how to write a student resume with no work experience

Build my resume

• Build a better resume in minutes
• Resume examples
• 2,000+ examples that work in 2024
• Resume templates
• Free templates for all levels
• Cover letters
• Cover letter generator
• It's like magic, we promise
• Cover letter examples
• Free downloads in Word & Docs

5 College Student No Experience Resume Examples & Templates [Edit Free]

College Student No Experience Resume

• College Student No Experience Resumes
• Resume Writing 101

Sometimes, ambitious college students can’t wait to start working. Janee considered how to show value on her resume as a grad: Dreaming of working as a business analyst at Resource Data fueled her to research the company and think of relevant college achievements.

Janee recalled real projects from her degree in math and economics that saved a local manufacturer thousands. Even her stint as basketball captain highlighted her ability to organize, boost morale, and drive positive results.

Referencing her class movie recommendation project and the time her random forest model outperformed projections by 19 percent, Janee topped off her college student no experience resume with a career objective . Bam—hired. Try our resume templates for yourself; we can’t wait to applaud your success, too!

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Follow Janee’s college student no experience resume and make the most out of your project work to showcase your abilities in programming, modeling, data visualization, and teamwork. Finally, celebrate your victory lap with a well-crafted career objective.

College Student No Experience 2 Resume

College Student No Experience 3 Resume

College Student No Experience 4 Resume

College Student No Experience 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• Current College Student
• College Student Internship
• College Graduate
• Grad School
• College Student

What Matters Most: Your Skills & Background Experience

When you lack experience, your skills become more important than ever! As a college student, you now have a nice, clear understanding of what you can do, and recruiters want to know all about it.

Make sure you list skills that are relevant to your field. For example: If you’re eager to step into the world of business analysis, then prioritize technical skills and highly relevant abilities.

And make sure those skills are worded in a deliberate and specific way, too! The last thing you want is to sound too apathetic about your future role to dig deeper than the usual generic terms on your resume.

Here are some examples of more specific skills you can use to show off your potential:

9 Best College Student No Experience Skills

• scikit-learn
• Linear Regressions
• Logistic Regressions
• Data Reporting
• Google Sheets

Sample College Student No Experience Work Experience Bullet Points

Now we’re on to the fun part! No really: It’s time to get creative and look for some nifty spins to put on your past projects and internships. Class groups, teams, clubs, and volunteer initiatives can all be used to demonstrate your ability to make the most of your skills, too.

Just make sure that anything you include is highly relevant to the field you want to work in! Use those sharp, specific skills you honed earlier to recall examples of experiences when you used them.

And always measure the impact you had when you reached those milestones! Use quantifiable data to back up your achievements and make them look way more credible:

• Reported to executives during business analytics class and initiated re-evaluation of resource allocation, saving $47K in vendor costs
• Aggregated data from Rotten Tomatoes and used k-nearest-neighbors in scikit-learn to improve recommendation system for personal tastes, boosting positive feedback by 12%
• Organized a community outreach for the university basketball team to train at-risk high school students and boost morale, leading high school teams to win 92% of total games
• Compiled and prepped 4 years of fantasy football projection data from 8 independent sources into a MySQL database, boosting positive ratings by 14%

Top 5 Tips for Your College Student No Experience Resume

• I know, I know, we just talked about it, but this really is a crucial aspect of your resume! When you don’t have any job experience yet, you’ll really need to hand-pick the most relevant bits and pieces of as many projects and college teams as you can.
• Many people hear “one page” and assume that filling their resume page is as important as limiting themselves to one page only. But this isn’t the case: Just focus on your best relevant achievements and allow some white space for things to breathe.
• Get strategic about your skill placement. Group similar types of skills together, such as everything related to Python, followed by everything related to data analytics, and so on.
• By all means, try out as many of our resume templates as you can! But while you compare them, keep a deliberate eye out for which one makes your college and project history look the fullest and most impressive.
• Keeping your experience examples sleek and to-the-point demonstrates your ability to get things done and convey info efficiently. You don’t have time to ramble since recruiters have to read things quickly!

Honestly, this isn’t something to worry much about: As long as it’s all together in one place and easy for recruiters to spot at a glance, you’re fine.

Customize it for each job description . It’s easy: All you need to do is reference the job description again and grab some key phrases and buzzwords to switch out in your resume, and boom: You’re now delivering a hand-tailored resume that’s designed to impress!

In our honest opinion, writing a cover letter is better. You get the best of both worlds: Your project and educational history will be able to take center stage while you use your cover letter to detail your qualifications in greater depth than you’d be able to with an objective statement.

• We’ll show you how, step-by-step • Real, practical tips and tools • 100% free

How to Write a Resume with No Experience [21+ Examples]

It’s time for your first job hunt !

You need to write a resume , which can be nerve-wracking if you don’t have any real-life work experience.  

You don’t know where to start, what to include, or which resume format to choose.

On top of that, most advice you find online isn’t relevant because it focuses on emphasizing professional background.

Chances are, you’re straight out of college with no experience to speak of. 

Or maybe you're a high-school student applying for a part-time job.

Whichever the case may be, you’re probably having trouble filling in the blank space on your resume that’s supposed to be the work experience section.

Worry not, though. In this guide, we’re going to help you create an AMAZING resume, no work experience is needed.

• How to format your resume with no work experience
• 4 sections to replace work experience (that help you stand out)
• 2 no-work experience resume samples (guaranteed to land you the job)

How to Format Your Resume [with No Work Experience + Examples] 

A resume format is the layout of your resume .

The ideal resume format usually depends on how much work experience you have. 

But what happens when you have none?

For a no-experience resume, we recommend that you use the reverse-chronological format . 

It’s the most popular format amongst applicants and a recruiter favorite.  

The sections in your reverse-chronological resume will be: 

• Header : Contact Information and Resume Statement
• Internships, extracurricular activities, projects, volunteer work  (These sections will replace your work experience)

In this article, we’ll walk you through each of these sections, and explain how to write them in a way that you stand out from the crowd.

Let’s dive in.

Start With Your Resume Header

Your resume header includes your contact information and your resume statement.  

Below, we’ll show you how to write both of these elements and how to include them in your header section.

Put Down Your Contact Information

Just like the name suggests, the first thing you add to your header is your personal and contact information.

It’s the easiest part to get right, just keep it short and to the point.

In your contact information section, mention the following:

• First and Last Name
• Phone Number
• E-mail Address
• A link to a professional profile (e.g. LinkedIn ) or personal webpage (if you have one)

Make sure to use a professional-sounding E-mail.

I.e. something along the lines of “[email protected].” 

You’re sure to leave a wrong impression if you use an email you created back in preschool ( “[email protected]” ).

Make sure to double-check, triple-check your contact information. After all, the recruiter can’t contact you if you have a typo in your phone number.

(Optional) Write Your Resume Objective

A resume objective is a short heading statement in your resume, where you describe your professional goals and aspirations.

Fun fact - hiring managers look at your resume for 5-6 seconds max .

Yep, that’s right. In most cases, the hiring manager is literally drowning in resumes. So, they have a couple of seconds to skim each one.

Well, this section is your chance to catch their attention (and let them know you’ve got what it takes).

A resume objective is usually 3-4 sentences max and includes information on:

• What your field of study is;
• What your skills and experiences are (ones that are relevant to the job );
• Why you’re applying for this position and/or this company.

As with contact information, you don’t need to label your resume objective with a title. Just write it underneath your contact information section.

Here’s an example of what a resume objective looks like:

“ Recent Communications graduate looking to apply for the role of Secretary at XYZ inc. Extremely organized with good writing and multitasking skills. Practical experience in management gained through several university projects, which involved coordinating tasks between different team members and ensuring that everyone was in sync with the latest information. ”

Emphasize Your Education

In your average resume, the first section would be work experience.

Since you don’t have any, though, you’ll want to omit that and replace it with the education section.

This way, you bring a lot more attention to your education, which is one of your main selling points. 

What should you include in the Education section? 

List the following features in this order:

• Name of the degree
• Name of the institution
• Years attended
• Location of the institution (optional)
• GPA (optional)
• Honors (optional)
• Relevant coursework (optional)
• Exchange programs (optional) 

As a general rule, if you studied in a prestigious university, you can add the name of the institution before the degree . This way, you will catch the recruiter’s attention faster.

Now, let’s go through some real-life examples:

BA in Computer Science

Tufts University

Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts

10/2015 - 06/2018

Magna Cum Laude

• Exchange Program in Greenville, NY

University of the Arts London

BA in Interior Design 

10/2017 - Ongoing

Westwood High

Boston, Massachusetts

Class of 2018 

Education Section Q&A

Still have some questions about the education section? Worry not, we’re about to give you all the answers!

Do I include my GPA?

• The answer here is a “maybe.” We’d recommend including a GPA if it’s higher than 3.5. Anything lower than that, and you might be underselling yourself. Keep in mind, though, that most employers don’t care about your grades.

Should I include my coursework?

• Yep, but just as long as it’s relevant. If you have no work experience, including courses can help establish your expertise in a field. Feel free to skip out on any basic courses, though. No one cares about your Maths 101 course.

Do I mention my degree if I dropped out?

• If you studied for more than 2-3 years, yes. A half-finished degree is still better than no degree. If you dropped out after a semester, though, that doesn’t really mean much.

Do I mention my high school degree?

• Only if it’s your only degree. If you have any higher education, your high school degree will only take up space.

4 Sections to Replace Work Experience [With Examples]

Now that you’ve listed your education, it’s time to fill that work experience gap in your resume.

You aren’t still worried about your lack of experience, right?

Because here are four sections you can use instead:

1) Internships

Have you done an internship that is relevant to the position you are applying for?

Now’s the time to mention it. 

Here is how you add an internship to your resume:

First , place the Internship section right after the education section. 

Title it: Internships

Second , write your internship title and role . Be specific.

If your internship was in the marketing department, instead of just “Intern”, say “Marketing Intern”. 

Third , put down the company name , location , and duration of the internship - in that order.

