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A Graduate CV is not evaluated as an academic summary.
It is assessed as a transition document — measuring whether the candidate has converted education into market-ready execution.
Recruiters do not screen graduate CVs for knowledge.
They screen for:
•Applied capability
• Professional maturity
• Role alignment
• Evidence of ownership
• Speed-to-productivity potential
This page explains how graduate CVs are scored in modern ATS systems, why most fail despite strong degrees, and how high-performing graduates position themselves above internship-level competition.
In entry-level pipelines, hiring teams operate under time compression.
For a typical graduate role:
•300–1,000 applications
• 70% academically qualified
• 40% with internships
• 15–25% with industry certifications
The filtering stages:
Graduate CVs are ranked by:
•Role-specific keywords
• Tool mentions
• Technical skills proximity
• Project-based experience alignment
If your CV contains generic academic language, it drops in ranking.
The recruiter asks:
•Can this person deliver in 60 days?
• Is there proof of applied output?
• Does this CV look structured and professional?
Graduate CVs fail when they:
•Focus on coursework instead of outcomes
• Overuse soft skills
•Long personal statements
• Listing modules without impact
• Vague group project descriptions
• GPA presented without context
• Generic competencies section
These indicate academic orientation, not professional readiness.
•Targeted professional summary
• Applied project portfolio
• Measurable achievements
• Tools and systems clearly visible
• Structured, recruiter-friendly layout
The strongest graduate CVs resemble early-career professional CVs — not student resumes.
The structure matters because ATS systems weigh headings and placement.
Avoid career objectives.
Instead, position capability.
Example:
Economics graduate specializing in financial modeling, valuation analysis, and Excel-based forecasting. Delivered scenario-driven investment assessments across academic consulting projects with 15% variance reduction in predictive modeling exercises.
This signals operational thinking.
This section replaces years of employment.
Each project must include:
•Business context
• Tools used
• Decision impact
• Quantifiable outcome
Projects must be written as if they were consulting engagements.
Internships should not be described passively.
Avoid:
Assisted with reports.
Instead:
Automated weekly KPI reporting, reducing manual preparation time by 35%.
Instead of listing:
•Teamwork
• Leadership
• Communication
Use functional groupings:
•Financial Analysis: DCF modeling, sensitivity analysis, capital budgeting
• Data Tools: Excel Advanced, SQL, Python
• Reporting: Power BI, Tableau
Recruiters scan vertically. Clarity increases scoring speed.
Below is a high-standard example aligned with competitive graduate schemes.
London, UK
simar@email.com
LinkedIn URL
Finance graduate with advanced modeling capability and hands-on valuation analysis across academic consulting engagements and investment simulations. Experienced in DCF modeling, scenario testing, and financial statement analysis. Demonstrated 20% improvement in forecast accuracy across structured case projects.
Equity Valuation Case Study – FTSE 100 Retail Firm
•Built full three-statement financial model in Excel
• Conducted DCF and comparable company analysis
• Identified 12% undervaluation compared to market price
• Presented investment recommendation to faculty panel
Private Equity Scenario Simulation
•Assessed acquisition target with £50M EBITDA
• Modeled leveraged buyout structure
• Optimized capital stack improving IRR projection by 6%
Finance Intern – Mid-Market Advisory Firm
•Prepared financial due diligence summaries for 3 acquisition targets
• Automated data consolidation using Excel macros
• Reduced analysis preparation time by 28%
•Financial Modeling: DCF, LBO, Sensitivity Analysis
• Data Tools: Excel Advanced, VBA, PowerPoint
• Analytical Methods: Ratio Analysis, Forecasting, Scenario Modeling
BSc Finance
University of Warwick
First-Class Honours
Why this works:
•Projects mimic real financial work
• Clear technical capability
• Metrics demonstrate performance
• Internship positioned with impact
To outperform other graduates:
•Include case competition results
• Add portfolio or GitHub links for technical roles
• Quantify dissertation findings if relevant
• Reference published research or industry collaboration
• Highlight cross-functional exposure
Recruiters reward applied complexity.
A student CV emphasizes learning.
A graduate CV emphasizes execution readiness.
If your CV still reads like you are studying, recruiters assume onboarding risk.
Your document must communicate:
“I can contribute immediately.”
Graduate pipelines now include:
•Automated screening
• AI-based scoring
• Structured behavioral assessments
• Case-based interviews
This means your CV must already demonstrate:
•Analytical thinking
• Structured communication
• Evidence-based reasoning
Generic graduate CVs are filtered before interviews begin.
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