CV for a Part-Time Job: Template and How to Write

Whether you’re a working mother, a student, or a retiree, it all boils down to the fact that you’re looking for a part-time revenue stream. So you send out your CV like you usually do and somehow no one calls back. Or they’re asking you to come in full-time.

Why?

Because your CV isn’t underlining the fact that you’re looking for a part-time job.

So how do you do that without just sounding lazy or less valuable than a full-time employee?

It’s not hard and we’ll show you exactly how.

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Part-time job CV made with our builder—See more templates and create your CV here.

Interested in more specific career guidance? We’ve got you covered:

• School Leaver CV
• Care Assistant CV
• Chef CV
• CV for a 16-Year-Old
• Graduate CV
• Hospitality CV
• Medical CV
• Pharmacist CV
• Student CV
• Teacher CV

CV for a Part-Time Job (Example for a University Student)

This is how to write a job-winning CV for a part-time job:

1. Use the Best Format for Your CV For a Part-Time Job

No matter what part-time position you’re looking for, you’ll always be one in a sea of thousands. And just because you’re working part-time, doesn’t mean you can cut corners and still expect to get hired. Treat just as if you were applying for a full-time job.

In fact, employers want part-time workers to hit the ground running as much as full-time employees. 

To get the recruiter to see a pro waiting in the gates, follow these CV formatting rules:

• Make sure your CV contact information is up to date. Optimize your LinkedIn profile and if you don’t have one, make sure to set one up. Double and triple check your social media footprint—keg parties and half nudes don't inspire respect and confidence that you can do the job.
• Of all CV styles, the best format for part-timers is the chronological layout. It lets your professional experience go first and get the most attention. It’s also the format that most hiring managers recognize. An added bonus is it’s a super ATS-compliant CV format which recruiting systems will love.
• Use a CV font that is modern and legible. Leave plenty of white space on the page to make your text pop. Nice and clean is how recruiters like CVs.
• Save your part-time CV in PDF to make sure that your CV layout doesn’t look like a dorm room after opening.

If you don’t know how long your CV should be, the answer is that a one-page CV template will probably be more than enough for you.

2. Write a Part-Time Job CV Profile

Begin your CV with your CV profile, or CV summary.

It’s a short, concise paragraph at the beginning of your part-time job CV that explains why you’re the person for the job. 

The best way to write it is to imagine you’re answering these three questions:

1. Who are you? 
2. What can you offer to the employer? 
3. What are your career goals? 

Then to write your CV profile, do this.

• List the experience and skills you already have and highlight anything that’s relevant to the role you’re applying for. Consider any previous jobs and your education too.
• Note the job requirements as set out in the job advert and ensure you choose experience and skills from your own list that match as closely as possible.
• Then combine this tailored skill set with passion for the role, and some knowledge of the employer to prove you’ll be a good fit.

3. Create the Perfect Part-Time CV Work Experience Section

Your CV experience section is your workplace wizardry in a nutshell. This is especially true for part-time workers where you can demonstrate how much positive influence you’ve had on your job despite working fewer hours.

It needs to be spotless. So:

• Begin with your current position and then just go back time with previous positions.
• Each entry should include: your job title, “part-time” put next to the title if you worked there part-time, company name, dates of employment, and up to 6 bullet points.
• Add fewer bullet points in your job experience the further you go back. Three bullet points are perfect for positions far in the past.
• Use an action verb to start off each bullet point.
• Sprinkle in some quantifiable achievements that will really wow the recruiter.
• Tailor your job experience section to reflect the position you’re applying for.

More is not more here. If the information is irrelevant, cut it out. Period. If you’re writing your first CV, you can skip this section and move straight to listing your education.

4. Make Your Part-Time CV Education Section Shine

Especially if you don’t have much job experience to speak of, your education section is one of the strongest points of your CV. Use that to your advantage and show recruiters that you have both know-how and knowledge.

Here’s how to make your education section a winner:

• If you have little experience, make your education CV section more appealing with achievements from your school days. Only include those that are relevant to the job opening. Four to six items is more than enough.
• If you have several years of job experience, just add a shortened version of your education, so: school/university name and location, years you studied and degree.

If you’re just starting out your career, put your work experience below your education section. It’ll help you focus your CV on your strong points.

5. Highlight Your Part-Time Job Skills

Working part-time means that you need to do the same as any full-time worker. You need to show the hiring manager that you’ve already got the skill set to do just that.

Here’s how to make your skills in your CV for a part-time job raise some eyebrows:

• Brainstorm all the job skills you have, so: soft skills and hard skills, technical skills, and any other relevant job skills. Put them together into a master list.
• Pick the most relevant part-time skills by using the job ad as a guide. Include them in the skills section of your part-time CV. Mentioning skills that both your education and experience sections can prove is a great bonus.

Part-Time CV Skills

• Interpersonal skills
• Organizational skills
• Computer skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Time management skills
• Communication skills
• Multitasking
• Analytical skills
• Collaboration skills
• Microsoft Office skills
• Creative thinking skills

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building your CV here.

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When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

6. Add Extra Sections to Your CV For a Part-Time Job

You’ve added everything that’s absolutely essential to your part-time job CV, but you’re still basically a shell in a sea of shells. Turn your CV for a part-time job into a diamond in the rough with these tips:

• Always add your foreign language skills. It’s a globalized world and knowledge of foreign languages is worth its weight in gold in almost any job.
• Add volunteering, achievements and awards, projects, and hobbies and interests if they’re relevant and can help prove your skills and experience. You never know what the hiring manager might be interested in.

Read more: What Should a CV Look Like?

7. Attach a Cover Letter to Your CV For a Part-Time CV

Writing a part-time job CV takes a lot of effort, but have you thought about whether you should include a cover letter? If you really want that part-time job, then you really should. Our HR statistics show that almost 50% of recruiters will reject a CV with no cover letter attached.

Write a part-time cover letter that’ll get hiring managers calling you back with the following tips:

• Use a professional cover letter format that matches the industry you’re applying to.
• Create a “hook” to start your cover letter and grab the recruiter’s attention.
• Demonstrate that your experience and job skills are what the company needs right now.
• Include a call to action to end your cover letter with some oomph.
• Make sure your cover letter has a professional cover letter title to avoid any potential confusion.

Don’t forget that the ideal length of an effective cover letter is no longer than one page.

Read more: How to Write a Cover Letter

Once you send your cover letter and CV for a part-time job, follow up on your job application! 

Those are the ins and outs of a great part-time CV.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Thanks for reading. Have any insider tips or tricks to share about creating the perfect CV for a part-time job? Share them in the comments below!