In a nearly split second decision (on average 7 seconds, to be exact), a hiring manager or recruiter can choose to move you forward in the job application process or discard your application. This may sound discouraging, but in reality, this is a great motivator to producing the most polished CV possible. It is paramount that you organize your CV in a way that is readable, accessible, and makes you look like an ideal candidate. A geography degree has highly variable applications, so (although more tedious) it is in your best interest to individually tailor your CV to every job position and company.
Here’s a basic breakdown of how to best highlight and showcase your skills and experience on your CV:
Objective:
Objectives are not an entirely necessary part of your CV especially as you advance in your career journey, but it is still a good idea to include it as a student. As a geography student this is a great way to display the flexibility of your skills and give a short description of the data processing and outputs you are capable of. The objective should always be tailored to the job decision, so you should also include a sentence on how these skills will contribute to the company you are applying to.
Education:
In the education section (which should be at the top as a student), you should include classes and modules that are relevant to the position. These are three or four classes that have helped prepare you for the role. Think about what relevant information you have learned in your lecture and if this expertise will help you excel in the workplace.
Example Relevant Modules: Geographical Research Skills, Spatial Data Science, Political Geography, Economic Geography
You can also include relevant A-Levels or other qualifications along with your scores if they were particularly good. If not, don’t bother including any marks.
Work Experience:
This is the meat of your CV! Just like any other CV make sure your job descriptions start with action words and clearly describe the contributions you personally made to the role.
This is where you can include any internships, research fellowships, apprenticeship, or relevant part-time work.
It is important to quantitatively and qualitatively note your accomplishments during the experience. As a geographer, you may want to note contributions such as improving communications, creating more efficient data structuring, or fostering an inclusive environment.
Example action words: advised, improved, optimized, increased, decreased, designed
Unlike a lot of other job fields, geographical jobs greatly value volunteer work. You may want to include this with work experience, in its own volunteering section if you have a lot of volunteer hours, or in a non-industry specific work experience section. Of course, industry relevant paid experience is more important to showcase, but volunteer work shows that you have a cultural understanding, empathy, and experience in public engagement. These skills are particularly relevant to engagement, urban/town planning, and NGO positions.
Skills:
This section should highlight what programs you are trained in, research skills and techniques, and any relevant qualifications and certifications. Check out my topic on geographical CV skills for more ideas of what you can include in this section: CV Skills for Geographers 🌎
Conclusion:
This is your space to strut your geographical research skills that are enhanced with a unique social science perspective. Geography students have great hard and soft skills and it is important to showcase all of them through a strong CV!