Use a simple, straightforward CV design to attract the hiring manager's attention.
• Use our online CV maker to make your CV creation seem effortless.

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School Leaver CV: How To Write A School Leaver CV

Writing a school leaver CV can feel tough at times – after all, you’ve just been through school, so how are you meant to write almost a page about your work history?

Well the good news is that you don’t have to, although any work experience you do happen to have is, of course, a bonus.

On a school leaver CV, you can focus more on your educational achievements, skills, ambitions, and even your hobbies.

You could also try to find a local volunteering role, perhaps at a nearby charity shop, to show some proactivity on your school leaver CV. 

In fact, 82% of people with responsibility for hiring say they’re more likely to choose a candidate with volunteering experience, according to Deloitte.

Here’s how to write a school leaver CV without worrying about whether you have enough experience yet.

School leaver CV format

Don’t worry if you haven’t any paid employment experience to write about – usually, a CV for a school leaver doesn’t have anything to include here.

Once you’ve taken your first step on the career ladder, you can start thinking of using a CV with a chronological employment history format. 

For now, a functional or skills-based CV template is much more likely to meet your needs.

This format emphasises your skills and achievements from your educational, personal or professional life, while de-emphasising the focus on work history.

Contact details and personal statement

At the top of your school leaver CV, put your contact information including your name, phone number and email address.

You might have your own website or online portfolio of articles or photographs – if it’s relevant to the job you want, you can add the link here too.

Next, write a short personal statement . This should be tailored to the role you’re applying for and summarise your most relevant achievements, strengths and career ambitions.

For a school leaver CV, just three to four sentences should be long enough – quality over quantity – but try to support your claims with examples if possible.

Often, it’s easier to only write this part once the rest of your CV is complete. 

Skills and education sections

Your skills section can consist of:

• Hard skills: these are quantifiable and specific e.g. qualifications or achievements, completed courses or foreign language experience
• Soft skills: these are more personal, relating to individual characteristics or qualities e.g. problem solving or leadership

For soft skills in particular, try to back these up with an example.

In your education section, include your number and level of subject grades (or expected grades), as well as any other academic achievements from GCSE level onwards.

If you have A-Levels (or equivalent), start with these and then go in reverse chronological order back to your GCSEs. 

Depending on which part looks stronger, you can choose whether to put your skills or education section first on a CV for a school leaver.

Work experience and volunteering sections (optional)

Either, or both, of these can be omitted if you don’t have any work or volunteering experience to write about.

If you do, cover these in reverse chronological order, including details such as the company or charity name, your role and the dates you worked or volunteered there.

Then list any relevant responsibilities, ideally tailored to the job description. For example, if you’re applying for a receptionist role, mention any customer service experience you have.

You could also sign off by writing ‘references available on request’ at the end of your school leaver CV, something which you won’t need to do in future years. Read our blog for more information about putting references on your CV .

In general, seeking out volunteering opportunities is a great way to demonstrate your proactivity and lengthen your school leaver CV if you haven’t had any work experience yet. 

Hobbies and interests

Later in your career, this final part will be brief. However, on a school leaver CV, it’s a nice chance to show employers how the things you do in your spare time make you a good fit for the role.

As before, try to only include hobbies and interests that are relevant.

For example, music grades could help show that you’re used to practising a skill and then performing it under pressure.

Group sports could also allude to good communication or teamwork skills – but leave out any pastimes which have no relevance to working, like ‘seeing my friends’.

You could also sign off by writing ‘references available on request’ at the end of your school leaver CV, something which you won’t need to do in future years . 

If your application is successful and you’re asked for a reference, but don’t have any work or volunteering experience, then one of your teachers could be a good option for a referee.

Final thoughts: how to write a school leaver CV

That’s how to write a CV for a school leaver – focus on your skills and education to date. 

Don’t worry if you have to leave out the work experience section, but think about how you could impress employers by being proactive, perhaps by volunteering or taking a course.

