How can I improve my CV when I feel like I don’t have much to show?

Hello there!

I have been on this situation and have helped recently a candidate that was in similar spot. We’ve managed to get her CV approved by McKinsey, even with limited experience.

Let’s consider your existing experiences and possible ones:

For existing experiences, you should aim for achievements. What have you done in your school, internship and community that has measurable impacts?

For possible experiences: if you have the time, you can try to develop new stories worth mentioning. Some examples:1) crate a club regarding an interest you have; (2) engage in volunteer work. Big NGOs may have open spots for you to apply for, (3) if you are in an internship right now, try solve problems that may generate impact. That will be an opportunity for you to collect additional achievements that will enhance your CV, contribute to the fit interview and develop yourself :)

If you would like a free 20min session about your CV, let me know. We can discuss your case and I can show you my approach so you can decide if this is the right time to get professional help or not.

Kindly,

Mari

Sorry to hear. 

You likely are right that you might not have much to show. In that case, most of your energy should go into looking for opportunities to improve your experience. So actually writing the CV would be a second priority. 

When looking for opportunities, aside from cold applications, try to also reach out to your network, friends, family and the career centre at the University. Try to identify especially opportunities that would enable you to show that you've developed the sort of skills you'll need to use in your future job. 

Sharing here a guide that lays out the sort of skills that consultants are recruited for:

• Expert Guide: What Do Management Consultants Do?

Best,
Cristian

Hi,

You can: 

• Focus on impact and skills, even in a small business role, highlight anything you improved, streamlined, or took ownership of (e.g., “Improved invoicing process, reducing errors by 20%”).
• Add academic projects, leadership in small activities, or certifications if relevant, anything that shows drive, ownership, or problem-solving matters for consulting CVs.

You definitely have more to work with than you think, happy to help refine it if you want! Best of luck!

Part of the solution is already in your answer: talk to colleagues who have the kind of experience you’re aiming for and get their advice.

Also, don’t limit yourself to internships. Look at volunteering, NGOs, sports, clubs—anything that shows leadership, impact, and drive.

Best,

Alberto

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Explore my latest case inspired by a real MBB interview: FastFashion - Customer Loyalty

Hi,

A CV does not need to only include work, it can include other hobbies or activities that you do.

The goal of anything on your CV is to show something that you are:

• Dedicated to
• You can track with a numerical value
• You do well 

Ask yourself - what do I do? 

• Sports  e.g. Run 15 half marathons in the past 2 years
• Hiking e.g. You have founded a walking group with a few friends that meet every week
• Cook e.g. you are a part-time caterer, you volunteer at a kitchen
• Volunteer work
• Hosting parties - not even joking, I had a friend who would host weekly "Art evenings" wherein a couple of our friends would go and paint, and on Linkedin it she called it "Creative Community Sessions" 

If you do not do anything or you do not have any hobbies, start with something that you like.

Start small. 

Happy to discuss your CV :)

Hey there 👋
I totally get the feeling — a lot of people face this when they’re early in their career, but you’ve definitely got more to offer than you think! 😊 Here’s how you can position your current experience to stand out:

1. Focus on Transferable Skills: Your admin role gave you valuable skills like organization, Excel proficiency, and problem-solving. These are all key in consulting! Frame your experience to show how you’ve contributed to process improvement, handled multiple tasks, or helped drive efficiency.
2. Show Initiative: Even if your role wasn’t flashy, if you found ways to improve processes, take on extra responsibilities, or handle data in a meaningful way — highlight that! Employers love seeing proactivity.
3. Extracurriculars: Don’t worry if you’re not in leadership roles yet. Joining a club or taking on projects in your spare time shows initiative. Look for opportunities to get involved, even in small ways, like organizing events, taking on responsibility in group projects, or volunteering.
4. Quantify Impact: Where possible, use numbers to show the impact of your work. For example, “Improved admin efficiency by 15% through streamlined processes in Excel”. Numbers make a stronger impression! 📊
5. Show Passion: Even if your experience isn’t directly related to consulting, show your motivation and drive to break into the field. Consulting firms value people who are hungry to learn and develop.

Don't worry about what others are doing — focus on what you’ve learned and how you’ve grown. We can work through your CV together and make sure it reflects all the great things you’ve done! 💬

Best, Alessa