Student CV Templates

You need to put your energy into the content of your CV, not creating the layout and formatting. Download a tried-and-tested CV template and write over the existing content, and personalise it with your skills and experience. You can then make minor format edits to complete it.

For example, if you set up a club at school, saying you 'established', 'founded' or initiated' sounds a lot better. If you were in charge of something at school, action verbs include 'administered', 'represented' or 'controlled'. There are easy ways to make your message more compelling - check out this fantastic full list of action verbs for CVs.

Employers may favour applicants who have their own set of transport as it suggests they are independent and have their own means to get to and from the job. While public transport is excellent in cities like Auckland and Wellington, it doesn't run 24 hours, and many student jobs are at inconvenient times and locations. If you plan to get a licence but haven't got on to it yet, make that your next priority. State that you have a drivers licence near the beginning of your CV.

Take breaks in between checking it to avoid CV fatigue. Ask a parent or friend to read over it too. You can also download a free version of Grammarly (see our review) which offers added help and points to think about.

Make sure the CV has your latest education and work experience listed. Employers can easily pick up when your CV was last updated - the file details show the modification date. If you want the job, make an effort and touch up your CV so that it is relevant for tomorrow. It won't take long, and it will make all the difference.

Overseas websites may suggest it, but in New Zealand and other Commonwealth countries (i.e. Australia and England) it's not the norm, so don't do it.

The list is near endless, but typical details to avoid mentioning are your hobbies, age, an unprofessional email address, goals, wage information of current and previous jobs, reasons why you left previous jobs, and other unrelated information that doesn't support your job application.

Quite simply, if in doubt, delete it. Less is more when it comes to a CV. The employer wants to see your experience and references, not your thoughts about yourself.

Do not lie in a CV - it's easy to be found out and is never worth the risk. You may think that you don't have the key qualifications or experience for the job, but many employers look beyond the rigid requirements and want people who show initiative and have a track record. 

'Harmless' lies are harmful - here are some examples: 

• 'Studied Japanese' when in reality you only took one or two classes before switching.
• 'Studied IT and can code' when you dropped out of university after four weeks. 
• 'Managed a team of five' when you were a temporary employee.

You can, of course, expand generously on your job responsibilities and round-up the time you worked if it's reasonable, but a lie is bad news. New Zealand is too small and people talk. Please don't risk it. ​

For school students, keeping it short and clear is key. Writing a clear personal statement is more important than random information. 

If you've graduated from university, subject grades at high school and even university are likely to be irrelevant once you work for a few years. What experience you list and how you describe it is important, and shows a track record of working. However, be careful not to over-describe the trivial, such as how good you were cleaning a restaurant's kitchen or working in retail etc. 

The best approach is to only include experience if it showcases additional skills that can translate to the position you're applying for. For example:

1. If you worked at The Warehouse and are applying for a job at Farmers, then that's relevant.
2. But if you're going for a job at the BNZ and are currently working at Westpac, mentioning a summer years ago where you worked at a bar and a BP station is more clutter than helpful.

While this point is perhaps more relevant for students looking for full-time work, we think it's good to mention that the person looking at your CV is, quite likely, looking for a reason to reject it. That is how CV reviews go - the hiring manager wants to find the people to interview by process of elimination. If you use words and phrases such as “best of breed,” "adding value", "thinking outside the box,” "headhunted" and “people pleaser", you may very well limit your chances of success. Terms such as those tend to be disliked, and even if they're not, it is not worth the risk to include them.

The terms employers like to see, in moderation, include “achieved,” "initiated", “managed,” “resolved,” and “launched”. These words demonstrate involvement, teamwork and initiative. However, it's important not to overuse them or place them out of context.