To stand out from the crowd, you could consider writing a cover letter – even if you’re not asked for one – to show employers just how ambitious you are.

For more information about work and internship opportunities after leaving school, there are lots of resources out there – start by visiting the relevant National Careers Service pages .

If you have any questions for us about writing a school leaver CV – or if you’d like us to write your CV – then please don’t hesitate to get in touch .

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   Home » Articles & News » How To Write Your First CV – Step by Step Guide for Students

How To Write Your First CV – Step by Step Guide for Students

• CV tips and cover letter tips
• Help Getting A Job
• Not sure what to do next – study

See how to write your first CV for your first job with this step by step guide for students. You don’t lots of need work experience or qualifications to write a great CV that demonstrates your skills and strengths.

In this guide:, what is a cv.

• What to put in your CV
• Your personal statement
• Your work experience
• Your skills and strengths
• Your interests
• Your references
• Do’s and Don’ts
• Why you need a CV
• Expert tips
• Watch the video!

A CV (also known as Curriculum Vitae) is a document that helps you show employers your skills, strengths, qualifications and experience when you apply for a job. Employers often ask for a CV and expect it to look and feel professional.

A CV is a big first step to getting a job. It doesn’t just show employers what you’ve done – it shows them what you can do. Think of it as an introduction to one of the most amazing and employable people in the world. You.

What to put in your first CV: A step by step guide

• Contact details – phone number and email address.
• Personal statement: – A personal statement is a sentence or paragraph that summarises your strengths, career goals, and what you can offer employers.
• Key skills: – Skills like teamwork, communication and problem solving are useful to put on your CV when you are still building experience
• Education: Putting your education in your CV means adding you’ve studied, for how long, and what grades you got. You can put predicted grades if waiting for results.
• Work experience: Work experience can include part-time jobs, work placements, work shadowing, internships, and paid training like apprenticeships.
• Hobbies and interests: This section is your chance to show your general life experience and skills. Volunteering, personal projects and learning out of choice (e.g. sports or music) can show employers your skills, motivation and suitability for a role.

You can explore each of these elements in more depth below.

What to put in your personal statement on your first CV

What is a cv personal statement.

A CV personal statement is a bite-sized sentence or two summing up who you are as a professional, and what you want to offer employers in terms of your ambition and experience.

Example personal statement

“Sixth form student at Stonebridge College. Practical work experience with retail weekend work (including cash handling) and summer catering work in restaurants. Looking to start a business career with work that develops my business skills and includes customer service.”

If you haven’t done much work experience, you won’t have much to say here. You can still talk about your skills, though. You’ll learn more about talking about skills in your first CV below.

What counts as work experience on your first CV?

You may have never had a job before, but you probably have more experience than you think. Examples of work experience include:

• work shadowing
• work experience and placements
• volunteering
• charity work
• Saturday jobs
• summer jobs .

Work experience can take all kinds of forms. For each bit of work experience , include the name of the place you worked, how long you worked there and what your main tasks were. Try to write about the work you did in a way that shows future employers what you’d be good at. For example…

How to talk about skills and strengths in your first CV

If you’ve got little or no work experience, you can still use a CV to talk about your skills and strengths. These are known as ‘soft skills’ or ‘life skills’. They are personal qualities that have helped you develop as a person, but can also help you fit into the workplace and develop as a professional, too.

Many youth friendly employers are changing their recruitment approach in terms of job descriptions and job requirements to focus on skills and strengths instead of qualifications and experience. This can help you demonstrate your suitability for a job in your CV when you are a student or school leaver and still building your qualifications and experience.

These are the top life and work skills to talk about in your CV:

• self-belief
• communication
• problem solving
• self-management .

Try out our free online Young Professional training to build these five top life and work skills, wherever you are in the UK.

You are building these important work skills all the time, even when you are still at school. You just need to learn how to develop them and show employers you’ve got them. You can talk about these work skills in your CV.

If you are applying for a job that mentions nice-to-have skills, use your CV to demonstrate how any work experience you’ve done has helped you build up those skills.

