Writing your first CV when you don’t have much “official” experience to put on it is one of those tasks that can feel quietly defeating before you’ve even begun. At LTSB, we help young people build CVs that reflect who they actually are: their skills, their effort, their potential. Not just the opportunities they happened to have access to.
This guide walks you through ten practical tips for writing a CV that gets noticed — even if you’re starting from scratch.
What employers actually want to see
There’s a common misconception that a CV is just a record of jobs you’ve had. For a first CV especially, that’s not what employers are looking at.
What they’re really trying to work out is: can this person communicate clearly? Do they take responsibility seriously? Are they motivated to learn? Will they show up and make an effort?
Those things can come through in a CV regardless of whether you’ve had a formal job before. A well-structured, honest and clearly written CV from someone with limited experience will almost always beat a sloppy, vague one from someone with more impressive credentials on paper.
10 CV tips for young people with limited experience
1. Keep it to one page.
At this stage of your career, one page is exactly right. Trying to pad it out to two pages won’t impress anyone , it’ll just make it harder to read. Be concise and make every line count.
2. Use a simple, clean layout.
Fancy templates with multiple columns, icons and coloured sidebars might look impressive, but they often confuse applicant tracking software and can make your CV harder to skim. A clear, well-organised single-column layout will serve you better.
3. Write a personal statement that leads with motivation.
Two to four sentences at the top of your CV explaining who you are, what you’re looking for and why you’re applying. Don’t try to sound like everyone else. Write something that actually sounds like you and gives a sense of what drives you.
4. Focus on transferable skills.
Communication, reliability, working in a team, problem-solving, managing your time — these skills matter to employers and they can come from anywhere. School, part-time work, caring responsibilities, volunteering. Name them and give a brief example of where they came from.
5. Include education, training and any programmes you’ve completed.
List your qualifications, but also any courses, bootcamps, programmes (like LTSB) or certifications that show you’ve invested in your own development. These count.
6. Don’t leave out part-time work, volunteering or home responsibilities.
A Saturday job, helping run a community event, supporting family members — these are all worth including if they demonstrate real skills. Don’t dismiss them just because they feel informal.
7. Use bullet points with specific examples.
Vague claims like “good communicator” or “team player” mean very little on their own. Instead, try: “Trained two new colleagues during my first month at work” or “Coordinated a fundraising event for 40 people.” Being specific is always stronger than general.
8. Avoid copying generic phrases.
“Hard-working, motivated individual with a passion for excellence” is on approximately ten million CVs. It tells an employer nothing about you. Write in your own voice, even if it feels less polished. Authenticity stands out.
9. Tailor your CV to each role.
Read the job description carefully and adjust your personal statement and skills to reflect what that specific employer is asking for. It doesn’t need to be a complete rewrite each time, even small changes show you’ve paid attention.
10. Get someone to read it before you send it.
Fresh eyes catch things you’ll miss. Ask a teacher, someone from a programme like LTSB, or even a friend. A second pair of eyes on spelling, clarity and tone can make a real difference.
Common mistakes — and why they're not your fault
Most CV mistakes first-time applicants make aren’t signs of carelessness, they’re signs of not having been taught what employers expect.
Over-complicated templates often come from trying to stand out without knowing what actually works. Vague language happens when no one has explained how to evidence a skill. Missing sections, odd formatting, generic summaries — these are all fixable problems, and they’re almost always the result of a gap in guidance, not a gap in ability.
The good news is that once you know what a strong CV looks like, the changes are often small. A bit of restructuring, some more specific examples, a personal statement that actually sounds like you. It doesn’t take long, but it can make a significant difference to whether you get a first interview.
“The CVs that stand out aren’t the ones with the most impressive backgrounds — they’re the ones where you can tell the person has thought carefully about what they want to say. That self-awareness is exactly what we’re hoping to see.”
Ciaran McGugan, Senior Programme
The bottom line
You don’t need connections and a perfect academic record to write a CV that gets you noticed. You need to be clear, honest and specific about what you’ve done and what you’re capable of.
Skills and effort matter more than background. A simple, well-thought-through CV will always outperform a flashy one with nothing real behind it.
And if you’re not sure where to start, that’s exactly what LTSB is here for.
Need help with your CV or applications?
LTSB supports young people to access paid opportunities and prepare for professional roles.
