Structure, keywords, and examples to help your CV get shortlisted-plus common mistakes to avoid.
Recruiters spend an average of 7 seconds on a first CV scan. In that window, your CV needs to communicate three things immediately: what you do, what level you're at, and why you're worth a second look.
Start with a two-sentence professional summary at the top - not an "Objective Statement" - that positions you for the specific role. Example: "Computer Science student at Gdańsk Tech with hands-on experience in React and Python. Seeking a junior front-end internship to contribute to product teams building at scale."
For internship applicants, the Experience section should come before Education only if you have at least 6 months of paid or substantial voluntary work. Otherwise, Education first - but include your GPA only if it's above 3.5 (or equivalent).
Keywords matter enormously for Applicant Tracking Systems. Mirror the exact phrasing from the job posting - if they say "REST APIs" don't write "RESTful services". If they say "Agile methodology" include it verbatim.
The most common CV mistakes that get students rejected: generic summaries, listing responsibilities instead of achievements, including a photo (unless applying in Germany or Poland where it is still expected), and submitting a file larger than 2MB. Keep it to one page for under 2 years of experience.