Marketing Intern

Full Picture

New York, NY

09/2019 - 12/2019

Easy and straightforward, right?

One more step:

Last , add a list of responsibilities you had as an intern in bullet point form. 

If you have any tangible achievements , even better! Write those in as well.

Finally, tailor both the responsibilities and achievements to the role you’re applying for.

Here’s how that looks in practice:

You used to be an Advertising Intern .

You’re applying for the position of Social Media Assistant . 

Here’s how you would put down your internship entry:

Internships

Full Picture Company

• Analyzed various social media platforms for trending content
• Managed company social media accounts
• Posted interested content on company Facebook page, increasing engagement by 25%

The listed responsibilities and achievements are directly connected to the Social Media Assistant job requirements.

You’re applying for a Content Writer position. Take a look at the same entry now:

• Assisted the Marketing Manager in writing press releases and new blog posts , which increased web traffic by 25%.

Notice how the internship title remains the same. 

But in this case you’re applying for a Content Writer position, so you are highlighting your writing experience instead.

For more examples, check out our full guides to an internship resume and how to write a cover letter for an internship .

2) Extracurricular activities

Still have a ton of empty space in your resume?

Extracurricular activities are always a great addition!

Whether they’re related to the job you’re applying for or not, they still show one thing:

You’re hard-working and motivated.

Imagine you’re the HR manager, and you can pick between these 2 candidates:

• Josh Johnson. Studied at Massachusetts State. 4.0 GPA, but that’s all he did in college - no extracurricular activities, internships, or anything else.
• Suzie Activeson. Also studied at Massachusetts state. 3.2 GPA. Vice-president of the business club. Served as a student government senator for 2 semesters. Organized several events as part of the marketing club.

Sure, Josh is probably qualified, but we don't know anything about him, other than that he studied a lot.

Suzie, on the other hand, can manage a team (business club VP), organize events (marketing club), and is passionate about making a change (student government).

So, which one would you pick?

Now, let’s explain how to list extracurricular activities on your resume:

• Title of the section: Extracurricular Activities
• Name of the organization and/or team 
• Your role in the organization
• Time period
• Noteworthy awards or achievements

Extracurricular Activities

Public Speaking Club

Vice-President

09/2018 - 09/2019

• Organized 10+ public speaking lectures
• Brought in speakers from all over the state
• Conducted public speaking workshops

3) Volunteering Experience

Volunteering shows dedication and passion to apply yourself. 

And there’s nothing recruiters love more than a committed employee.  

Whether you spend your free time in a soup kitchen, or you helped collect trash in the countryside, you can mention it in your resume!

But how do you list volunteering experience?

Well, it follows the same logic as your internship and extracurriculars:

• Title of the section: Volunteering Experience
• Name of the organization
• Relevant tasks and achievements (bullet points)

Volunteering Experience

Grand Archive Library Volunteer

Washington, D.C

08/2017 - 02/2019

• Performed secretarial activities, such as sorting mail, filing documents, answering phone calls, and taking messages. 
• Led a poetry reading event twice a month. 

4) Projects

In this section, you can add any relevant projects you were part of during your time in school or at an internship.

Your capstone project, graduation thesis, or research project go here. 

No need for work experience!

You can also mention any other type of project you’ve worked on in school, including:

• Business project for a real-life client
• Mock website you created in Web Design 101
• Fake magazine you created as a capstone project
• Market research you did as part of your graduation thesis
• Software you developed in Software Engineering class

...And so on!

Here’s how you put them down:

• Title of the section: Projects
• Project name
• Project type
• Related organization 
• Relevant responsibilities and achievements (optional)

And now, for some practical examples. Here’s what a journalism student project could look like:

Online Privacy and Social Media: a Journalistic Study of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica

Journalism Capstone Project

Harvard University

09/2018 - 11/2018

And here’s a law school example:

In-House Pro Bono Project

Columbia Law School

11/2018 - 03/2019

• Completed a full petition for U nonimmigrant status, interviewed legal persons and drafted affidavits.

If you have anything physical to back up your project with, feel free to include a link.

For example, if you’re a developer, you could include a link to your GitHub profile.

Stand out with your Skills 

There are two types of skills you can include on your no-experience resume: 

Soft skills and hard skills. 

What’s the difference? 

Soft skills are attributes or habits that describe how you work. They are not specific to a job, but indirectly help you adapt to the work environment. 

Here are some of the most popular ones: teamwork, responsibility, leadership, creativity, etc.  

Hard skills , on the other hand, refer to specific tools, technical knowledge and training and other work-specific skills. They apply directly to the job. 

Technical writing, C++, financial accounting, etc. are all examples of hard skills.

So, which of these skills should you include? 

That depends on a lot of factors, but as someone with no work experience, you should opt more for hard skills .

See, you could write all the cool buzzwords like “Critical Thinking” and “Leadership,” but the recruiter won’t believe you.

Fun fact - that’s what 90% of students do.

Instead, you should focus on skills that make you stand out , and in most cases, those are hard skills.

So, how do you decide which hard skills to mention? Easy! Just check the job ad you’re applying for.

Let’s say you’re applying for an entry-level creative internship, and you find these requirements in the job description: 

• Video editing experience (Premiere, After Effects)
• UI design experience
• Photo editing experience (Photoshop)
• Photography experience
• Experience with Adobe Illustrator

You’d transfer this into your skills section:

• Premiere & After Effects - Expert
• Photoshop - Expert
• UI Design - Intermediate
• Adobe Illustrator - Intermediate
• Photography - Intermediate

Not sure which skills to mention? Check out our article on 150+ must-have skills for all sorts of professions !

Other Sections You Could Include in a No-Experience Resume

A resume without experience does have one advantage: extra space . 

You can use this space to create other sections that highlight how awesome you are!

Here are some sections you could include:

• Hobbies and Interests . Add flair to your resume by showing your genuine passion and interest in the industry.
• Languages. Do you know a second language? Or even a third? Awesome! Most companies these days are pretty international and appreciate an extra language skill or two. Be mindful not to over-exaggerate your proficiency, though. Only knowing how to ask “¿Donde está la biblioteca?” doesn’t warrant a Spanish entry on your resume.
• Awards & Certifications . Do you have any fancy pieces of paper that show you’re smart? Maybe it’s an award for a terrific essay in a competition, or a certificate from an online course . Whichever the case may be, awards and certifications show that you’re a winner, so definitely include them in their own respective section.

Need Inspiration? 2 No Work Experience Resume Samples

Do you still have questions or don’t know where to begin?

That’s when a resume sample comes in handy. 

It provides you with a predetermined format.

It also helps you picture how your no-experience resume is supposed to look like. 

As Picasso put it: Good artists copy; great artists steal! 

Here are 2 no work experience resume samples you can borrow ideas from:

Business Student Resume Sample

High-school Student Resume Sample

Create a Matching Cover Letter

All done with your resume?

It’s not over yet. You need to write a cover letter to go with it.

A cover letter is a single-page letter that accompanies your resume and is part of your job application.

Look at it this way: your resume describes your experiences, and your cover letter explains (in simple words) how they’re relevant to the job.

Now, here’s a quick infographic on what to include in a cover letter:

Finally, as with everything else in your resume, make sure to keep your cover letter relevant, short, and concise.

The hiring manager doesn’t have time to read an autobiography, they’ll only review your cover letter for a few minutes. 

There’s a lot more to creating a good cover letter than what we just explained.

For a complete, all-you-need-to-know walk-through, check out our Complete Guide on How to Write a Cover Letter !

Key Takeaways

...and that’s a wrap!

At this point, you should know everything there is to know about writing a killer no-experience resume.

Just to keep things fresh, though, let’s quickly go through everything we’ve learned so far:

• When creating your no-experience resume, use the reverse-chronological format.
• You can create a killer no-experience resume by emphasizing your education instead. Include relevant internships, soft & hard skills, and projects.
• Other sections you can include on your resume are hobbies & interests, languages, certifications, or achievements.
• Keep all the content on your resume clear, precise, and relevant. Use bullet points for all your descriptions.
• After you’re done with your resume, you want to write an awesome cover letter that goes with it. The cover letter is a one-page letter that tells the story behind your resume content and reemphasizes why you’re a great fit for the job.

Related Resume Examples

• Internship Resume
• High School Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• College Resume
• Students and Graduates Resume
• Teacher Resume

Recommended Readings:

• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job in 2024
• 20+ One-Page Resume Templates [Free Download]
• 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers [Complete List]

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Press Enter to search

How to Write An Effective Resume With No Work Experience (with Templates and Examples)

A recruiter-backed guide to writing an effective resume if you don't have enough (or any) work experience - with downloadable templates and examples.

3 years ago   •   13 min read

Navigating the job market without professional experience can seem daunting, but you can still write a competitive resume with no work experience. The key is to present the experience you do have, and show a recruiter why it’s relevant to them.

Remember, a lack of work experience doesn't mean a lack of skills or potential. Unpaid roles, student activities, internships, personal projects, and volunteer work can all provide substance for your resume, showing your potential to employers and highlighting your transferable skills.

In this guide, we'll take you through crafting a compelling resume without formal work experience, covering how to quantify your skills, focus on education, and fill your resume with competitive keywords.

How to write a resume with no work experience

If you're writing your resume but lack enough (or any) professional work experience, here's a quick step-by-step guide to help you get started:

• Include any internships, extracurricular activities , freelance, and volunteer work to supplement your experience.
• List your education section at the top of your resume.
• Use numbers and metrics to quantify your skills and explain how your experience is relevant, even if it's in a different field.
• Include a skills list of relevant keywords and competitive skills.
• Include in-progress education, training and qualifications relevant to your desired field, and consider enrolling in online courses that match the job description.
• Write a resume summary to highlight transferable skills and career goals.
• Stick with a standard reverse chronological resume format. (Not sure what that means? Don’t worry; we'll explain below.)
• Run your resume through a free online resume checker for personalized advice on targeting your resume to your application.