EXAMPLE: talking about your Saturday job in your CV

Role: Weekend customer assistant work, MacDougal’s Fast Food, Aug 2016-Dec 2017

• Developed strong customer service skills in serving customers quickly and politely
• Used problem solving to help customers with a range of queries like requesting vegan choices or items not on the menu
• Worked as a team to make sure food was cooked, served and delivered quickly, and the service area was kept clean
• Used self-management and organisation skills to carry out tasks on my own without constant supervision by the team leader
• Developed time-keeping skills in always being punctual for work
• I was given extra responsibilities by the team leader and trained in cash handling and working the till.

How to talk about hobbies in your CV

Talking about hobbies and interests in your CV gives you the opportunity to demonstrate your ambition, motivation, positive attitude and life skills. It’s important to talk about your interests in your first CV because it shows employers you are keen to learn and try new things. You are motivated to do more than the bare minimum in order to develop yourself.

Example hobbies and interests to include in your first CV:

• Volunteering (this includes volunteering online )
• Social action
• Learning a new skill, also known as lifelong learning (e.g. sports discipline, instrument, crafting, coding)
• Clubs and societies (e.g. scouts, guides, after-school clubs, youth clubs)
• Achievements (e.g. awards you have won, charity events you have participated in, courses you have completed)

Employers are likely to ask you about your hobbies and interests in a job interview. Talking about these can make you feel more at ease with the social side of the interview process. You can also talk about the skills you use in your hobbies to show you are a well-rounded person who is suitable for the job.

Who can give you a reference for your first CV?

Someone who gives you a reference is someone who can vouch for you when you are applying for a job. You don’t have to put references on your CV. You can just say “References available on request” on the bottom. But this does give you time to think about who could be a good reference for any work experience you’ve done.

If you’re still in school, you could ask a teacher to be a reference. If you’ve done any saturday work, volunteering or charity work you could ask the team leader or the person who supervised you to be your reference. If you’ve done school work experience, you could ask your supervisor to provide you with a reference.

Whoever you ask for a reference, be polite and explain why you want the job – or ask if they will be willing to provide a reference if you apply for jobs in the future.

What not to put on your CV:

• Date of birth
• Gender (your business, no-one else’s)
• Religion (your business, no-one else’s)
• Relationship status (single, married or “it’s complicated”? Never put it on your CV!)
• Nationality (all these things are way too personal and employers will only ask if they absolutely need to know)
• Weird colours, designs and fonts (keep it simple!)
• A non-professional email address (Weird or joke emails like [email protected] give employers the wrong impression. It’s quick and free to get a new professional email address like [email protected] if you need one.)
• Lies (never lie on your CV. You can emphasise your good points, but never lie – you will just get caught out.)
• References (if employers want references from people, they’ll ask you. Save that CV space for your skills, experience and achievements)
• It is recommended that you do not provide your address for personal security reasons, but it you can decide whether you think it is necessary to include it.

What should your first CV look like?

The most important thing is to keep it simple! Your CV should not be more than two pages long, and it should look really basic with simple formatting. Avoid fancy fonts, CV templates or colours.

Search online for ‘CV templates’ and you’ll find loads of examples to try.

Why do you need a CV?

A CV tells employers what you’re good at, what you are interested in and what you’ve achieved in life so far.  You hand it out when you are looking for jobs. They are great to take to careers fairs, and you can often upload your CV if you are applying for a job online. If an employer likes your CV they might ask you to come to a job interview .

Your CV is your chance to show employers you’re a good match for the job and can back up any claims you make. If you say in your cover letter that your cooking could put the Great British Bake-Off to shame, your CV can back you up by showing how you raised hundreds of pounds in a school charity bake sale.

CV tips from youth-friendly employers

BT Early Careers : (Because not all employers these days need CVs, especially with online applications): “Fill in our online application form. We’ll be looking for evidence that you’re suitable for life at BT. Don’t worry if you don’t have a CV, you don’t need to upload one if you don’t want to.”

