How to write a CV for national service

What a national service CV needs to do

Organisations that take national service personnel want to see that you are reliable, that your course fits their work and that you can learn quickly. You are not expected to have long work experience, so the CV is mostly about your education, your projects and the way you have worked with others.

What to include

Keep it to one page and put the most relevant things first.

• Your contact details and the town where you can serve.
• A short summary that says your course, your school and that you are looking for a national service placement.
• Your degree, school and graduation year.
• Your final-year project, with what you did and what you found or built.
• Industrial attachments, internships, clubs and volunteering, each with two or three bullet points.
• Skills that match the work of the organisation, such as software, clinical or lab skills.
• Two referees, with their permission.

Match it to the organisation

Read about the organisation before you apply. If they work in banking, bring your accounting, Excel and customer-handling experience to the top. If they are a hospital, lead with clinical placements and patient care. Use the same words the organisation uses where they are true for you.

Show you are ready to serve

A short cover letter helps. Say why you want to serve with that organisation and what you can contribute. Keep it to a few paragraphs, and make sure it is true and specific rather than a general letter you send to everyone.

Common mistakes

These are easy to fix before you send your CV.

• Sending one CV to every organisation without changing the summary.
• A long list of duties instead of what you actually achieved.
• Missing phone numbers or an email address that looks unprofessional.
• A file called CV1.pdf. Name it with your own name.