Remember, just because you lack paid work experience doesn’t mean you lack skills! All you need to do is learn how to highlight those skills in a way that will grab a recruiter's attention. Here is an example of how you can create a well-rounded resume with limited paid experience:

Top tips for creating a resume if you have no work experience

Here are 8 top tips for creating a professional-quality resume, despite having little to no work experience.

Highlight transferable experience

The experiences you highlight on your resume should be relevant and tailored to the job you are applying for, but that doesn’t mean they need to be in the same industry. Many skills are transferable between jobs and industries; these are the ones you want to highlight.

Look carefully at the job description and consider what you’ve done previously that demonstrates those skills. Recruiters look for transferrable technical skills, as well as soft skills, so demonstrate these through any experience on your resume, paid or non-paid.

Focus on accomplishments

Once you have decided what experience to include on your resume (more on that in our sections below), remember to talk about your accomplishments , not your job duties. “Responsible for closing the store every night” is a duty — it tells recruiters what you were asked to do, but not what you actually did or how you’re likely to perform in the job you’re applying for. Narrow down the accomplishments most relevant to the skills listed in the job description and focus on those.

Include a resume summary

Adding this optional section at the top of your resume can benefit those with limited or no work experience. A resume summary outlines your essential skills, experience, and noteworthy accomplishments to highlight why you're a good fit for the job.

Use the job title of the job you're applying for, regardless of your past experience, and list 2-3 key skills that match the job description. Mention if you have relevant background experience in that field, paid or not, and highlight any standout accomplishments.

For example:

Quantify your accomplishments and skills

Including numbers and metrics can help any experience look more impressive. This is known as quantifying your resume ; start with an action verb and include a metric or result that demonstrates your achievement.

If you’re having trouble coming up with metrics, here are some questions to consider:

• How many people have you worked with? Instead of saying that you worked in a team, specify the size of the team.
• How many people attended an event you organized? If it was for charity, how much money did you raise?
• How many customers did you serve on an average day? How many sales did you make?

Here is an example of how to quantify a previous job on your resume:

Use the right keywords

Most resumes nowadays go through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) , automated programs that scan your resume for certain keywords. This means you have to include the right words on your resume to make it past the filter.

Search our list of top resume skills and keywords to get an idea of the specific skills hiring managers are looking for. Being a match for the essential skills the job requires is much more important than having the perfect background or experience!

Keep your formatting simple

You don’t need a fancy-looking resume to impress. In fact, going overboard with creative elements like downloaded fonts, colors, and images can actually do more harm than good. Stick with an easy-to-read font, clear section titles, and standard one or two-column format, or download a free resume template that does the work for you.

Use reverse chronological format

Reverse chronological format simply means that your most recent experience and qualifications are listed first. This is the most common format for modern resumes and is what most hiring managers are expecting. That applies to work experience, but also to your education, projects, and extracurricular activities.

Use a cover letter

You can get ahead of most other applicants simply by writing a cover letter . A cover letter is a great opportunity to talk about why you’re interested in the job and what you would bring to the table, which, when you lack traditional work experience, may not always be obvious from your resume alone.

Pro-tip: Choosing the right examples

If you’re not sure if you have chosen the right examples of your skills for your resume, upload it to the tool below to get a detailed review of your resume and personalized suggestions on how you can improve your word choice, brevity, impact and style, and if there are any critical keywords missing from your resume.

Professional resume template with no work experience

If you have little to no work experience, you can still write an effective resume with only unpaid experience (internships, online training, volunteer work, etc.) by highlighting your most impressive and quantifiable accomplishments, and accomplishments that showcase transferable skills.Here is a professional resume template you can use to improve your existing resume or build one from scratch. You can download this template and more from our resume templates page.

Pro tip: For students writing their first resume

As a student or recent graduate, you will likely have limited or no experience to fill your resume. But don’t worry. This template is also for you!

Notice how this template lists extracurricular, volunteering and personal experiences as 'Leadership and Work Experience', and the resume starts with an Education section. This is a good approach to take if you're a student just getting started in your career.

You can download this template for free here .

Writing a resume for a career change with no previous experience

Making a career shift without prior experience in your proposed field can seem daunting, but it's not impossible. Just like the template above, your resume should focus on transferable skills and competencies that could apply to your desired role and highlight relevant training and certificates. The goal is to convince potential employers that while you may lack direct experience, you have the aptitude and enthusiasm to excel in this new career path.

For more information, read this article on updating your resume for a career change in 2024 .

Pro tip: Gaining industry-specific knowledge

Although you may not have direct experience in your new field, showing that you have done your homework about the industry can go a long way. This could include enrolling in online training, such as Google Career Certificates or Coursera online courses, attending seminars or workshops, or self-study. Make sure to mention these in your education or training section to show your initiative and commitment to learning about the new field.

How to write each section of your resume when you have no previous experience

There are important key sections that should be part of every resume, such as education and qualifications, work experience, hard skills and a resume summary. But don’t worry if you don’t think you have anything to write.

Below, we will explain how to tackle each section of your resume if you have little to no work experience, including formatting options, what to include and the best way to showcase your skills.

Education and qualifications

If you’re new to the workforce or are changing careers, your education and training are likely the most recent and most relevant experience you have. That means you can list your education section at the top of your resume, which takes some of the focus away from a limited work history.

Capitalize on this by elaborating on your academic achievements. Anything from relevant coursework to study abroad can be listed in your education section.

If you're a current student or recent graduate

If you’re a current student or recent graduate, you can also list your education section at the top of your resume above your work experience. The more recently you graduated, the more detailed you can make this section.

Include the name and location of your school, university or college, your field of study and your graduation date (or expected date if you’re yet to graduate). You can also include relevant honors or awards, and significant coursework.

Here is an example of how this would look on your resume, using the template above:

If you didn’t complete your degree

If you didn’t complete your degree , that’s not a problem. You should still list an unfinished degree on your resume a) if it's relevant, or b) until you have more work experience.

Include the name and location of your university, the field of your degree and the dates you attended school. You can also include the number of course hours completed.

Work experience

This is the dreaded section for most people. How are you supposed to write a work experience section when you don’t have any previous paid experience? You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience!

The most important thing to remember is that experience doesn’t need to be formal or paid to be considered experience. Work experience can include volunteering, freelance work, internships, part-time jobs, extracurricular activities, or personal projects. These all demonstrate transferable skills that hiring managers are looking for.

Internships

Internships and student placements are ideal experiences for your resume since they’re still professional settings. You can list internships under your experience section, especially if you don’t have other paid experience.

Include the name of the company, the dates of employment and your specific job title, and list your experience in 3-6 bullet points describing your duties or accomplishments.

Volunteer work

Volunteer work is another excellent substitute for paid experience. Just like an internship, volunteering can be listed in your experience section or a separate volunteer work section .

Include the organization's name, the dates you volunteered and your role within the company. List 1-2 accomplishments in bullet point format, and include accomplishments to demonstrate your skills.

Extracurricular activities and projects

Extracurricular activities or personal projects are great ways to demonstrate relevant skills, especially when you don't have traditional paid experience. Both can showcase leadership , teamwork , or other valuable attributes, even if they are not specifically relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Think about the skills you demonstrated in your activities and frame those skills as accomplishments. List the name of the activity or project, your role, and then 1-2 bullet points detailing your accomplishments. Remember to start each point with a strong action verb and highlight your essential skills and achievements.

For an extracurricular activity, your entry might look something like this:

For personal or community projects, ensure to include the focus of the project and your specific role. Here's an example:

Freelance work

If you’re still struggling to think of things to include on your resume, consider gaining additional experience by starting up a side project , like running a blog or picking up freelance work .

Include the name of the company you worked for, your role, your date of employment and the projects you completed.

Work experience or no, you should still include a skills section on your resume . This doesn’t mean you need to list every skill you possess, just those most relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Look for the skills listed in the job description and list those if you have them. If you’re not sure what skills hiring managers are looking for, you can use Targeted Resume Tool and our skills and keyword finder to look for relevant skills to include.

How to list hard skills

Your skills section should only include hard skills . In other words, things you can prove and quantify, like proficiency with a software program or technical process. Good skills to list could include:

• Software programs
• Programming languages
• Foreign languages
• Certifications
• Design skills
• Data analysis
• Specific types of writing, like proposal writing or SEO

If you have some experience with a skill but are not yet proficient, you can still include it on your resume. Consider arranging your skills by proficiency to show the skills you are currently improving.

How to show soft skills

Soft skills , like communication , leadership , and initiative , are great skills to have, but simply listing them isn’t going to impress a recruiter. Instead, consider a time you demonstrated those skills and include them in your bullet point accomplishments.

If you’re unsure which skills to include in your skills section, use the tool below to get a list of skills and keywords relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Additional sections

When you’re just starting out, anything that gives hiring managers a better sense of who you are and what you’re capable of could be worth including.

Here are some examples of additional sections you could include on your resume:

• Certifications and Courses : If you've taken additional courses or certificates that are relevant to the job you're applying for, this is the place to include them. For instance, if you're applying for a digital marketing role, you might list a Google Career Certificate or a course in SEO.
• Languages : Proficiency in foreign languages can be a significant asset in many roles. Whether you're applying for a job at a multinational company or a position that involves communication with diverse populations, list your language skills here. Ensure to mention your level of proficiency (beginner, intermediate, advanced, or fluent).
• Professional Associations or Memberships : If you belong to any professional groups or organizations related to your field, mentioning them can demonstrate your commitment to your industry.

Remember, when including additional sections, the qualities or skills you’re trying to highlight should be directly relevant to the job, even if the experience itself isn’t.

Common mistakes to avoid when writing a resume with no experience

When creating a resume with no work experience, it's easy to fall into certain pitfalls. Avoid these common mistakes to write a strong and impactful resume:

Over-inflating your experience

While it's important to highlight your skills and activities, remember to remain honest and genuine. Overinflating your experience can lead to awkward situations during interviews and may raise doubts about your credibility. If you've been involved in student activities or volunteer work, these are great to include, but don't make them sound like full-time professional roles unless they were.