Capita: “Put your mobile phone number on your CV. We need to quickly find it and call you to give you the good news that you are through!”

Ixion: “Do you want to apply for a traineeship with us? As part of your traineeship, we will support you in putting together your CV as we want to see you progress successfully from your traineeship either into an apprenticeship or employment.”

Kelly Services : “In online recruitment, many companies use ATS, or Applicant Tracking Software, to sort out ‘good’ CVs from the ones that they think are less suited to the job. Use keywords in what you write on your online application that are relevant to the job posting that you’re applying for and that are mentioned in the job posting.”

McDonald’s : “Remember what your CV is for. It’s not just to show employers what you’ve done. It’s to show employers who you are and what you CAN do.”

VHR Technical Recruitment : “ List your most significant accomplishments in order of importance for each of your previous work experience roles. Allow employers and recruiters looking at your CV to build a great impression of your achievements and future potential in seconds. “

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Resume personal statement examples

If you want to secure job interview, you need a strong personal statement at the top of your resume.

Your resume personal statement is a short paragraph which sits at the very top of your resume – and it’s aim is to summarize the benefits of hiring you and encourage employers to read your resume in full.

In this guide I have included 17 resume personal statement examples from a range of professions and experience levels, plus a detailed guide of how to write your own personal statement that will get you noticed by employers

Resume templates 

17 resume personal statement examples

To start this guide, I have included 10 examples of good personal statements, to give you an idea of how a personal statement should look , and what should be included.

Note: personal statements are generally used by junior candidates – if you are experienced, check out our resume summary examples instead.

College graduate resume personal statement (no experience)

Although this college graduate has no paid work experience , they compensate for it by showcasing all of the skills and knowledge the have gained during their studies, and demonstrating how they apply their knowledge in academic and personal projects.

When you have little or no experience, it’s important to draw out transferable workplace skills from your studies and extracurricular work, to showcase them to employers.

College graduate resume personal statement (part time freelance experience)

This candidate has graduated college with a degree in biochemistry but actually wants to start a career in marketing after providing some digital freelance services to fund their studies.

In this case, they haven’t made much mention of their studies because they aren’t relevant to the marketing agencies they are applying to. Instead they have focused their personal statement around their freelance work and passion for the digital field – although they still mention the fact they are degree educated to prove their academic success.

High school leaver resume personal statement (no experience)

This candidate is 16 years old and has no work experience whatsoever, but they compensate for this by detailing their academic achievements that relate to the roles they are applying for (maths and literacy are important requirements in finance and accountancy roles).

They also add some info on their extracurricular activities and high school work-placements, to strengthen this student resume further.

Top tips for writing a resume personal statement

• Thoroughly research the jobs and companies you are planning to apply for to identify the type of candidate they are looking for – try to reflect that in your personal statement
• Don’t be afraid to brag a little – include some of your most impressive achievements from education, work or personal life
• Focus on describing the benefits an employer will get from hiring you. Will you help them to get more customers? Improve their workplace? Save them time and money?
• If you have no work experience, demonstrate transferable workplace skills from your education, projects, or even hobbies

High school leaver resume personal statement (part time experience)

Although this person has only just left high school, they have also undertaken some part-time work in a call center alongside their studies.

To make the most of this experience, they have combined their academic achievements with their workplace exposure in this personal statement.

By highlighting their future studies, summer programme involvement, work experience and expressing their ambitions to progress within sales, this candidate really makes an appealing case for hiring them.

College leaver resume personal statement (no experience)

This candidate has left college with good grades, but does not yet have any work experience.

To compensate for the lack of workplace exposure, they have made their honor results prominent and highlighted skills and experience which would benefit the employers they are targeting.

Any recruiter reading this summary can quickly understand that this candidate has great academic achievements, a passion for IT and finance and the ability to transfer their skills into an office environment.

