Whether you’re writing your very first CV and cover letter, or working from an old one that’s full of  ‘hobbies’ you’ve only ever done once, or  questionable ‘work experience’, you’re now at an age where having a strong CV and cover letter is extremely important.

After all, who doesn’t want to earn some extra cash or, most importantly, get experience that’s going to impress companies when you leave school or graduate.
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Nearly all employers require a CV and cover letter as part of the application process. So, it’s important that you understand the basics of drafting them. To help you out, we’ve pulled together our advice on how to write a CV and cover letter.

We speak to hundreds, if not thousands of young people every year who start off thinking  they have nothing exciting to write about themselves. No excitement factor that might make them stand out from the crowd in a CV for a job, or a uni personal statement.
 
How wrong they are.
 
Even if you’re not an Olympic medallist, a young Einstein, or the world-record holder for number of bubbles blown with a tarantula in your mouth, you can paint your years of experience in a way to make sure anyone hearing about them is left wanting more.
 
A great place to start? A part-time job.

Do you know your bops from your balls? Or your CATS from your CUKAS?

Heading into the world of higher education can be like learning a new language – there's more jargon than you can shake a soc at. ​That's why we've created this handy glossary of all the weird and wonderful terms academics like to use. Let Push be your guide.

You'll need us. Honestly, it's a jungle out there. ​

If your plans don't involve uni visits and UCAS forms, there's still loads to do over the Summer to make yourself more employable.
 
If you don't have any work experience, it can be tough to get your first permanent job. But summer jobs, well, they're easier to get and then, ta-da, you've banked some experience and some cash for later. 

​While university applications are on the rise (even with the huge rise in tuition fees), you might feel that higher education at a traditional university or college isn't the right experience for you at this stage in your life.
 
Many choose to study a degree later in life, or not at all, and you should never feel less than others just because you aren't choosing to go to university right now.
 
Not everyone should go to university, because no two people are the same. It’s about getting the right fit for you and an employer, so that you can become as desirable as possible for the industry you want to get into. 

If you’re anything like the rest of us, it’s not a stretch to say you’ve probably sat around at some point thinking – what makes me unique? How do I stand out from the crowd? These existential questions particularly rear their ugly heads when you’re faced with a personal statement for college or uni, or a cover letter for a job.
 
And it’s tough. Everyone’s their own biggest critic, but when it comes to singing your own praises, especially as to why you’re a better choice than anyone else, it can feel like an impossible task.
 
Yeah, we know you’re all pretty amazing. But to really stand out from the crowd of other applicants for a job or course, you need to have something else on offer besides the same GCSEs, A-Levels or degree as everyone else you’re up against.

We're sure over the past year you’ve heard the abbreviation VR thrown about at just about any announcement of a new tech device. VR stands for Virtual Reality and it’s starting to creep into our lives whether you want it to or not. Now the question is, will virtual reality change how we gain soft skills? 

It's not all about getting a good enough job to get by, or even to just start making a dent in those hefty students loans. But that should be fairly obvious, right? No point studying for 3+ extra years, only to fall into a job that's completely the wrong fit.

If it's not for you, chances are you won't like it. And if you don't like it, chances are you won't be able to force yourself to get up and go to it every morning for all that long. 

New Year, New You? If fitness is your thing (or not! No judgement) then you're in for a treat.  

​Here's Push presenter Moj Taylor's exclusive interview with personal trainer Kaoutar Hannach: read on for her insight on everything from student life and choosing the right degree, to how she found a career she loves. 

Year 12

You've probably started thinking about your options after school already, even if by mistake, but soon your teachers are going to start pushing you for a plan.

So when the family's getting on your wick over the festive period, what better excuse is there for finding some alone time than that you want to get ahead of the game?