Not tailoring your resume

Many job seekers make the mistake of sending the same generic resume to every job they apply for. Tailor your resume for each specific job posting by highlighting the skills and experiences most relevant to that position. This shows employers you've put thought into how you would fit in the role and makes your application stand out.

Overusing buzzwords or vague language

One of the common pitfalls in resume writing is the use of overused or vague language. Phrases like "hard-working," "team player," and "detail-oriented" are often overused and do not provide concrete evidence of these traits. Instead, demonstrate these skills through specific accomplishments or responsibilities from your past experiences.

Including too much irrelevant information

When writing a resume with limited experience, it can be tempting to include everything you have ever done. While it might be tempting to include all your experiences and accomplishments, it's important to remember that recruiters often have a large number of resumes to go through, so your resume should be as concise as possible.

Only include the experiences and skills that can be related to the job you are applying for, and leave out information that does not directly support your candidacy for the specific role.

Forgetting to proofread

This may seem minor, but a resume riddled with spelling and grammatical errors can create a negative impression. Always proofread your resume multiple times, and consider having someone else look it over too.

Is it worth applying for jobs that require experience even if I don't have any?

Yes, it's always worth applying for jobs that require experience, even if you don't have any. Job requirements are often a ‘wishlist’ from employers, and not having every requirement doesn't disqualify you. It's more about how you can convey your transferable skills, whether it's from your education, volunteer work, or extracurricular activities.

Are there any potential red flags to employers if a resume has no paid work experience?

While a resume with no paid work experience may initially raise questions for employers, it's not an insurmountable hurdle. The key is in how you present your other experiences and skills. Employers understand that everyone starts somewhere, and they are more interested in your potential, adaptability, and willingness to learn.

How should I handle gaps in my resume due to a lack of work experience?

When you have little to no work experience, it's normal to have gaps in your resume . Instead of worrying about these gaps, focus on activities you undertook during these periods. You can include volunteer work, courses, personal projects, or relevant hobbies.

If the gap is due to education or training, that information should be clearly stated in your education section. Remember, employers are more interested in seeing a continuous journey of learning and development rather than a timeline filled solely with traditional employment.

• Career Advice

Spread the word

How many bullet points per job should you include on your resume, how to announce your job search on linkedin, keep reading, how to show bilingualism on your resume (with examples), oops what to do if there’s a mistake on your resume, getting the basics right: resume line spacing, subscribe to our newsletter.

Stay updated with Resume Worded by signing up for our newsletter.

🎉 Awesome! Now check your inbox and click the link to confirm your subscription.

Please enter a valid email address

Oops! There was an error sending the email, please try later

Thank you for the checklist! I realized I was making so many mistakes on my resume that I've now fixed. I'm much more confident in my resume now.

Resume Summary with No Experience: Examples for Students and Fresh Graduates

By Biron Clark

Published: December 18, 2023

Recent Grads | Resume/CV

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

If you’re looking for how to write a summary for your resume with no work experience , you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to walk you through exactly what to do, and then we’ll look at resume summary examples for entry-level job seekers, students and fresh graduates. 

How to Write a Summary For Your Resume With No Experience:

First, a resume summary is different than an objective . And it’s much better. Putting an objective on your resume is outdated and unnecessary. Resume objectives are useless because they don’t share anything the hiring manager doesn’t already know (such as “my goal is to obtain a position in the ___ industry”). So what we’re doing here is better and will help your resume stand out from people who simply put an objective. Whereas, the resume summary gives a quick highlight reel of your qualifications, education, and more. If you’re not sure what a resume summary actually is, check out this article on 10 resume summary examples . And while it’s easier to figure out what to put if you’ve built up some work experience, you can still write an effective resume summary with no work experience whatsoever.

So in this article, I’m going to show you how. What should go into your summary when you don’t have any work experience? 

1. Put academic accomplishments and leadership

What did you study? Did you just graduate with a degree? Mention that. If you took a leadership role in your class projects, or clubs/groups at your school, you can mention that too. Leadership doesn’t need to be in a job to get the hiring manager’s attention! Taking a leadership role in a sports environment is impressive as well. You’re not going to mention specific accomplishments in your resume summary usually (you can do that later in your resume), but you can say things like “proven leadership” or “natural leader”, etc.

2. Put your interests and passions

Are you passionate about startups and technology? Great, put that. Want to make a difference in the world, and focus your career on social impact? Mention that. This can include the grades you received, but also leadership positions you led, and clubs/groups you participated in.

3. Put “hard” skills

If you’re proficient in any tools, technologies, etc… you can include that in your resume summary. Don’t list 20 things. That’s what your “Skills” section is for. But pick the three or four things that are most relevant for the job you’re applying for.

Coming up in this article, we’re going to look at two resume summary examples for people with no experience. .. and in the second example, you’ll see how this would look.

4. Include soft skills

Are you great at analytical thinking? Do you love working as a part of a team? Are you great at multi-tasking and handling a fast-paced team environment? While these shouldn’t be the main focus of your resume summary section, they can be worth mentioning. It’s especially good to include soft skills that you see mentioned in the job description.

For example, if you see they mention wanting someone who’s great at multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment, and you feel that describes you well, then your resume summary is the perfect place to include this.

5. Put statements that will grab the employer’s interest and make them want to ask you questions!

If you mention leadership they’ll want to ask you more about your leadership experiences. That’s a good thing. Remember, whatever you put, they’ll probably ask you about. So as you write your summary for your resume, try to think about what you want them to discuss with you, and what you want a chance to talk about. And try to “tailor” your resume to fit the companies you’re applying to. If you’re applying to large corporations don’t start your summary by saying “Startup enthusiast”.

3 Resume Summary Example for Students, Fresh Graduates and Entry-Level Job Seekers:

In this section, I’m going to share three examples of how to write a summary for your resume with no experience. You can use these resume summary examples as a student, entry-level job seeker, or any job search where you don’t have experience:

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #1: Economics Student

Enthusiastic, highly-motivated Economics student with proven leadership capabilities, who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges.

In this example above, you’re showing that you completed your Economics degree and have an interest in the subject, and you’re mentioning leadership and making the reader want to learn more about this. You’re also making yourself sound ambitious and motivated at the end, which is always a good thing (I’m referring to the part that says “who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges). Notice the format too. This is how I recommend phrasing it. Don’t say “I am a ___”. Just start with the descriptive words.

This is a simple yet effective resume summary example for students OR recent graduates.

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #2: Fresh Graduate in Computer Science

Computer Science graduate passionate about data engineering and machine learning. Highly-capable leader, having led multiple Senior class projects to completion. Proficient in a range of modern technologies including Python, Java and Scala.

This is another good example of a student or fresh graduate resume summary that still shows your skills and academic focus, even if you have no formal work experience.  In this entry-level resume summary example, you’re highlighting accomplishments and leadership as a student and you’re also showing that you’re passionate about your work. Saying you’re passionate about data engineering is much better than just saying, “Looking for a job in data engineering.” They’ll know you’re looking for jobs because you applied. Taking up space to say it is a bad use of this area of your resume, and is why I never recommend having a resume “Objective” section. The summary exists instead of an “Objective” and is much better.

The example above also included some great programming keywords (Python, Java, Scala) to help get past any automated application systems and grab the hiring manager’s attention very quickly when they first look at your resume. If you work with any tools or technologies that have names like these, you can include it in your entry-level resume summary if you’d like. Other examples of tools/technologies: Photoshop, MS Excel, etc.

If you decide not to include these on your resume summary, make sure to include them elsewhere such as your Education or Skills section .

Resume Summary Example with No Experience #3: Math Student Graduating Soon

4th year mathematics student passionate about statistics and data analysis. Proven project leader. Active member of Boston University’s Mathematics Club. Speaker at 2018 “New York Young Mathematicians Conference.”

This resume summary example for students shows how you can list accomplishments even if you’ve never formally worked before. Did you participate in any clubs at school? Have you led any class projects? These are impressive pieces you can add to your resume summary with no experience formally working. 

How to Write a Resume Summary For Students/Fresh Graduates – Quick Recap

• Skip buzzwords like “hard-working” and put real academic accomplishments instead, like projects you produced and tasks you led
• Include what you’re interested in and passionate about to show them why you are applying for this position
• Mention hard skills like “Java Programming” or “Excel,”  especially if they’re listed on the job description
• Include soft skills as well like, “excellent at multi-tasking”, especially if you saw these keywords anywhere on the job description
• Include statements in your resume summary that will catch the employer’s interest and make them want to talk with you and ask you more. Remember – the entire goal of your resume is to get invited to interview. So if you did anything unique like giving presentations, working in an internship , participating in a school club, etc., you can include this in your entry-level resume summary.

If you follow the tips above, you’ll have a great entry-level resume summary that will stand out and catch a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s attention so you can get more interviews.

After you write your entry-level resume summary, here are two more articles that may be helpful when job searching with no experience:

• The best times of year to job search
• How to create a great elevator pitch for job hunting

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

Crafting the perfect resume for teens (template & expert advice), are resume writers worth it, don’t say you’re a quick learner on your resume, what do recruiters look for in a resume, chronological resume: the best format (and how to write it), the 3 best colors for a resume, career change resume: examples and tips from experts, what makes a good resume 9 ways to know, how long should a resume be, walk me through your resume: answer examples, 7 thoughts on “resume summary with no experience: examples for students and fresh graduates”.

This site was pretty helpful in guiding me throughout my school resume, would love other tips would do well.

This is a great guide. If only schools were actually interested in teaching children real life skills like this.

Hi, I am a student who has been finding it very difficult to make resumes due to the lack of working experience. I am currently trying to find a job while studying at the same time. I am in University completing a certificate and will soon be applying for a BA in Psychology and Criminolgy. However, I wish to apply for a part time job in the fashion industry. Can you please leave me some tips about what I can do to ensure that I can find a job without needing experience.

Your page has really helped, Thank you.

Hi, I’m a job seeker with 2 years experience working as a cart collector at grocery store and an Associate’s Degree in Computer Information Systems, is this a good professional summary?: “Reliable team member with a keen interest in information technology and other applications. Capable of handling multiple projects within deadlines. Eager to apply my professional and academic background as an Administrative Assistant at Bogdan Contracting.”