College student resume personal statement (freelance experience)

As this student has picked up a small amount of freelance writing work during their studies, they have made sure to brag about it in their personal statement.

They give details on their relevant studies to show the skills they are learning, and boost this further by highlighting the fact that they have been applying these skills in a real-life work setting by providing freelance services.

They also include key action verbs that recruiters will be looking for , such as creative writing, working to deadlines, and producing copy.

Academic resume personal statement

Aside from junior candidates, the only other people who might use a personal statement, are academic professionals; as their resume’s tend to be more longer and detailed than other professions.

This candidate provides a high level overview of their field of study, length of experience, and the roles they have held within colleges.

High school leaver resume personal statement with sports experience

Although this person has no work experience, they are still able to show employers the value of hiring them by selling their other achievements and explaining how they could benefit an organization.

They expand on their sports club involvement to demonstrate their teamwork, leadership skills, communication and motivation, which are all important traits in the workplace, and will be looked upon favourably by recruiters and hiring managers.

They also draw upon their future plans to study business studies at college and take a part time job, to further prove their ambition and dedication.

History graduate resume personal statement

This history graduate proves their aptitude for both academic achievement and workplace aptitude by showcasing valuable skills from their degree and voluntary work.

They do this by breaking down the key requirements for each and showing how their skills could be beneficial for future employers, such as listening, communication, and crisis management.

They also describe how their ability to balance studies alongside voluntary work has not only boosted their knowledge and skills, but also given excellent time management and organizational skills – which are vital assets to any employer.

Law graduate resume personal statement

This legal graduate makes the most from their college work placements by using it to bulk out the contents of their resume personal statement.

They include their degree to show they have the necessary qualifications for legal roles, which is crucial, but more importantly, they showcase how they applied their legal skills within a real-life work setting.

They give a brief overview of the types of legal professionals they have been working alongside and the type of work they have been carrying out – this is all it takes to get the attention of recruiters and show employers they have what it takes to fulfil roles in the legal sector.

Medical student resume personal statement

This medical student proves their fit for the role by showcasing the key skills they have gained from their studies and their work experience placements.

In just these few sentences, they are able to highlight the vast amount of experience they have across different disciplines in the industry, something which is particularly important in the medical sector.

As they have not graduated yet and are still studying, they have provided proof of their most recent grades. This can give the recruiter some indication as to the type of grade they could be graduating with in the near future.

Masters student resume personal statement

This masters student has started by specifying their area of study, in this case, accounting, and given details about the specific areas of finance they are most interested in. This can hint towards their career goals and passions.

They have then carefully listed some of the key areas of accounting and finance that they are proficient in. For example, business finance, advanced corporate finance and statistics.

They have also outlined some of the transferable skills needed for accounting roles that employers will be looking out for, such as communication, attention to detail and analytical skills.

Finance student resume personal statement

As this finance student has recently undertaken some relevant work experience, they’ve made sure to shout about this in their personal summary.

But more than this, they have included a list of some of the important finance skills they gained as a result of this work experience – for example, financial reporting, processing invoices and month-end reconciliations.

Plus, through power words and phrases such as ‘prevent loss’ and ‘improve upon accuracy and efficiency’, they have also showcased how they can apply these skills in a workplace setting to benefit the potential employer.

Internship resume personal statement

This digital marketing professional has started their personal summary by outlining their most relevant qualifications and work experience, most notably their freelance role as a content manager.

They have also provided examples of some of the key marketing skills that potential employers might be looking for, including very detailed examples of the platforms and tools they are proficient in – for example, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.

They have then closed their statement by giving a detailed description of the type of role or opportunity they are looking for. In this case, an in-house position in a marketing company.

College graduate career changer personal statement

Switching careers as a college graduate can be tough. Especially when it comes to writing a personal statement that will attract employers in your new chosen field.

This candidate is looking to move from history teaching into journalism, so they have created a statement which briefly mentions their current workplace, but mainly focuses on highlighting transferable skills which are relevant to journalism. They achieve this by discussing the writing skills they use in their current role, and mentioning their hobby of writing – including some publications they have been featured in for extra brownie points.

