Writing your CV

Writing your CV is the first step in the Coop placement process. Preparing and writing a CV takes time, so you should plan its preparation carefully and well in advance.
All students going on Coop must complete the UL Coop CV, which you can access via the Student Portal. The online CV is the only version that is accepted for the Cooperative Education Programme. 

Detailed Guidelines for Completing Online Cooperative Education CV are available here.  

The Importance of your CV

Cooperative Education employers want evidence of motivated, self-aware interested candidates. A well thought out, well crafted, spell checked CV is the basis on which candidates are selected for interview. The objective of Cooperative Education is to help you identify and develop your employability and to begin to scope the ‘professional you’.


As you prepare for placement employers are looking for evidence of your ability to:

- perform effectively as part of a team
- communicate clearly
- demonstrate effective customer service skills
- identify and resolve problems in a constructive and timely fashion
- exhibit an understanding of the professional workplace

Essentially employers want resilient, flexible, involved, employees who demonstrate a willingness to learn. The purpose of your CV is to attract the attention of Coop employers. A well-prepared, evidence based CV increases your chances of being called for interview and, in turn, securing a Coop placement.

The employability programme will provide you with guidelines on how to access and complete the online CV. The workshops will also provide guidance on what a good quality Coop CV looks like. However, if you experience any issues support is available from your Coop team.