How to Create a Strong CV and Ace Your First Job Interview
Career.Support at AIESEC UNS: Guiding Students Toward Job Market Readiness
Event: AIESEC Youth Career Event
Hosted by: AIESEC Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS)
Date: May 3–4, 2025 (Online)
Career.Support Speaker: Ms. Dhea Amelia Irawan, S.I.Kom, M.I.Kom
Session Topic: “How to Create a Strong CV and Ace Your First Job Interview”
Participants: 120+ Vocational and University Students from Surakarta
On May 4, 2025, Career.Support proudly participated in a youth development initiative hosted by AIESEC Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS), an event aimed at helping young Indonesians prepare for the competitive job market. The two-day online event welcomed over 120 enthusiastic students from vocational schools and universities across Surakarta, offering them valuable insights into career development and workplace readiness.
Among the four expert speakers invited across the two days, Career.Support was represented by Ms. Dhea Amelia Irawan, S.I.Kom, M.I.Kom, a communications and career development specialist with years of experience mentoring job seekers and fresh graduates. Her 40-minute talk was titled: “How to Create a Strong CV and Ace Your First Job Interview”—a highly relevant and practical session for students just beginning their professional journey.
Addressing the Fundamentals: Your First Impression Matters
Ms. Dhea began her session by stressing the importance of a CV as a first impression tool. “In most cases, your CV will speak on your behalf before you even walk into an interview,” she explained. A strong CV, she noted, can open doors, while a poorly written one can instantly disqualify even qualified candidates.
She then walked the students through the essential components of a great CV:
Contact Information: Simple, up-to-date, and professional (including email).
Professional Summary: A brief statement that highlights strengths, career interests, and personal branding.
Education: Clear, reverse chronological order with relevant achievements.
Experience: Internships, freelance work, projects—anything that demonstrates responsibility and results.
Skills: Both hard skills (software, languages) and soft skills (teamwork, communication).
Certifications & Achievements: Relevant and current.
Design & Format: Clean, easy to read, and ideally one page for fresh graduates.
One of the key messages from her talk was: “Your CV should be tailored for the role you’re applying for—there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all CV.”
She encouraged students to think like recruiters and to use action verbs and measurable outcomes in describing their past experiences. For example, instead of writing “responsible for social media,” students were advised to write “managed Instagram content, resulting in 25% follower growth in 2 months.”
Cracking the First Interview: Confidence, Clarity, and Connection
The second part of Ms. Dhea’s presentation focused on interview preparation, a step that often causes anxiety for first-time job seekers. With a warm and relatable delivery, she demystified the interview process, providing practical tips and psychological preparation strategies.
Her key points included:
Research the Company – Understand the company’s mission, values, and recent news. This allows candidates to ask meaningful questions and show genuine interest.
Know Your CV Inside Out – Be ready to elaborate on every point you wrote.
Practice Common Interview Questions – Such as:
“Tell me about yourself”
“What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
“Why do you want to work here?”
“Tell us about a challenge you faced and how you overcame it”
Use the STAR Method – When answering behavioral questions, students were advised to use the Situation, Task, Action, Result structure to communicate their stories clearly and impactfully.
Dress Professionally & Be On Time – Even for virtual interviews, appearance and punctuality matter.
Ask Thoughtful Questions – Ending the interview with meaningful questions (e.g., about team culture or growth opportunities) shows initiative and curiosity.
She also reminded the audience that nerves are normal but preparation builds confidence. “Think of interviews not as interrogations, but as conversations where both sides are learning about each other.”
High Energy and Engagement: A Session to Remember
One of the most rewarding moments of the event was the enthusiastic interaction between students and Ms. Dhea during the Q&A session. The chat and microphone lines were buzzing with questions—some practical, others reflective. Students asked about:
What if I have no experience? What should I write?
How can I stand out if I’ve only done internships?
Should I include part-time or freelance jobs?
How formal should I be during interviews?
What if I get nervous and freeze during the interview?
Ms. Dhea answered each question with patience and real-world examples, often offering encouragement and reassurance for students who were clearly passionate but unsure.
“You don’t need to be perfect,” she reminded them. “You just need to be prepared, honest, and willing to grow.”
Many attendees expressed their appreciation via the event’s feedback form and social media, describing the session as motivating, practical, and confidence-boosting.
Collaborating for Youth Empowerment
Career.Support’s involvement in this event aligns with its broader mission: to bridge the gap between education and employment by equipping students with relevant career skills. Events like these are not just about theory—they are about building confidence, readiness, and mindset in the next generation of professionals.
We were honored to share the virtual stage with other inspiring speakers from diverse industries over the two days and to connect with passionate students who are ready to take charge of their future careers.
Looking Ahead
As Career.Support continues to engage in youth development initiatives, we remain committed to bringing industry expertise directly to students and educators. We believe that with the right guidance and tools, fresh graduates can enter the workforce not only with knowledge, but with purpose and direction.
We thank AIESEC UNS for the opportunity and collaboration, and we look forward to partnering again in future events that empower students across Indonesia.