Business management graduate personal statement

This business management proves their ability to work within a junior business management position by swiftly highlighting their impressive degree (to ensure it is not missed) and summarizing some of the real-life experience they have gained in management during their college placements and volunteering. They do not let their lack of paid work experience, stop them demonstrating their valuable skills.

PhD graduate

PhD graduate roles attract a lot of competition, so it’s important that your resume contains a personal statement that will quickly impress and attract recruiters.

This candidate provides a short-but-comprehensive overview of their academic achievements, whilst demonstrating their exceptional level of knowledge in research, languages and publication writing.

By highlighting a number of skills and abilities that are in high-demand in the academic workplace, this resume is very likely to get noticed and land interviews.

How to write a personal statement for your resume

Now that you’ve seen what a personal statement should look like and the type of content it should contain, follow this detailed guide to one for your own resume – and start racking those interviews up.

Guide contents

What is a resume personal statement?

Resume personal statement or resume summary, personal statement format, what to include in a resume personal statement.

• Personal statement mistakes

How to write persuasively

A personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of your resume which gives employers an overview of your education, skills and experience

It’s purpose is to capture the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers when your resume is first opened – encouraging them to read the rest of it.

You achieve this by writing a tailored summary of yourself that explains your suitability for the roles you are applying for at a very high level, and matches your target job descriptions .

One question candidates often ask me is , “what is the difference between a personal statement and a resume summary?”

To be honest, they are almost the same – they are both introductory paragraphs that sit at the top of your resume… but there are 2 main differences:

A personal statement tends to be used more by junior candidates (college graduates, high school leavers etc.) and is relatively long and detailed.

A resume summary tends to be favoured by more experienced candidates , and is shorter in length than a personal statement.

Note: If you are an experienced candidate, you may want to switch over to my resume writing guide , or example resume summaries page.

To ensure you grab recruiters’ attention with your personal statement, lay it out in the following way.

Positioning

You need to ensure that your personal statement sits at the very top of your resume, and all of it should be totally visible to readers, without the need to scroll down the page.

Do this by reducing the top page margin and minimizing the space taken up by your contact details.

This will ensure that your whole personal statement can be seen, as soon as your resume is opened.

We have a resume template which can help you to get this right.

Size/length

Your personal statement needs to contain enough detail to provide an introduction to your skills and knowledge, but not so much detail that it bores readers.

To strike the right balance, anything between 8-15 lines of text is perfect – and sentences should be sharp and to-the-point.

As with the whole of your resume , your personal statement should be written in a simple clean font at around size 10-12 to ensure that it can be read easily by all recruiters and employers.

Keep the text color simple, ensuring that it contrasts the background (black on white is best) and break it into 2 or even 3 paragraphs for a pleasant reading experience.

It should also be written in a punchy persuasive tone, to help you sell yourself and increase your chances of landing interviews, I cover how to do this in detail further down the guide.

Quick tip: A poorly written resume will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy Resume Builder to create a winning resume in minutes with professional resume templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Once you have the style and format of your personal statement perfected, you need to fill it with compelling content that tells recruiters that your resume is worth reading.

Here’s what needs to go into your personal statement…

Before you start writing your personal statement, it’s crucial that you research your target roles to find out exactly what your new potential employers are looking for in a candidate.

Run a search for your target jobs on one of the major job websites, look through plenty of adverts and make a list of the candidate requirements that frequently appear.

This research will show you exactly what to include in your personal statement in order to impress the recruiters who will be reading it.

Education and qualifications are an important aspect of your personal statement, especially if you are a junior candidate.

You should highlight your highest and most relevant qualifications, whether that is a degree or your GED. You could potentially go into some more detail around modules, papers etc. if they are relevant to the roles you are applying for.

It’s important that you discuss the experience you have gained in your personal statement, to give readers an idea of the work you are comfortable undertaking.

