5 Common CV Mistakes Students Make (and How to Fix Them)
Landing your first internship or part-time job is exciting! But getting your foot in the door often starts with your CV, and as a student, it’s easy to make a few common mistakes without even realising it. Don’t worry, we’ve got your back!
Let’s look at 5 frequent slip-ups students make on their CVs and how you can easily fix them, making your application much stronger.
1. The “One-Size-Fits-All” CV
The Mistake: Sending the exact same CV to every single job application. Recruiters can spot a generic CV a mile off, and it suggests you haven’t put much thought into their specific role or company.
The Fix: Tailor your CV every time!
- Read the job description carefully: Identify the key skills and requirements they’re looking for.
- Mirror the language: Use some of the keywords from the job description in your skills section and descriptions (where relevant, of course!).
- Highlight relevant experience: Even if it’s coursework or a small project, if it relates to the job, make sure it’s prominent.
How ThePerfectCV Helps: Our templates make it easy to duplicate and tweak your CV for different applications. Plus, our AI suggestions can help you find relevant keywords for specific roles.
2. Typos and Messy Formatting
The Mistake: Spelling errors, grammatical mistakes, inconsistent formatting, or a cluttered layout. This looks unprofessional and suggests a lack of attention to detail – not a great first impression!
The Fix: Proofread, proofread, proofread!
- Read it aloud: This helps catch awkward phrasing.
- Ask a friend or career advisor: A fresh pair of eyes is invaluable.
- Use a clean, professional template: Keep formatting consistent (fonts, spacing, bullet points).
How ThePerfectCV Helps: Our professionally designed templates ensure a clean layout. We also have a built-in spell checker to catch those pesky typos before you hit send.
3. Ignoring Non-Work Experience
The Mistake: Thinking you have “no experience” just because you haven’t had a full-time job yet. Students often undervalue their other activities.
The Fix: Showcase all relevant experience!
- Coursework & Projects: Highlight major projects, presentations, or research relevant to the job.
- Volunteer Work: Shows initiative, teamwork, and commitment.
- Extracurricular Activities: Mention leadership roles, club involvement, or sports if they demonstrate relevant skills (like teamwork, organisation, discipline).
- Part-time/Summer Jobs: Even if unrelated (e.g., retail, hospitality), they show responsibility, customer service skills, and time management.
How ThePerfectCV Helps: Our CV builder has dedicated sections for projects, volunteering, and extracurriculars, making it easy to include and format this vital information.
4. Vague or Passive Language
The Mistake: Describing your responsibilities using weak phrases like “Responsible for…” or “Duties included…” without showing your impact.
The Fix: Use strong action verbs and quantify your achievements whenever possible.
- Instead of: “Responsible for social media posts”
- Try: “Managed the university club’s Instagram account, increasing followers by 15% in one semester.”
- Instead of: “Helped with group project”
- Try: “Collaborated with a team of 4 students to research and present findings on [Topic], achieving a grade of [Your Grade].”
How ThePerfectCV Helps: Our AI-powered content writer can suggest powerful action verbs and help you phrase your accomplishments effectively, even for academic or volunteer experiences.
5. Incorrect or Missing Contact Details
The Mistake: A simple typo in your phone number or email address, or forgetting to include them altogether! It sounds basic, but it happens, and it means employers can’t contact you.
The Fix: Double-check (and triple-check!) your contact information.
- Include: Full name, phone number, professional-sounding email address (e.g., firstname.lastname@email.com, not partyanimal99@email.com), and optionally your LinkedIn profile URL.
- Ensure accuracy: One wrong digit or letter means they can’t reach you.
How ThePerfectCV Helps: Our templates have clear, designated sections for your contact information, making it hard to miss and easy for recruiters to find.
Ready to Create a Standout Student CV?
Avoiding these common mistakes can significantly boost your chances of getting noticed for internships and part-time jobs. Remember to tailor your CV, proofread carefully, showcase all your relevant experiences, use strong language, and double-check your contact details.
Why not get started now? Try building your CV with ThePerfectCV – our templates and tools are designed to help you avoid these pitfalls and create a professional CV that gets results!