What is a CV?
A snapshot of your academic, work, and personal achievements—your "cheat sheet" for employers.
1
Contact Info
Start with essentials
Include
- Full Name
- Phone Number
- Professional Email
- LinkedIn Profile
- City & Country
Example
Liam Andersson +46 701 234 567 | liam.andersson@studentmail.com linkedin.com/in/liamandersson | Stockholm, Sweden
2
Personal Statement
2-3 sentences about goals
Include
- Who you are (student, graduate)
- What you're studying/interested in
- What internship you want and why
Example
Motivated engineering student passionate about renewable energy. Pursuing BSc at KTH. Seeking summer internship to apply technical skills.
3
Education
Most recent first
Include
- School/University Name
- Degree or 'Currently studying...'
- Field of Study & Dates
- Relevant coursework, GPA
Example
KTH Royal Institute of Technology BSc Environmental Engineering, 2022–Present Coursework: Energy Systems, Urban Water | GPA: 4.3/5.0
4
Key Skills
Match job requirements
Include
- 5-10 relevant hard skills
- Soft skills with context
- Show real-life usage
Example
Technical: Python, Excel, Canva Soft: Team collaboration (climate project), Time management
5
Experience
Any work counts
Include
- Job Title & Company
- Dates worked
- 2-4 bullet points of achievements
Example
Barista, Espresso House (Jun–Aug 2023) • Trained 2 new hires • Improved upsell rate by 12%
6
Activities
Gold if no work experience
Include
- Student councils & clubs
- Volunteering & events
- Hackathons & competitions
Example
VP, Sustainability Committee, KTH (2023–Present) • Organized recycling week (400+ participants)
7
Awards & Certs
Role-relevant achievements
Include
- Scholarships & honors
- Online certifications
- Notable projects
Example
• Google Data Analytics Certificate, 2024 • Built Python budgeting app for finance class
8
Formatting
Clean & readable
Include
- Clear section headings
- Clean fonts: Arial, Calibri
- One page maximum
Avoid
- DON'T add photo unless requested
- DON'T include birthdate/religion
- DON'T use fancy designs
9
Tailor Each Application
Don't send the same CV everywhere
- Change objective for each application
- Highlight matching skills/projects
- Focus bullets on internship needs
10
Final Checks
Before you hit send
Spelling & grammar check
Get someone to review
Save as PDF
Name: Firstname_Lastname_CV.pdf
CV Template
Copy this structure
[Your Full Name] Phone | Email | LinkedIn | City PERSONAL STATEMENT [2–3 sentences: goals + what you're seeking] EDUCATION [School, degree, field, dates, courses] EXPERIENCE [Job title, company, dates, 2–4 bullets] ACTIVITIES [Role, group, dates, achievements] SKILLS [Hard skills, soft skills—role relevant] AWARDS / CERTIFICATIONS [Brief list if relevant]