Starting your university journey in Brighton is exciting, but hunting for your first job with a blank CV can feel overwhelming. If you have just arrived at the University of Sussex, University of Brighton, or BIMM and have never held a formal job before, you might wonder how to fill a page without making things up.
Here is the reality local hiring managers know well: entry-level hospitality and retail employers in Brighton do not expect freshers to have years of commercial experience. Whether a café owner in North Laine needs a reliable weekend runner or a boutique manager in The Lanes wants front-of-house help, they are looking for three practical qualities: punctuality, a positive attitude, and clear shift availability around your studies.
If you are planning your wider job search, start by exploring our first job in Brighton guide. In this guide, we break down step by step how to translate your school projects, volunteering, and everyday life skills into a sharp, professional 1-page UK student CV.
1. The Golden Rules of a UK Student CV
Before typing a single line, keep these essential UK recruitment conventions in mind:
- Keep it strictly to one A4 page: Shift managers review dozens of applications between busy lunch services. A concise 1-page CV gets read; a sprawling multi-page document gets skimmed and set aside.
- Omit personal details: UK employment laws protect applicants from discrimination. Never include your date of birth, photo, gender, marital status, or full home street address. Your name, email address, UK phone number, and general location (such as "Hanover, Brighton" or "Falmer") are all that is required.
- State your Right to Work: If you are a UK citizen or hold a Student Visa with permission to work part-time (up to 20 hours per week during term time), add a brief note under your contact details. This immediately reassures employers that hiring you involves zero administrative hurdles.
- Choose a clean, simple layout: Stick to standard fonts (such as Calibri, Arial, or Inter) at 10 to 11 point size. Use clear headings, bullet points, and consistent margins.
2. Write an Impactful Personal Profile
Your personal profile sits right at the top of your CV. In 3 to 4 concise sentences, explain who you are, what you study in Brighton, your key strengths, and what type of work you are seeking.
Avoid generic buzzwords like "hard-working team player." Instead, give specific details about your reliability and enthusiasm for customer-facing environments:
Example Personal Profile:
First-year Media student at the University of Brighton with strong communication skills and experience handling cash and public interactions through school event volunteering. Reliable, punctual, and enthusiastic about delivering great customer service in a busy retail or café setting. Fully available for evening and weekend shifts.
3. Turn Everyday Experience into Core Transferable Skills
If you have never worked on a commercial payroll, where does your experience come from? The key is identifying transferable skills from activities you have already completed.
School and College Projects
- Teamwork and Organisation: Group presentations, drama productions, or coursework demonstrate that you can collaborate, divide tasks, and meet strict deadlines.
- Problem Solving: Technical or research projects show that you can learn new systems quickly, such as operating an electronic till (EPOS) or managing inventory.
Volunteering and Extracurriculars
- Charity Shop or Event Volunteering: Shows trustworthiness, time management, and direct experience interacting with the public. These attributes transfer directly into local retail roles.
- Sports Teams and Societies: Demonstrates commitment, punctuality, and the stamina needed for busy shifts on your feet in fast-paced hospitality positions.
- Informal Gigs (Babysitting, Tutoring, Dog Walking): Highlights personal accountability, handling payments, and building positive relationships with clients.
When writing bullet points, use active verbs: assisted, organised, coordinated, resolved, and managed.
4. Add a Clear Availability Matrix
The single biggest reason student applications get rejected in Brighton is mismatched availability. Store and restaurant managers operate on tight weekly rotas. If they cannot quickly tell when you can work, they will move on to the next applicant.
Create a dedicated "Availability" section near the bottom of your CV, listing your available shift windows during term time:
- Monday & Tuesday: Available from 17:00 onwards
- Wednesday: Available from 13:00 onwards
- Thursday & Friday: Available from 17:00 onwards
- Saturday & Sunday: Fully available all day and evenings
- Vacation Periods: Available for full-time hours (up to 40 hours per week)
5. Copyable 1-Page Student CV Template
Copy the text template below, paste it into your word processor, and replace the bracketed details with your personal information.
