How to Write a College Leaver CV That Gets Interviews (UK)
For 18-19, finishing A-Levels, BTEC or an Access course, applying for your first full-time role or an apprenticeship. Most first-CV mistakes come from underselling the part-time / placement work because it 'wasn't a real job'. Hours show employability above almost anything else at this stage.. Here's how to write a College Leaver CV that gets read, plus a free tool that builds one for you in a few minutes.
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What counts as experience on a College Leaver CV
The first CV question is always “what do I have to put on it?” The honest answer is: more than you think. For a college leaver, everything on this list earns its place on the CV when described properly.
- Part-time and Saturday jobs (retail, hospitality, tutoring, delivery)
- College placements and work-experience blocks
- Society or council positions (sixth-form council, drama society treasurer, society marketing lead)
- Strong academic projects (BTEC distinction modules, EPQ, A-Level coursework that earned recognition)
- Voluntary commitments held over months, not weeks
What recruiters look for in the top third
A recruiter spends seven seconds with the top third of your CV before deciding whether to read on. For a college leaver, the top third has to answer these questions instantly:
- Your college / sixth-form, your A-Level or BTEC subjects and grades (or predicted)
- Any part-time work, placement or sustained extracurricular commitment
- One named project or responsibility that shows depth: EPQ topic, BTEC distinction module, society or council role
Words and phrases a College Leaver CV should include
Applicant Tracking Systems and recruiters scan first CVs on exact-match terms. Hand-curated for this audience:
- A-Levels
- BTEC
- EPQ
- part-time work
- customer service
- transferable skills
- UCAS
- work experience
- society leadership
- team player
Before and after: one college leaver claim
Weak
Studied A-Levels and worked part-time.
Strong
Completed A-Levels in Biology (B), Chemistry (B) and Psychology (A) at Manchester College, alongside a 16-month part-time role at a busy 80-cover restaurant working Friday-Sunday shifts as front-of-house, then promoted to shift trainer for 4 new starters in 2024.
The weak version could be any college leaver in the country. The strong version names the subjects with grades, the college, the role's hours and intensity, the venue's scale and an explicit progression (promoted to trainer). Each fact tells an employer something different about how you operate under demand.
The data behind this guide
College leavers at 18-19 face a wider set of next-step routes than school leavers: university, higher apprenticeship, full-time employment, or a gap year with structure. The DfE destinations data shows where 18-19s actually go after sixth-form or college, which sharpens what your CV should lead with.
59%
Of 18-19 year olds in England progress into higher education, with the rest split across apprenticeships, employment and further study. A college leaver CV has to clear the bar for whichever route you choose, so leading with grades + one sustained commitment serves all four routes.
~28%
Of A-Level entries achieved A or A* in summer 2024 (Ofqual / JCQ). Even at strong grades, college leavers compete with hundreds of similar applicants for popular schemes, which is why one named project, EPQ topic or society role belongs in the top third of the CV.
330,000+
Apprenticeship starts in England in a typical academic year, including higher and degree apprenticeships open to college leavers. A CV applying for an apprenticeship looks different to one applying for uni: lead with hands-on commitment and sector interest, not predicted A-Level grades alone.
Source: DfE Apprenticeships statistics
7 seconds
Average time a recruiter spends on the top third of a CV before deciding to read on. For a college leaver this means college name, A-Level grades and one strong commitment must all be visible above the first fold.
Figures cite primary UK publishers (DfE, Ofqual) rather than aggregators. DfE destinations and apprenticeships data refresh annually; A-Level results are published every August. Follow the source links to verify the latest numbers at the point you read this.
Build your College Leaver CV in a few minutes
TAILOR’s CV Builder asks 13 simple questions about your school, experience, strengths and what you’re looking for, then builds an ATS-safe CV in a Word document for you to download and edit.
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Start building my CV →College Leaver CV FAQ
Do I list my A-Levels even if I didn't get the grades I wanted?
Yes, with the actual grades. Recruiters spot omissions immediately and read them as deception. Better: list the grades honestly and use the cover letter or interview to explain context (a difficult year, late diagnosis of dyslexia, family circumstance). Honest framing always beats fabrication.
I'm going to uni in September. Should I bother with a CV now?
Yes, for two reasons. First, summer jobs and part-time roles during uni need one. Second, having a CV that you keep current over the next three years is itself a habit that pays dividends. Build one now while the college details are fresh, then update it after every meaningful new role or project.
What's the difference between a college leaver CV and a graduate CV?
Different evidence; same structure. A college leaver leads with A-Levels and any sustained part-time work. A graduate leads with their degree, dissertation and any internships. The skeleton (contact, summary, education, experience, skills, hobbies) is identical; what you put in each section is what shifts.
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