Those who need to learn manual and/ or technical skills on the job will need to apply for an apprenticeship. For many, this will be their first professional experience and when they find out that the application requires a CV, they don’t know where to start from.
If it sounds like you, fortunately, there are plenty of resources available online. You may want, for example, to create your resume through a CV builder that will help you make your profile shine thanks to the latest design and the right format and keywords.
Alternatively, you can build it yourself and follow the best advice for writing a CV without experience. You will be surprised by the results.
In this article, you’ll find specific tips for an apprenticeship resume that will allow you to submit a successful application.
The basics of an apprenticeship CV
Before you start writing the various sections of your resume, it may be helpful to focus on the basics so that you know what your priorities are.
Make things relevant. You may be surprised to read that more often than not, those with the least experience are the ones who tend to go on a tangent on their CV. That’s because fearing not to have much to say, they overdo it.
The golden rule is: if it doesn’t show interest and skills for the specific job, then don’t include it. Filling up space with irrelevant information will only frustrate the reader and distract their attention from what really matters.
Follow the industry standard. Unless you’re applying for an extremely creative apprenticeship position, don’t use crazy design and colours. Unless you want to work in fashion or television, leave your photo out. And unless the opening you’re after is in another town, don’t include your home address.
Summary or personal statement to land an apprenticeship
This is a crucial part of your CV. To get hired for an apprenticeship, you need to prove your passion for the career path and relevant skills that you already have acquired and can use and strengthen during your time at the company.
The CV will do most of the heavy lifting in proving that you have what it takes. However, the summary that goes at the top of your resume is what will help the reader connect the dots of all your past experience and education.
It’s a short and direct introductory sentence (no longer than 2-3 lines) that explains why you’re the best candidate for the job. But please, don’t start it with “I’m the best candidate for this job.”
Education section for apprenticeship CV
When you have little or no experience, the education section of your CV should take up a prominent space. Again, it’s important to keep the information relevant. Don’t include your primary school and leave unrelated subjects out, even if you got great grades.
Awards and achievements are a fantastic way to stand out. If you won a Maths medal, write it.
Include optional and non-traditional education such as online courses especially if they can prove your interest in the field you’re trying to enter.
How to include work experience in an apprenticeship CV?
Most people are worried about this section because they are just joining the workforce. However, you’ll be surprised by how much information you can add here.
Think of all the jobs you’ve held, including:
- Internships
- Summer jobs
- Volunteer positions
Again, it’s important to tailor what you include in your CV to the position you’re applying for. However, this doesn’t mean to leave out what you’ve done so far.
Think of your experience from another point of view: what did you learn that you can use during the apprenticeship? What results have you achieved?
If you will work with the general public, for example, a customer-facing job (even for a few months at a restaurant) will be useful. Teamwork is another valuable ability that you might have acquired.
Candidates with little experience are tempted to embellish or straight out lie in their work experience section. This is one of the greatest mistakes you can make in a resume. Facts and references are checked and being caught in a lie will automatically exclude you from the selection process.
Hobbies and interests in your first CV
This section is often left out by job seekers who are at a later stage in their career. However, recruiters may be particularly interested in what you do with your free time, especially if you are a young person.
Just like with the work experience section, talking about your hobbies may highlight your passion and relevant skills for the apprenticeship. Team sports, for example, are a clear sign that you can collaborate and communicate with different people while medals and trophies will show your competitiveness and effort.
How to list your skills on an apprenticeship resume
For many, the work history section is already an opportunity to showcase their skills. However, when you still haven’t had the chance to speak French in the workplace, it’s worth mentioning your language skills in a dedicated section.
The same goes for specific software that could turn out useful to the company. Being well versed in Photoshop may not seem like a big deal to you, but your recruiter may see things differently.
Either way, keep words to a minimum. Bullet points may help you shorten your sentences. You should also avoid including skills that are now considered mainstream, like being able to work with Microsoft Office.
What references to include when you never worked
There is no need to include references in your CV unless specifically mentioned in the job ad. However, you should always have them ready in case an organisation requires them.
But if you’ve never been employed before, whom should you ask for references? In this case, most people decide to have a teacher or academic tutor act as a referee. As a second reference, you can be more creative: a sports coach, for example, will be able to comment on your commitment to arrive on time and work hard for the team’s success.
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