This can of course be direct employed work experience, but it doesn’t have to be.

You can also include:

• High school/college work placements
• Voluntary work
• Personal projects
• Hobbies/interests

As with all aspects of your resume , the content should be tailored to match the requirements of your target roles.

Whilst discussing your experience, you should touch upon skills used, industries worked in, types of companies worked for, and people you have worked with.

Where possible, try to show the impact your actions have made. E.g.  A customer service agent helps to make sales for their employer.

Any industry-specific knowledge you have that will be useful to your new potential employers should be made prominent within your personal statement.

For example

• Knowledge of financial regulations will be important for accountancy roles
• Knowledge of IT operating systems will be important for IT roles
• Knowledge of the national curriculum will be important for teachers

You should also include some information about the types of roles you are applying for, and why you are doing so. Try to show your interest and passion for the field you are hoping to enter, because employers want to hire people who have genuine motivation and drive in their work.

This is especially true if you don’t have much work experience, as you need something else to compensate for it.

Resume personal statement mistakes

The things that you omit from your personal statement can be just as important as the things you include.

Try to keep the following out of your personal statement..

Irrelevant info

Any information that doesn’t fall into the requirements of your target roles can be cut out of your personal statement. For example, if you were a professional athlete 6 years ago, that’s great – but it won’t be relevant if you’re applying to advertising internships, so leave it out.

Generic clichés

If you are describing yourself as a “ dynamic team player with high levels of motivation and enthusiasm” you aren’t doing yourself any favours.

These cliché terms are vastly overused and don’t provide readers with any factual details about you – so keep them to a minimum.

Stick to solid facts like education, skills , experience, achievements and knowledge.

If you really want to ensure that your personal statement makes a big impact, you need to write in a persuasive manner.

So, how do you so this?

Well, you need to brag a little – but not too much

It’s about selling yourself and appearing confident, without overstepping the mark and appearing arrogant.

For example, instead of writing.

“Marketing graduate with an interest in entering the digital field”

Be creative and excite the reader by livening the sentence up like this,

“Marketing graduate with highest exam results in class and a passion for embarking on a long and successful career within digital”

The second sentence is a much more interesting, makes the candidate appear more confident, throws in some achievements, and shows off a wider range of writing skills.

Quick tip: A poorly written resume will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy Resume Builder to create a winning resume in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Your own personal statement will be totally unique to yourself, but by using the above guidelines you will be able to create one which shows recruiters everything they need.

Remember to keep the length between 10-20 lines and only include the most relevant information for your target roles.

You can also check our college graduate resume example , our best resume templates , or our library of example resumes from all industries.

Good luck with the job hunt!

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Home » Personal Statement Examples » School Leaver Personal Statement Example

School Leaver Personal Statement Example

By Guest Author

   If you are leaving school soon and looking to begin work and are ready to start applying for jobs then once you have highlighted what kind of jobs you want to apply for then you need to start looking at what skills and experience you have to offer an employer.

Starting a career at such an early age allows employers to mould you into their company without already having any bad habits. It also means that you will be given the opportunity to learn as much as you can and take on board what you can depending on how much you want to put into your career.

Related: School Leaver Cover Letter

Before doing your personal statement within your application you will need to consider carefully what skills and attributes you have to offer and tailor this to what specific job you are looking to apply for. This could mean tailoring each statement if you are going to be applying for different things.

Below is an example personal statement that you can use as a guide:

I am a young, keen individual who is eager to begin a career in (what depending on the role you are applying for). I will be leaving school/I left school (when) and am interested in working in your industry/company.

I work hard, enjoy learning and like to do things that are hands on where I can feel the jobs getting done and see the success this brings. I have always had a passion for (career choice) and have done (what towards beginning this career choice).

I am very enthusiastic and have tailored my education round (what career choice to be interested in) and ready to begin learning whilst doing something that I enjoy. I want to be successful in my career and am prepared to put the hours and effort into my career to achieve this.

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