I’ve been job seeking since October 2018, I’m hoping I can start a career in tech support as soon as possible.

Hi Marcais,

I think it sounds pretty good. My least favorite part is the first word, though. “Reliable” sounds pretty average/boring. Sure, you show up, do your job, etc. That’s what I think when I hear “reliable”. But not much more.

I’d look for a better word to lead off with.

I would like to say thank you for making this article about writing a summary for a resume. For the past couple of months, I have been struggling to find someone who can help me with that because I don’t have a lot of experience in my field (i.e. engineering). I do have one question though. Is it appropriate to use first-person nouns in the summary section? I have seen people do that, but I find it quite odd.

Please let me know as soon as you can. Thank you.

Hi Frances,

I’d avoid saying, “I” if that’s what you’re asking.

Just say “Led team of 7 people to accomplish ___”

Just start without a pronoun.

Another example: “Highly-accomplished accounting professional who has ____”

Comments are closed.

4 Examples: Impressive Resume with No Work Experience for Students

By Status.net Editorial Team on November 8, 2023 — 8 minutes to read

• Key Components of a Professional Resume Part 1
• Resume Formatting Tips and Tricks Part 2
• Example Resume for High School Students Part 3
• Example Resume for College Students Part 4
• Tailoring Your Resume Part 5

Part 1 Key Components of a Professional Resume

Contact details.

Start your resume by providing your full name, phone number, and email address. This ensures potential employers can easily contact you. A professional email address (for example, [email protected] ) is recommended. Keep your address and other personal details out of your resume.

Career Objective

As someone with no work experience, your career objective should focus on your abilities and motivation to succeed in the position you’re applying for. State your goal and highlight relevant skills you possess. Be genuine about your enthusiasm and commitment to work hard and learn.

Here, you’ll showcase your transferable skills, demonstrating how they’re applicable even without formal work experience. Group your skills into categories (such as communication, technical, and project management) and provide examples of how you acquired and applied those skills in school, extracurricular activities, or personal projects.

Education Details

Outline your educational background, including the school name, degree or diploma obtained, and graduation date. If your GPA is impressive, consider listing it. Describe relevant coursework, projects, and achievements that demonstrate your competence and abilities related to the job you’re applying for.

Volunteer Work

Showcase any volunteer work you’ve done, describing your role, the organization, and the dates when you volunteered. Focus on the tasks you performed and the skills you gained during this time. Volunteering demonstrates your willingness to learn, commitment, and eagerness to contribute to a cause.

Certifications and Training

Lastly, list any relevant certifications, training, or workshops you’ve attended. These demonstrate your dedication to continuous learning and professional development. Public speaking workshops, leadership programs, or certificates in technical skills, for example, can be valuable additions to your resume.

Related: How to Email a Resume to an Employer (Examples)

Part 2 Resume Formatting Tips and Tricks

The importance of consistency.

Consistency is key when formatting your resume. Choose one font and stick with it throughout the entire document. Make sure your headings, subheadings, and body text are all the same size and style. This will give your resume a polished and professional look.

Making Use of Bullet Points

Bullet points are a great way to break up your text and highlight important information. When listing your skills, education, or other relevant information, consider using bullet points to make the content easier to digest. Not only do they help add structure to your resume, but they also draw the reader’s attention to essential details.

Including Action Verbs

Start each bullet point or description in your resume with a strong action verb. This will show potential employers that you are proactive and capable of achieving results. Examples of powerful action verbs include “managed,” “created,” “implemented,” and “optimized.” Using these types of verbs will give your resume a more dynamic and engaging feel.

Limiting Resume to One Page

Keep your resume concise and limit it to one page. This ensures all your relevant information can be easily scanned by hiring managers. Be selective about the information you include, focusing on your most significant achievements and skills that relate to the position you’re applying for. A well-organized, one-page resume is often more impactful than a long, detailed document.

Resume with No Work Experience: Templates and Examples

When creating your resume with no work experience, templates can save you time and help you focus on showcasing your strengths.

Part 3 Example Resume for High School Students

[Your Name] [Contact Information]

Objective : Motivated high school student aiming to apply strong work ethic and teamwork abilities to a part-time retail position.

Education : [High School Name], [City, State] (Expected) Graduation Date: [Month, Year] GPA: [Number]

Skills: – Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) – Detail-oriented and organized – Bilingual (English and Spanish)

Experience:

Volunteer, [Local Organization], [City, State], [Duration] – Assisted with organizing and executing community events – Collaborated with other volunteers to improve team efficiency

Participated in the [School Club/Project], [High School Name] – Contributed to successful projects and events – Enhanced leadership and teamwork abilities

Activities:

– [High School Club], Member – [Sport], Varsity team – [Volunteer Organization], Regular participant

Objective: Motivated high school student seeking a part-time [position] role at [Company Name] where I can apply my strong work ethic and dedication to learning new skills.

• Expected graduation: [Month Year]
• GPA: [X.XX/4.0]
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Able to work independently or in a team

Activities & Honors:

• [Student Club/Organization], [Position/Role], [Year]-[Year]
• [Community Service/Volunteer Experience], [Organization], [Hours/Date Range]

Remember to fill in your information and customize the template for the job you’re applying for. This example puts emphasis on education and focuses on the skills and activities that showcase your abilities as a high school student with no work experience.

Part 4 Example Resume for College Students

Objective : Driven college student with strong analytical skills seeking a data analysis internship to apply coursework and gain hands-on experience.

Education : [University Name], [City, State] (Expected) Graduation Date: [Month, Year] Degree : [Bachelor’s or Associate’s] in [Major] GPA: [Number] Relevant Coursework: [List relevant courses]

– Proficient in Python, R, and SQL – Strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities – Excellent written and verbal communication – Familiarity with basic statistical concepts

Experience :

Research Assistant, [University Name], [City, State], [Semester, Year] – Collaborated with a faculty member on a research project – Gathered, organized, and analyzed data using statistical software

Title: [Project name] – Developed a [project description] using [tools or programming languages] – Presented findings at [relevant event or conference]

Extracurricular Activities:

– [University Club], Member – [Volunteer Organization], Regular participant

Objective: Driven college student pursuing a [Major] degree at [University Name] seeking an internship in the [Industry] field to expand my knowledge and gain real-world experience.

• [Major], Expected graduation: [Month Year]

Relevant Coursework:

• Proficient in [Programming Language/Software]
• Strong research and analytical abilities
• Effective time management skills

Projects & Volunteer Work:

• Brief description of the project and your role.
• [Volunteer Opportunity], [Organization], [Hours/Date Range]

Make sure to customize this template, focusing on skills and experiences relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Part 5 Tailoring Your Resume

• When applying for a specific job, be sure to demonstrate how your strengths, abilities, and past experiences, even if they are not directly related to the job, can benefit the company. Read the job description and requirements thoroughly; carefully study which skills, keywords, or requirements stand out. Then, make sure to integrate them into your resume.
• For example, suppose the job description emphasizes good communication skills. In that case, you can mention any relevant experience that contributes to your communication skills, such as group projects, being part of a club, or participating in volunteer work where you had to interact with others. Don’t forget to highlight interpersonal skills like teamwork and leadership, as they are often essential in every workplace.
• When it comes to organizing your resume, consider using functional or combination formats, as these tend to place more emphasis on your skills rather than work experience. At the top of your resume, include a strong objective statement or a summary that highlights your career aspirations and the applicable abilities you possess. Use this statement to communicate your enthusiasm and dedication to potential employers.
• Using action verbs or phrases can also help bring your resume to life. As you describe your skills, achievements, or educational experiences, consider using words like “achieved,” “managed,” “created,” or “implemented.” These verbs convey a sense of accomplishment and initiative, which will surely impress your potential employer.
• Lastly, don’t be afraid to showcase your accomplishments outside of traditional work settings. Include any accomplishments that demonstrate your resourcefulness and skills, such as completed projects, awards, or certifications. Make sure to highlight any volunteer work or internships, as these can showcase your dedication and willingness to learn in real-world situations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i create an impressive resume without work experience.

To create an impressive resume without work experience, focus on your relevant skills, education, projects, volunteer activities, and personal interests. You can also emphasize your achievements in these areas, showing how they make you a good candidate. Use a clean and professional template that highlights your strengths and keeps the reader engaged.

What should I include in my first resume as a college or high school student?

As a college or high school student, your first resume should include the following sections:

• Contact Information: Include your full name, phone number, email address, and mailing address.
• Resume Objective: Write a brief statement about your goals and the value you can bring to a potential employer.
• Education: List your most recent educational experiences and degrees, and any relevant coursework.
• Skills: List relevant hard and soft skills you possess, such as computer programming, public speaking, or leadership.
• Experience: Include any unpaid experiences like internships, volunteer work, or school projects.
• Extracurricular Activities: Mention clubs, sports, or organizations you participate in and any leadership roles you’ve held.

What skills and achievements can I highlight on my resume without any job history?

To highlight skills and achievements without job history, consider the following:

• Academic achievements: Include high GPA, academic awards, or being on the honor roll.
• Volunteer work: List any relevant community service and the impact you had.
• Projects: Mention school or personal projects that demonstrate your skills and abilities.
• Certifications: Add any certifications you’ve earned, such as first aid, coding, or foreign languages.
• Skills: Showcase both hard and soft skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for

What are some tips for writing a resume summary when I don’t have any work experience?

When writing a resume summary without work experience, focus on your skills, education, and other experiences that highlight your strengths and potential to excel in the position. Emphasize your professional attributes like dedication, adaptability, or problem-solving abilities. Tailor your summary to the specific job you’re applying for, incorporating keywords from the job posting. Keep it concise (2-3 sentences) and focused on what you can offer to the employer.

• 2 Examples - How to Write a Resume With No Experience
• List of 21 Important Technical Skills (with Examples)
• 50 Example Phrases: Technical Skills Examples for Resume
• 15 Smart Examples: Resume Summary
• Communication Skills: 25 Performance Review Phrases Examples
• Can a Resume Be 2 Pages? Common Practices

Protect your data

This site uses cookies and related technologies for site operation, and analytics as described in our Privacy Policy . You may choose to consent to our use of these technologies, reject non-essential technologies, or further manage your preferences.