[YOUR FULL NAME]
Brighton, East Sussex | 07123 456789 | [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/yourname
Right to Work: UK Citizen / Student Visa (Eligible to work 20 hours/week during term time)
PERSONAL PROFILE
Motivated first-year [Degree Name] student at [University of Brighton / University of Sussex] with proven organisation and interpersonal skills developed through school leadership and community volunteering. Fast learner eager to support a busy team with excellent customer service and reliable attendance. Seeking a part-time retail or hospitality role in Brighton with full weekend and evening availability.
KEY TRANSFERABLE SKILLS
- Customer Service: Welcoming manner with experience assisting the public during open days and charity events.
- Communication & Teamwork: Effective collaborator who coordinated group presentations and secondary school society initiatives.
- Cash Handling & Numeracy: Confident with basic mental arithmetic, till reconciliation, and inventory tracking.
- Reliability & Time Management: Maintained 98% attendance throughout Sixth Form while balancing extracurricular commitments.
PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE & PROJECTS
Volunteer Event Assistant | Local Community Fair, Brighton
June 2025 - August 2025
- Welcomed over 200 visitors, provided directions, and answered general queries with a friendly attitude.
- Managed a refreshment stall, handled cash transactions accurately, and maintained a clean serving area.
- Collaborated with a team of 6 volunteers to set up tables, signage, and equipment before opening.
Sixth Form Student Ambassador | School Name, Location
September 2024 - May 2025
- Guided prospective students and parents on campus tours, communicating key course information clearly.
- Assisted staff with event registration desks and managed visitor queues during peak arrival hours.
EDUCATION
BSc (Hons) / BA (Hons) [Subject Name] | University of Brighton / Sussex
September 2025 - Present (Expected Graduation: June 2028)
A-Levels / BTEC | [School / College Name]
September 2023 - June 2025
- A-Levels: English Literature (B), Psychology (B), History (C)
- GCSEs: 8 subjects graded 9-4 (A*-C), including Mathematics and English Language
AVAILABILITY (TERM TIME)
- Monday & Tuesday: From 17:00
- Wednesday: From 13:00
- Thursday & Friday: From 17:00
- Saturday & Sunday: Fully available all day
- University Holidays: Available for full-time hours
REFERENCES
Available upon request
6. How to Hand Out Your CV in Brighton
Once your CV is polished and proofread, tailor your application method to the venue type:
- For Independent Shops and Cafés (North Laine and The Lanes): Print 5 to 10 copies on good-quality paper. Visit in person between 10:00 and 11:30 on a Tuesday or Wednesday morning when managers are least busy. Ask politely: "Hi, are you currently hiring part-time staff, and would it be alright to leave my CV with the duty manager?"
- For High Street Brands (Churchill Square and Western Road): Most national retailers require an online application via their careers portal. Use your newly formatted CV bullet points to fill in their digital application forms.
- Track Local Postings Daily: Check live Brighton part-time jobs regularly to catch newly listed openings before hundreds of other students apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I list all my GCSE grades on a UK student CV?
You do not need to list every individual GCSE subject. Summarise them in one line, such as "8 GCSEs graded 9-4 (A-C), including Mathematics and English Language."* This confirms your foundational numeracy and literacy while saving valuable page space.
Do I need to include contact details for references on my CV?
No. You do not need to list your referees' names or phone numbers directly on your CV. Adding "References available upon request" at the bottom is standard practice across the UK and protects your referees' personal data until an employer makes a formal job offer.
Can I apply for part-time jobs before receiving my university timetable?
Yes, but be upfront about your general availability. You can state that your timetable will be confirmed during induction week and offer wide availability for evenings and weekends in the meantime. Local employers value honesty far more than sudden last-minute shift cancellations.