CV for PhD application with little relevant professional experience? I'm currently applying for a PhD at my institution. Part of the application requires an academic CV, however I have no professional experience that is not retail work (I have volunteered as student support at my university but don't think that's very relevant), and as I only recently graduated from my undergraduate degree and started my masters, I do not yet have any publications and have not spoken at or attended any conferences apart from attending a postgraduate conference at my university last year.

Are there any ways of getting around this? I received a very good grade for my undergraduate dissertation and have a good idea of what my masters dissertation will be, and I am trying to use those to my advantage.
It's called a "CV", but it's really the same as a resume at this stage. Moreover, how you format it, and what you put on it, is completely up to you.

Try to be as creative as possible, and really sell yourself -- don't be afraid to brag. What are your strengths? Things that may seem irrelevant could still impress the admissions committee.

Also, without research publications, the best substitute is good performance in advance classes and (more importantly) a good recommendation letter, or two, that can vouch for your research potential.


  "I received a very good grade for my undergraduate dissertation"


That will look great -- put it on. Find or make an appropriate section. Then say "received highest possible grade on dissertation" or whatever; cite statistics on dissertation scores if you can find them and they make you look more impressive.


  I do not yet have any publications and have not spoken at or attended any conferences apart from attending a postgraduate conference at my university last year.


You can put on that you attended the conference. Publications are not necessary in most fields -- if you have them, that's a huge leg up, but most candidates will not have them (at least, at all but the very top-tier universities, and in most fields).