• Resume and Cover Letter
• Guide to Writing a Great...

Guide to Writing a Great Resume with No Work Experience

16 min read · Updated on August 01, 2024

No work experience? No problem.

Just because you don't have skills that are relevant to the job, or experience in a traditional work setting, doesn't mean you can't craft a convincing first job resume. Whether you're a high school or college student, you may be wondering: how do you write a resume with no work experience? Well, we'll tell you with these expert tips.

1. Choose the best format for a resume with no experience

There are a few dominant resume templates in use today:

Chronological

Hybrid - a blend of the chronological and functional formats

A  chronological resume format  lists a candidate's work experience in reverse-chronological order and a functional resume format focuses on highlighting the candidate's hard and soft skills and achievements, rather than work experience. While the functional and hybrid resume formats can be attractive options for job seekers with little relevant experience, most employers and hiring managers prefer a chronological format.

Aside from hiring managers preferring it, it's best to use a reverse chronological resume for two additional reasons:

It's the most used format in the US, making it easy for hiring managers to review and find the information they're seeking

It's the most liked by employers' applicant tracking systems, or ATS. If an ATS can't read your resume properly, it might not get into the hands of a human reader - even if you're the perfect candidate for the job

The primary sections of a reverse chronological resume are:

The heading (with your contact information)

Resume summary

Work experience (which will be substituted with other sections when you have no work experience)

Education 

2. Incorporate your contact information 

Now that you've chosen the best format for a resume with no experience, it's time to complete each section. The first section of your resume is the header section. This is the section that includes your name and contact information. In this section, you'll provide:

Phone number

Email address

Location and zip code

LinkedIn  or professional website URL (optional)

Your name should sit above your contact information in a larger font size than the rest of the information included in the header. You also want to ensure you use a professional sounding email address. Using something like “[email protected]” or “[email protected]” will likely come across as unprofessional and won't gain you any points for the “yes” pile. A good choice is to use your name (or a combination of your initials and surname), instead. 

Here's an example of how to list your contact information at the top of your resume:

Joseph Smith

555.555.5555 | [email protected] | WV 26250 | linkedin.com/in/jsmith28

3. Include a strong summary statement

The next section of your resume, your Resume Summary, will fall just below your contact information. Your resume summary is not to be mistaken for a resume objective. 

Resume objective statements , where you state exactly what career goals you wish to achieve, have mostly fallen out of fashion. This is largely because you want to focus on what you can do for the employer, not what the employer can do for you. A resume summary statement, on the other hand, sums up who you are professionally at the top of the page in two to five sentences and serves as the first impression you give a hiring manager to entice them to keep reading. 

For a resume with no experience, your resume summary can still pack a punch. Include some of the key skills you have relevant to the job, while emphasizing your major and any type of experience that speaks to your ability to succeed.

Here's an example of a resume summary for a recent grad with a human resources degree:

Human resources graduate with diverse knowledge base in employee relations, benefits design, employment law, and policy design. Avid learner with solid written and verbal communication skills and a strong desire to support all levels within an organization for improved employee morale and productive collaboration. 

4. Substitute the Work Experience section with other types of experience

Writing a resume with no experience can feel like a daunting task. Fortunately, recruiters and hiring managers are seeking candidates that have a robust background, regardless of experience level. Here are some sections you can substitute in lieu of a Work Experience section:

Internships

Graduate assistantships, extracurricular activities.

Volunteer Work

Hobbies and Interests

When you include these additional types of experiences on a resume, you can include them as a standalone section or create a “Relevant Experience” section. Depending on the type of experience you're including, you might find it's best to use a section heading that aligns with the type of experience (“Internships” for internships, “Volunteer Work,” for volunteer work, and so on). 

Landing paid or unpaid college internships  are one of the best weapons you have against "experience required." Not only do they give you some real-world work experience, they also allow you to network and make connections that can put you in a job later. When applying for a job without experience, be sure to list any internships you've completed. 

If you haven't had an internship, consider applying for one as a step before an entry-level job.

Here's an example of how to include an internship on your resume:

Finance Intern

New York Secretary of State Office, New York, NY

Jan 2021 - May 2021

Reconciled budget sheets for quarterly processing

Supported accounting team in year end tax return audits 

Analyzed 15 budget reports over a two-month period to ensure accurate data reporting 

Similar to internships, a graduate assistantship secured during school is also a great way to gain valuable experience to include on a resume. Graduate assistantships are paid opportunities provided to graduate students. They typically involve part-time teaching or research within their field of study. 

Here's an example of how to include an assistantship on your resume:

HR Graduate Assistant

West Virginia University School of Business and Economics, Morgantown, WV

August 2020 - May 2021

Reviewed 100 collective bargaining agreements to identify and document similarities and inconsistencies throughout

Worked with academic Professors to develop research guidelines for future assistants

Volunteer work

When surveyed, the majority of employers say that they take  volunteer experience listed on your resume , such as being a soup kitchen volunteer, into consideration alongside paid work experience. So any volunteer work that highlights your talents or a new skill should be put on your well-prepared resume. 

You'll list volunteer work in a similar way to how you would list internships and actual work experience:

Animal Transport Volunteer

Friends for Life Animal Shelter, Philippi, VA

April 2022 - Present 

Working with local shelters to transport animals to and from shelters and foster homes

Assisting in cleaning kennels and common areas to support sanitation efforts

Spearheading animal supply drive, collecting $10K worth of supplies

Though it might not seem like it at first, extracurricular activities can add a lot of value to your resume in lieu of work experience, if you can relate them to the job you're applying to. For example, if you were an officer for a club during college or a captain of a sports team, these roles speak to leadership ability. 

In general, these types of activities show you have the ability to collaborate with others. It also shows you have the ability to keep up with school work while being involved in other areas outside of school, which speaks to time management and organizational skills. 

Here are some of the top extracurricular activities to include on a resume with no experience, as well of some of the skills they help to highlight:

Artistic endeavors: speaks to creativity, problem solving, perseverance, ability to learn 

Sports: speaks to teamwork, collaboration, hard work, problem solving, conflict resolution

Club leadership roles: speaks to leadership, organization, perseverance, time management

General club membership: speaks to time management, community involvement, prioritizing

Student government: speaks to leadership, public speaking, time management, problem solving, organization

Here's an example of how to list extracurricular activities on a resume with no experience:

Student Council Vice PresidentBelington High SchoolAugust 2020 - May 2021

Spearheaded clothing drive to support the homeless in the state of Virginia

Wrote and delivered 3 speeches to the student body focused on student wellbeing, fundraising events, and life beyond high school

Special Projects

If you completed job-related projects during high school or college, they can be a valuable addition to your resume. Personal projects are also game for a resume with no experience, if they're relevant to the job. 

Here's how you might list a personal project on your resume:

Social Media Campaign

Sparkle and Shine Fundraising Event

February 2022 - Mar 2024

Created social media campaign to support fundraising efforts for local children's shelter, supporting education in underprivileged youth

Increased followers by 25% in two months

Generated leads that converted to $3,000 in donations

Here's how you might list school projects on your resume:

Beaumont University

Masters in Counseling and Development

Career counseling planning design for women with chronic fatigue syndrome

Group counseling proposal for friends and family members of those who have mental health challenges

Behavioral health program design to work with males ages 18 to 30 with adverse childhood experiences

Hobbies and interests

It's more common today than ever before to include hobbies and interests on a resume - they help to provide insights into who you are as a person, to enhance your resume story. Hobbies and interests require soft and hard skills, many of which are required to succeed on the job, and they can especially be useful to fill in gaps when you lack work experience.  

For additional information on how to list hobbies and interests on your resume with no experience, refer to “ How to List Hobbies and Interests on a Resume (With Examples) .”

An award can signal to an employer to take note, since they're a distinction that speaks to your skills, abilities, and accomplishments. Adding an Awards section is an excellent way to showcase your ability to succeed in lieu of work experience. 

When you list an award, include the award and issuing institution. For example:

2023 Science Olympiad Award recipient, Science Olympiad Foundation

Certifications

Acquiring certifications provides an excellent opportunity to add value and fill in gaps in terms of skills and work experience. There are a lot of opportunities to secure certifications for free through sites like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and  Grow with Google . Certifications not only highlight your skills but also show that you're focused on personal and professional development, which employers appreciate in candidates.  

You can list certifications in a standalone Certifications list or with your Education section. For more information on how to best include certifications on a resume with no experience, refer to “ How to List Certifications on a Resume (with examples) .” 

5. Include your education 

When you have work experience, it's common to include your Education section after your Work Experience section. However, on a resume with no experience, many opt to list and emphasize their education after the resume summary. This is largely due to the fact that your education is what's most relevant to employers when you're straight out of school. 

Also, in lieu of a Work Experience section, especially if you're running thin on any of the relevant experience options listed above, you can expand and focus on the  education section on your resume  to highlight the marketable skills you've developed. What can you do well that this job requires? What will be useful to the hiring company? What have you done in school and what have you studied that has prepared you for assuming this job?

This is generally a little easier if you're a college graduate with specialized education, but even a high school graduate can talk about their electives and relevant coursework, why they wanted to take them, and what they learned from the class. It's also acceptable to include any awards, scholarships, honors, or any student clubs and committees you participated in. For example, if you were on the Dean's list, include it. 

Many also wonder if they should include their GPA on their resume. The short answer is yes, if it's 3.5 or higher. This level of achievement highlights your potential and the hard work you're willing to put in for success. 

Here's the order to list items in your Education section, with items 5 to 8 being optional:

Degree issued

Issuing institution

City and state of institution 

Graduation date (or expected graduation date, if in progress)

Relevant coursework

Student committees

Here's how your education might look laid out on your resume:

Bachelors of Science - Psychology (3.5 GPA, magna cum laude)Maryland State University

Relevant coursework: human growth and development, assessment, treatment planning, abnormal behavior

6. Emphasize your skills

Even when you don't have actual work experience, you have definitely acquired skills to support you on the job, which can set you apart from the competition. Be sure to highlight both hard and soft skills on your resume. You can do this by including a Skills section near the end, or by adding a Core Competencies section just below your Resume Summary. 

