The Graduate Tech CV Template That Actually Works
Most CV advice is generic. This guide is written specifically for Computer Science, data science, and tech graduates applying for roles in the UK. The structure below is optimised for both ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) and human reviewers at UK tech companies.
Before tailoring your CV for specific roles, understand what type of role you're going for. Our guide to graduate schemes vs standard graduate jobs explains how the expectations differ. And once your CV is ready, brush up on the interview questions you'll face.
The Correct Section Order
- Name + contact details (email, GitHub, LinkedIn, portfolio URL)
- Technical skills
- Work experience
- Projects
- Education
- Certifications (optional)
Why education comes last: Every candidate applying for a graduate role has a degree. Your skills and projects are the differentiators. Lead with them.
Section 1: Technical Skills - The Right Format
Use a structured, scannable layout. Group by category - this is the first thing hiring managers and ATS systems look for:
Languages: Python, JavaScript/TypeScript, Java, SQL, C++
Frameworks: React, Node.js, FastAPI, Django, Spring Boot
Cloud & DevOps: AWS (EC2, S3, Lambda), Docker, Git, GitHub Actions
Data: PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Pandas, NumPy, PyTorch
Concepts: REST APIs, CI/CD, Agile, Object-Oriented Design, Machine Learning
Rule: Only list skills you can speak confidently about for 5 minutes in an interview. Listing Kubernetes when you've only run a tutorial is a liability - interviewers will probe it.
Section 2: Work Experience - Bullet Formula
Every bullet point should follow this formula: Action verb → What you did → Quantified result
Examples by role type:
Software Engineering Internship:
- Refactored the authentication service from session-based to JWT, reducing average login latency by 35% and eliminating a class of session fixation vulnerabilities
- Built and deployed a webhook retry system in Python that reduced failed delivery rates from 8% to 0.3% across 50,000 daily events
- Contributed 12 PRs across 8 weeks; all merged with no regressions in production
Data Science Placement:
- Trained a gradient boosting model on 2M rows of transaction data to predict customer churn; achieved 89% precision in A/B testing against the legacy rule-based system
- Automated a weekly reporting pipeline using Python and Apache Airflow, saving 4 hours of analyst time per week
No experience? Include part-time jobs, volunteering, and university society roles. A "led a team of 5 to deliver X project by Y deadline" bullet from a hackathon is perfectly valid.
Section 3: Projects - The Most Important Section for New Graduates
If you have limited work experience, your projects section is your strongest selling point. Use this structure for each:
Project Name | Python, FastAPI, React, PostgreSQL, Docker | github.com/yourname/project
One sentence on what the project does and its purpose. Then: your specific contribution, tech choices made, and measurable outcome (users, performance metrics, deployment status).
Strong Project Example - Software Engineering
ShelfTrack | Next.js, TypeScript, PostgreSQL, Prisma, Vercel | github.com/jsmith/shelftrack
A reading tracker web app with social features - users log books, write reviews, and follow friends' reading lists. Built a full REST API with JWT auth, implemented full-text search with PostgreSQL, and deployed on Vercel. Currently used by 180 active users discovered organically.
Strong Project Example - Data Science
UK Housing Price Predictor | Python, scikit-learn, XGBoost, Streamlit | github.com/jsmith/housing-model
Trained a gradient boosting regression model on 500,000 Land Registry transactions to predict UK residential sale prices. Achieved RMSE of £18,400 on holdout set. Deployed as an interactive Streamlit app; model is retrained monthly via a scheduled Python script.
Section 4: Education
Keep it concise:
BSc Computer Science, 2:1 - University of Bristol, 2022–2025
Relevant modules: Algorithms and Data Structures, Machine Learning, Distributed Systems, Database Systems
Dissertation: "Evaluating Transformer-Based Approaches for Code Completion in Python" - Grade: 78%
Omit your A-levels unless they are truly exceptional (4 A*s). Recruiters care about degree-level content, not GCSEs.
Formatting Non-Negotiables
- One page - two pages only if you have a 12-month industrial placement
- PDF, not Word - formatting breaks in Word; ATS handles PDFs reliably
- Single column - two-column layouts confuse ATS parsing
- No photo, no date of birth - UK law discourages it; it adds no value
- UK English - "optimised," "colour," "organise" - US spellings in a UK application look careless
- Font size 10–11pt, Calibri or Arial
- Consistent formatting - if one job uses bold company names, all should
Common Mistakes That Get CVs Rejected
- Vague bullets: "Worked on the backend" - says nothing
- Listing skills you can't defend: one tutorial in Kubernetes ≠ Kubernetes experience
- Personal statement at the top: wastes prime CV real estate; skip it
- No GitHub link or dead GitHub link
- "References available on request" - unnecessary and wastes a line
- Generic CV sent everywhere without tailoring keywords to the job description
Download This Template
The best next step is to put your CV in front of roles that match your skills. Create a free GradSignal account to browse UK graduate tech jobs, save the roles you're targeting, and access company-specific interview playbooks so you know exactly how to prepare once your applications start moving forward.