Many students wait until their final semester or after graduation before creating their first serious CV.
By then, they may discover that employers are asking for experience, practical skills, certifications, projects, and other evidence of what they can do.
The good news is that you do not have to wait until graduation to build a strong CV.
Your CV can start growing while you are still a student.
Whether you are studying at a university, polytechnic or college of education, there are several things you can start doing now that could make your CV more useful when you eventually begin applying for jobs, internships, graduate programmes and other opportunities.
1. Create Your CV Early
You do not need to wait until you have graduated before creating a CV.
Create a basic CV while you are still in school and update it whenever you gain a new skill, certificate, experience or achievement.
Your first student CV may look simple.
That is normal.
The important thing is to have a document that you can continuously improve.
2. Take Your SIWES Or Industrial Training Seriously
For many Nigerian students, SIWES or industrial training is one of the earliest opportunities to gain practical workplace experience.
Do not treat it as something you only need to complete for school documentation.
Look for opportunities to actually learn how your field operates.
For example, a student studying Computer Science can gain experience in software, networking or technical support, while a student studying Science may gain laboratory or quality-control experience.
The experience you gain can later become part of your CV.
3. Learn Skills Outside Your Course
Your course of study is important, but employers may also be interested in what additional skills you have developed.
Depending on your career interests, you could learn:
Microsoft Excel
Microsoft Word
PowerPoint
Data analysis
Graphic design
Digital marketing
Video editing
Coding
Web development
Social media management
Research and academic writing
Communication and presentation
Project management
You do not need to learn everything.
Choose skills that are relevant to the type of work you want to do.
4. Get Relevant Certifications
Certifications can help demonstrate that you have taken the time to develop knowledge beyond your classroom work.
There are many online courses and professional training programmes available to students.
Before paying for any certification, however, research the provider and determine whether the qualification is actually relevant to your career goals.
A CV filled with unrelated certificates may not be as useful as a CV containing a few relevant qualifications.
5. Work On Personal Projects
You do not always need a company to give you an opportunity before you can gain experience.
Create your own projects.
A Computer Science student could build a website or application.
A Mass Communication student could start a blog, podcast or media project.
A Business Administration student could develop a small business project.
A Chemistry student could document a research-related project or practical work.
The goal is to have something you can show or discuss when someone asks:
“What have you actually done?”
6. Volunteer and Join Useful Activities
Volunteering can also provide valuable experience.
You could volunteer for a student organization, educational project, community programme, professional event, or relevant non-governmental organization.
Leadership and teamwork experience can also be useful.
However, do not join activities simply to fill your CV.
Choose opportunities where you can genuinely contribute and learn something.
7. Build Your Communication Skills
A student may have excellent academic results but still struggle during interviews or presentations.
Work on your ability to communicate clearly.
Learn how to write professional emails, prepare presentations, speak confidently, and explain your ideas.
These skills can become useful in almost every career.
8. Keep Evidence Of Your Achievements
Do not wait until graduation before trying to remember everything you have accomplished.
Keep records of:
Certificates
Awards
Projects
Training programs
Internship experiences
Volunteer work
Leadership positions
Competitions
Publications
Presentations
Relevant academic achievements
Create a digital folder where you can keep copies of important documents.
This will make updating your CV much easier.
9. Build a Professional Online Presence
Your online presence can become an extension of your CV.
Depending on your field, consider creating a professional LinkedIn profile or an online portfolio.
You can share relevant projects, professional achievements, certificates, and industry-related knowledge.
For creative and technical careers, a portfolio can be particularly useful because it allows potential employers to see examples of your work.
Remember that employers may also come across your public online activity, so think carefully about what you post publicly.
10. Don't Wait Until NYSC
One common mistake is thinking:
“I will start building my career after NYSC.”
Why wait?
By the time you graduate, you should ideally already have some combination of skills, projects, training, and practical experience.
NYSC can then become another opportunity to gain professional experience rather than the point at which you are starting from zero.
What Should a Student CV Contain?
A student or graduate CV can include sections such as
The exact structure should depend on your level of experience and the opportunity you are applying for.
Don't Put Everything on Your CV
Building a CV does not mean putting every activity you have ever participated in on one document.
A good CV should be relevant and easy to understand.
If you are applying for a laboratory position, for example, laboratory experience and relevant technical skills may be more important than an unrelated certificate in social media management.
Before sending your CV, ask yourself:
“Does this information help demonstrate why I am suitable for this particular opportunity?”
If it does not, consider leaving it out.
Start With What You Have
You may currently have no work experience.
That does not mean you have nothing to put on your CV.
You may already have:
A school project
SIWES experience
A seminar presentation
A relevant course
A certification
Volunteer experience
Leadership experience
A personal project
Technical skills
Academic achievements
Start there and keep building.
Your CV should not be something you create once and forget.
Think of it as a record of your professional growth.
Graduation day should not be the first day you start thinking about your career.
While you are still in school, ask yourself:
What skill am I learning?
What experience am I gaining?
What project can I complete?
What problem can I solve?
What can I show an employer apart from my certificate?
Your degree or HND is an important qualification, but combining it with practical skills, experience, and evidence of your abilities can give you more to present when opportunities come.
Start building your CV before you need it.
By the time you graduate, you may not have to create your professional story from scratch you will simply be documenting the journey you have already started.
.jfif)
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