You also might be wondering what the difference is between hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical skills that are measurable and learned. Softs skills are tangible skills that are difficult to measure. 

Examples of valuable hard skills on a resume include:

Mathematics

Computer skills

Data analysis

Project management

Social media

Language skills

Here are some common soft skills employers seek in their employees:

Communication

Problem solving

Organization

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Working well under stress

7. Add a cover letter

Even if one isn't required, it's generally a good idea to send a short cover letter along with your resume. Cover letters are where your personality comes out and you can use them to make the case for why you're the perfect candidate for this job. 

A standout cover letter can convince an employer to bring you in for an interview, even if your resume itself doesn't have all the things they'd like to see. Your cover letter provides you with the opportunity to show a bit of personality and express why you're interested in the job, as well. Be sure your cover letter uses the same font and style as your resume, for consistency. 

Elements you should never include on a resume

While there are many elements you should consider adding to your resume, career experts say there are a few things you should never include because they waste space, don't tell the employer anything relevant, or could damage your personal brand. This list includes, but is not limited to: 

Employment references

Writing samples

Photos  of yourself

Do not add this information to your resume unless an employer or recruiter asks you to provide it. 

Additional tips for a resume with no work experience 

As you develop your resume with no experience, here are a few more tips to consider. 

Take stock of your achievements and activities

Make a list of absolutely everything you've done that might be useful on a resume. From this list, you'll then need to narrow down what to actually include on your resume. Different things might be relevant to different jobs you apply for, so keep a full list and pick the most relevant things from it to include on your resume when you send it out. This will help you to identify which sections to include in lieu of work experience.

Pay attention to technical details

When editing your resume, make sure there are no punctuation, grammatical, spelling, or other errors that will make your resume look unprofessional. Then, have a friend or family member read it again to catch any mistakes you might have missed — you can't afford a typo or missing word as a candidate with no prior work experience. Also, be sure to vary your language and use action verbs throughout your resume to keep your reader engaged.

Keywords, keywords, keywords!

Most employers use some form of  applicant tracking system (ATS) to scan and sort resumes . This may seem unfair, but it's the reality of modern-day hiring. To combat this, you'll want to come up with, and include, a list of keywords in your resume when applying for any job. The best place to  find these keywords  is in the job post itself, or in ads for similar jobs. One caveat: don't use meaningless "buzzwords," such as "go-getter," "team player," and “detail-oriented." Unfortunately, sometimes these buzzwords are the only keywords listed in the ad. If that's the case, you'll need to sneak them in alongside your detailed accomplishments and academic achievements.

Customize your resume for each job you apply to

The last and most important thing to remember when creating a good resume is to  customize it for every job to which you apply . Different job postings are going to have different keywords, different job duties listed, and so on. Appealing to each individual employer's needs and job requirements is the best strategy for getting your application noticed and hopefully landing your first job.

Relevant experience goes beyond work experience

At the end of the day, the only perfect resume is the one that gets you the interview. Regardless of whether you have work experience or not, it's still possible to stand out by highlighting other types of experience that relate to the role. 

Even once you're comfortably employed, be prepared to tweak and update your resume to get noticed with each job application you submit. In the meantime, use any type of relevant experience to help you shine and land an interview. Sooner or later, you'll land that job - and gain that much-coveted relevant work experience.

Tackling this kind of resume isn't easy. If you've recently graduated or are in an entry-level job search, a  professional resume writer  can prepare you for success.

This blog was originally written by Riya Sand and has been updated by Ronda Suder. 

Recommended reading:

5 Things You Should Always Include on Your Resume

Should You Include Social Media on Your Resume?

How to Be a Great Candidate Even If You're Under-Qualified for the Job

Related Articles:

How to Maximize Your Resume Action Words to Wow the Employer

Is Your Resume Inspirational? If Not, Here's How to Fix It

7 Ways You Try Too Hard in Job Applications

See how your resume stacks up.

Career Advice Newsletter

Our experts gather the best career & resume tips weekly. Delivered weekly, always free.

Thanks! Career advice is on its way.

Share this article:

Let's stay in touch.

Subscribe today to get job tips and career advice that will come in handy.

Your information is secure. Please read our privacy policy for more information.

How to Write a Student No Experience Resume

Writing a resume when you are a student with no experience is tough.

The Work Experience section is, for most job-seekers, the centrepiece of a resume. It takes up the most space and contains the most detail. Other sections, like Education and Volunteering Experience, usually aren’t as important.

When you are a student with no experience, however, you may not have much to include in this section. A resume for a student has to look a little different from a resume for an experienced professional.

Fortunately, there are still ways to write a great student resume with no experience. By following the steps in this guide, you can have your first interview in no time, even if you’ve never held a job before.

How to write a student resume with no experience

Remember, no one has experience when they’re just starting out in their career. Everyone’s first resume has little to no experience, but they still manage to find jobs. Writing a student resume when you don’t have experience is a matter of finding the right template, emphasizing the right attributes, and tailoring your skills for each role.

To get started on your resume, follow these steps:

• 1. Find the right resume template

When you write a student resume with no experience, the right resume template can start you off on the right foot. A template that helps you create an effective one-page resume will be an important asset to your job search.

When choosing a template for a resume with no experience, it’s important to think about what industry you are applying for.

If you are applying as an intern at a law firm, or for a data-entry role at a bookkeeping company, you will likely want a more traditional template, like VisualCV’s Monte or Corporate templates. These templates are simple, formal, and well-suited for more traditional industries.

If you are applying for a more creative industry, like graphic design or marketing, a more modern template would work better, like the Denali or Chloe templates. These templates feature more modern fonts and a splash of colour, so you can really let your personality show through your application.

The right template, well-designed and well-chosen for your industry, can catch an employer’s eye. It can show that you are conscientious, present yourself well, and are willing to make an effort. For entry-level jobs, these qualities can be more important than experience.

• 2. Include your personal details

At the top of your resume, it’s important to include your contact information and personal details. Without these, the employer can’t contact you. Contact information includes:

• Phone number
• Email address

Make sure your email address is professional. Ideally, it should use your name: [email protected] . A jokey or difficult email will make it harder for the employer to contact you.

Some applications may ask for a full address, but including your city of residence is usually sufficient. As long as you can make the commute, your exact address shouldn’t matter.

If you have any online profiles, you may want to include them as well. If you do, however, make sure they are completely professional and don’t include any embarrassing pictures, posts, or memes. Online profiles could include:

• Personal website

Remember, anything you include on your resume has to be professional, true, and verifiable. Don’t link to anything that won’t help your application.

3. Emphasize your education

If you are a student looking for your first job, you have no on-the-job experience to showcase. If this is the case, your best bet is to emphasize education instead of work experience.

This is particularly true if you are a college student or a recent graduate. If you have been studying in college or university, you should have some academic experience that you can emphasize. Including details about your education is a good way to fill out a resume when you don’t have experience.

When you write your Education section, begin with your most recent degree and work backwards in reverse-chronological order. If you have any post-secondary degrees, it isn’t necessary to include your high school education.

For each item in your Education section, you may want to include information about the experience you had there. This might include coursework, your thesis topic or research area, or projects you were involved in. If you earned high grades, you can include your GPA as well.

When you’re a college student with no experience, your education may be where most of your skills and qualifications are drawn from. That means you can afford to let this section take up space on your resume.

If you’re a high school student, you may not have much you can include in your Education section. If you are applying for entry-level positions, this won’t matter. You can include your GPA (if it’s high), or academic awards or honours like inclusion on the Dean’s List or attendance awards.

If you’ve worked on any major projects, you can mention this as well. The ability to work with a team is a strong asset for any resume, especially when you have no experience.

• 4. List experiences, any experiences

If you are a high school student who has never held a job, you might struggle to think of experience that you can include on your resume. It may well be true that you don’t have any; after all, everyone has to start somewhere.

But you might have more experience than you think.

Experience can come from all sorts of places, not just jobs. You might have some resume-worthy experience already, you just hadn’t thought of it. When you write your student resume, try to think of anywhere you might have gained employable experience, even if it wasn’t a “real” job.

Places you might have some experience include:

Unofficial work

Even if you’ve never had to give an employer your social insurance number, you may have some paid work under your belt.

For many young people, their first paid work comes from doing odd jobs around the neighbourhood. If you have raked leaves, mowed lawns, painted houses, washed cars, or babysat for your neighbours, then you have work experience.

You were probably paid in cash, but work is work. Including neighbourhood work like this in your resume shows employers that you are responsible, reliable, and have an entrepreneurial spirit. These are important qualities in a first-time job-seeker.

The skills you develop in work like this can also be an asset if they are related to the job you are applying to. For example, your experience mowing neighbourhood lawns transfers directly to a role at a landscaping company.

Extracurricular activities

If you belong to any clubs or sports leagues, or if you help out with other school or community organizations, you can include this on your resume. Besides showing that you’re an active member of the community with interests outside of schoolwork, the skills you develop when participating in extracurricular activities can be an important asset in the workplace.

This is particularly true if you held important roles in your extracurricular groups. If you started a school club yourself, note that you are the founder in your resume. If you were club treasurer or team captain, include it in your resume. Leadership roles like this show that you can take initiative and shoulder responsibility.

Chess club, theatre club, yearbook club: any organization where you play an active role is acceptable on your resume. Not only do these memberships show that you can work with others, they show that you are a well-rounded person with interests outside of school work.

Volunteering experience

Many people get their first taste of work as a volunteer. This could be a regular volunteer position, like taking shifts at a local food bank, animal shelter, soup kitchen, or church. There may also be organizations that you can volunteer with at school, such as an advocacy group, a school club, or a charity initiative.

Even volunteering for a short time, like working the door at a school event or canvassing for a charity group for a day, can be used as experience.

