CV personal statement examples for students

1. 16-year-old with no work experience

Year 11 student looking for a first Saturday job

Year 11 student at [School], predicted grades 5–7 in my GCSEs, including English and maths. I've been on time for every training session in four years with my local football team and helped to coach the under-10s last season, so I'm used to turning up, following instructions and working with people of all ages. I'm looking for a weekend job in retail or hospitality and am available all day Saturdays and Sundays.

Why it works: No work history needed. The football shows reliability and teamwork, and the last line tells the employer exactly when you can work.

2. 17-year-old A-level or college student

Sixth-form student with a little experience, applying for a café job

Friendly and organised A-level student studying business, psychology and English literature at [College]. For the past year I've worked Saturdays at [Bakery], serving customers, handling cash and closing up the shop with the manager. I'm confident in a busy environment and enjoy helping customers. I'm looking for part-time café work alongside my studies, available weekends and two weekday evenings.

Why it works: Leads with the job experience, then the skills it proves. Short and specific.

3. School leaver applying for an apprenticeship

Finishing Year 11 or 13 and applying for an electrical apprenticeship

Practical and motivated school leaver with GCSEs in maths (6), physics (6) and design and technology (7). I enjoy working with my hands. At school I designed and wired a working LED lamp for my D&T project, and I help my uncle with basic DIY jobs most weekends. I'm looking for a Level 3 electrical installation apprenticeship where I can learn on site and work towards becoming a qualified electrician.

Why it works: Links real grades and projects to the apprenticeship, and shows a clear goal. Use your actual grades or say "predicted".

4. Student with volunteering experience

Sixth-form student applying for a care assistant role

Caring and dependable sixth-form student studying health and social care and biology. I've volunteered every Sunday for 18 months at [Care home], chatting with residents, helping with activities and serving tea, which has shown me how much small things matter to people. I'm calm, patient and good at listening. I'm looking for part-time work as a care assistant to build on this experience before studying nursing.

Why it works: Volunteering counts as experience. The future goal (nursing) shows long-term commitment, which care employers value.

5. University student looking for part-time work

First- or second-year student applying for bar or restaurant work

Sociable and reliable second-year geography student at the University of [City], available for 15 hours a week during term and full-time in the holidays. I worked for two summers at [Holiday park] as a food and beverage assistant, serving up to 200 covers on busy evenings and training new starters. I'm looking for bar or restaurant work in [City] that fits around my lectures.

Why it works: Availability comes first because it's the main thing a part-time employer needs to know. Only use numbers you can stand behind.

6. University student applying for an internship or placement

Penultimate-year student applying for a finance summer internship

Analytical economics student at [University], on track for a 2:1, with a strong interest in corporate finance. As treasurer of the university's investment society, I manage a £[amount] budget and run weekly market briefings for 40 members. I'm confident with Excel, including pivot tables and lookups, and I'm learning Python for data analysis. I'm looking for a summer internship in financial services where I can apply my analytical skills.

Why it works: Shows interest in the sector and backs it up with evidence (a society role and specific skills). Tailor the last line to each firm.

7. Final-year student applying for graduate schemes

Finishing a degree and applying for a graduate marketing role

Creative and data-minded final-year marketing student at [University], expecting a 2:1 in summer 2027. During a 12-week placement at [Agency] I wrote social media copy for three clients and produced weekly performance reports. I also run my society's Instagram account. I'm looking for a graduate marketing role where I can combine content creation with campaign analysis.

Why it works: Uses the placement as proof and names the skills graduate recruiters screen for. See the graduate CV example for the full CV.

8. Student changing direction

College student moving from a hospitality job to an office or admin role

Organised and IT-literate college student completing a Level 3 Business qualification. I've worked part-time at [Restaurant] for two years, where I manage the staff rota spreadsheet and handle customer bookings by phone and email, so I'm used to accuracy and clear communication. I'm looking for a part-time administrative role to gain office experience alongside my studies.

Why it works: Picks out the transferable parts of a hospitality job (rotas, bookings, email) that matter for admin work.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Writing a paragraph that could be about anyone, such as "hard-working team player with good communication skills". Back every claim up with something real.
• Making it too long. Three to five lines (about 50–100 words) is enough.
• Copying an example word for word. Employers see the same examples again and again, so change the details to yours.
• Writing about yourself as "he" or "she". Most UK CVs leave out "I" ("Year 11 student with…"), though an occasional "I" is fine on a first CV, as in these examples. Whichever you choose, be consistent.
• Adding your age, date of birth or a photo. You don't need them on a UK CV. Your school year says enough.
• Inventing grades or experience. Use predicted grades and say so, and keep every detail truthful.

CV personal statement vs UCAS personal statement

A CV personal statement is a short profile at the top of your CV for job applications. A UCAS personal statement is a separate, much longer piece of writing for university applications. Don't paste one into the other: the CV version should be a few lines, aimed at the job.

What to put on the rest of your student CV

After your personal statement, list your education (with grades or predicted grades), any work experience or volunteering, your skills, and optionally your hobbies and interests if they show something useful. Then check it with the free CV checker.

• 16-year-old CV example
• 17-year-old CV example
• Hobbies and interests on a CV
• School leaver CV example
• Student CV example
• How to write a student CV
• CV with no experience

Tip: Want a first draft in seconds? The free CV personal statement generator writes one from your details, then you can edit it.