Volunteering experience shows that not only can you work with others and be trusted with responsibilities, you are involved in your community and participate in the world around you.

• 5. Show your skills

Skills are integral to any resume. A strong set of skills is what makes you a good employee.

You may be a student with no work experience, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have skills. As a student, you have likely developed soft skills that make you a great employee.

This could include things like time management, teamwork, and communication. It could also include things like leadership, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The skills that make you a great student can also make you a great employee.

You might also have hard skills that you can showcase on your resume. Hard skills are the technical abilities that are specific to a particular task, like web development, welding, or accounting. If you are in school for a specific career path, you should have some hard skills that you can highlight on your resume.

When writing a Skills section for a student resume, most job-seekers use a simple bulleted list. This provides a quick and easy way for employers to scan your resume and see exactly what you are good at.

If you would like to draw more attention to your Skills section, you can format each skill as a heading and provide a description or example of each one below. When using a resume template, you can even provide strength ratings for each one. This is a great way to demonstrate your competence - and fill out the page.

• 6. Awards and honours

Awards and honours are recognition that you are good at something. Whether it’s a Volunteer of the Month award, an award for perfect attendance, or inclusion on your school’s honour roll, awards and honours look great on a resume. Even smaller awards from clubs you participate in can be included. Awards show that you excel at something, and your resume is no place for modesty.

Student no experience resume tips

Once you have all the right sections in place, your resume will be nearly finished. But there is still more work to do before you land the perfect role. When looking for jobs as a student with no experience, remember:

• Apply no matter what

As a student with no experience, you might think that you just aren’t qualified for anything. Well, apply anyway. You never know who else is applying or who is reading your resume. You might be the most qualified candidate, or the employer might be willing to take a chance on you based on your great resume. If you are applying for entry-level positions, the employer might not expect much experience anyway.

• Customize your resume

Every time you apply for a job, you should tailor your resume to suit the requirements.

Every job posting will have different skills and qualifications that they are looking for. When you send your application, you have to make sure that your resume is perfect for that position. A generalized resume that you use for all applications won’t be specific enough to the position to be successful.

To customize your resume, read the job description carefully. It will have descriptions of the skills and requirements for the position. Then, edit your resume so that it fits the description as closely as possible. Don’t lie, or even exaggerate, but make sure your resume uses the same language as the job description to highlight your skills. Targeting the specific role with your resume is the best way to ensure a successful job search.

• Beat the ATS

The ATS, or Applicant Tracking System , is a type of software that many companies use to manage their hiring process. The ATS will scan your resume, take note of all the keywords, and decide whether to pass your application along to a hiring manager.

If the company you are applying to uses an ATS, make sure your resume is built to get past it.

To do this, make sure your resume has all the right keywords. The ATS will be scanning your skills and experience for particular words and phrases. Make sure your resume uses similar language to the job description so the ATS finds what it’s looking for.

Then, make sure you are using an ATS-friendly resume template. A great ATS template will be simple and well-structured, and avoid complex formatting elements like tables and text boxes. At VisualCV, templates like the ATS template are ideal for ATS applications.

Copyright © 2024 Workstory Inc.

Select Your Language:

16 Good Skills to Put on a Resume With No Experience

Looking for a list of good skills to put on a resume with no experience? Yes, it exists. When writing a resume for your first job , finding the best tools to show employers what you have to offer can make all the difference, whether or not you have work experience to back it up.

Today's job market is highly competitive, with companies seeking versatile candidates who possess a wide range of skills and the ability to adapt to challenging situations. The good news? You can check all those boxes, even without formal job experience.

Your entry-level resume should demonstrate your strengths and qualifications, while also being an accurate reflection of who you are—which means, not turning it into a compilation of buzzwords. Here's a list of the best skills to put on a resume when you have no experience. (Keep these in handy for your job hunt, and get ready to stand out!)

Once you perfect your resume, check out open jobs on The Muse and maximize your chances of getting hired »

What are entry-level resume skills ?

When it comes to what skills to put on a resume, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Yes, there are a couple of general skills that hiring managers typically look for. But specific roles may demand specific abilities.

For example, if you're an entry-level candidate applying to a sales associate position, your communication and customer service skills are going to be way more important than your Photoshop knowledge.

“When candidates have no experience in a position, recruiters look for skills that align directly with the role,” says Prestina Yarrington , Growth & Development Coach and former Global Talent Acquisition Senior Manager at Microsoft. “They're looking for a skillset match between the candidate's resume and the job description.”

The key is to identify past experiences that have helped you develop skills relevant to the job you're applying for. “These can be exhibited through your education, internships, or volunteer work, which may have allowed you to become familiar with the skills needed for the role. It can also include work you may have done as a member of a club or organization,” Yarrington says.

Examples of skills to put on a resume with no experience

OK, you understand now that your resume should be tailored to each job. But to get you started, here are 16 great skills to put on a resume with no experience—from soft to hard skills .

General and behavioral skills

Need some key skills to put on a resume for an entry-level position? General and behavioral skills—also known as soft skills —are a good place to start. Why? Because they are essential and highly valued in nearly every job out there.

By showcasing these skills on your resume, you'll be giving the hiring manager a glimpse into who you are and how you might act in the work environment.

1. Creativity

Most employers really value creative candidates because they're the ones who bring fresh ideas and innovation to the company. Even though this skill is often linked with traditional creative jobs like writing or design, it's actually useful in any work setting. You can leverage creativity to solve problems and handle tricky situations with ease.

Read more: 16 High-Paying Jobs for Creative People

2. Leadership

Companies crave employees who can motivate, engage, and manage others. That's why leadership skills can be a surprising asset on a resume with no experience. To demonstrate this quality, reflect on situations or relevant experiences from your past where you had the chance to effectively lead others. This could include team projects or involvement in extracurricular activities, for example.

4. Attention to detail

Another skill that can catch the recruiter's eye is attention to detail. People with this skill are typically meticulous, organized, and dedicated to high-quality work. However, it's important to find a balance. While a keen eye for detail is valuable, it shouldn't become an obsession to the point that slows you down.

With that in mind, to showcase this strength on your resume, highlight how your attention to detail helped you excel in a project or solve a problem. Focus on the positive impact it has on you.

3. Organizational skills

Are you an organized person? Have you ever had to multitask and handled it like a pro? If so, think about adding organizational skills to your resume. Employers really value this ability—especially in roles where you'll be dealing with a lot of tasks every day.

5. Communication skills

Whether you're working directly with the public or not, communication skills are a must on an entry-level resume. Regardless of your position, you'll likely need to communicate with your team, boss, and colleagues daily—be it in person or via email. So, make sure to highlight your ability to convey information clearly and express yourself effectively.

6. Ability to learn quickly

As an entry-level employee, you'll be constantly learning a lot of things. That's why you should highlight your ability to be a quick learner on your resume—it shows you're ready to soak up new knowledge and contribute effectively to any team, even without formal experience.

Mention a previous project where you started with minimal expertise and quickly absorbed new information. Even better if you provide examples illustrating what you learned and how it improved your performance.

7. Adaptability

The job market is constantly evolving. New technology, tools, and apps pop up all the time. Not only that—companies themselves are always changing, requiring employees to take on new responsibilities and adjust to new scenarios. By demonstrating your flexibility and willingness to embrace change, you can make your resume stand out.

Read more: 3 Ways You Can Deal With Change at Work

8. Public speaking

Even if the job you're applying for doesn't involve much public interaction, public speaking is a great skill to put on a resume with no experience. It signals you're a confident person who can communicate effectively. Plus, it's a useful skill to have in many work situations, such as presenting projects or leading discussions and meetings.

Transferable skills

Transferable skills are those you can apply to any job, regardless of the title or field—which makes them highly prized by hiring managers. “For entry-level positions, recruiters are looking for transferable skills the candidate may have demonstrated in another role. For instance, problem-solving, teamwork, or critical thinking skills,” says Yarrington.

However, it doesn't mean you should copy and paste the list onto your resume. Your choices should be tailored to the specific role you're seeking. “This can be taken directly from the job description. Try to stay away from general broad terms. Recruiters are looking to find a match for the position,” she says.

Read more: How to Read a Job Description the Right Way

9. Problem-solving

Problem-solving is one of the best skills to put on a resume with no experience because it shows your ability to tackle challenges and find solutions. Since most professions involve facing certain challenges sooner or later, employers highly value candidates with this capability.

Be sure to provide an example of a situation where you were faced with a problem and successfully find a solution to overcome it.

10. Teamwork

Being a team player is key. Employers seek candidates who can collaborate well with others and offer support, rather than competing with them. Most work environments rely on teams to achieve common goals. This includes everything from group discussions and brainstorming meetings to depending on your colleague to get your job done. Think about a chef who depends on the waiter to deliver the food to customers—that's teamwork in action.

Read more: 4 Tips to Help Control Freaks Be Team Players

11. Critical thinking

Another highly demanded skill is critical thinking . It involves analyzing complex situations and making informed, intelligent decisions to solve problems or improve processes.

Similar to problem-solving, this skill demonstrates that you're able to handle obstacles effectively. When crafting your resume, look for situations where you used your critical thinking skills to overcome challenges.

12. Time management

Time management is also a key skill to add to your resume, especially if you're new to the workforce, given how fast-paced many workplaces are today. It requires the ability to prioritize projects and handle multiple tasks simultaneously while meeting deadlines. Employees lacking time management skills are less likely to thrive in such environments, which could lead to delayed deliveries and low productivity.

Technical skills

Who says entry-level resume skills can't be technical? Also known as hard skills , they can be self-taught or acquired through certifications, work experience, and college education. Unlike behavioral and transferable skills, technical knowledge is typically more specialized, only applicable in specific fields.

14. Software programs

Are you a Photoshop expert? Can you edit videos using Final Cut or Adobe Premiere? These are good skills to put on a resume, particularly if you're applying for roles in social media, content creation, or marketing.

Do you have experience working with Excel or Google Presentations? Many office jobs require knowledge in one of these software programs. While more experienced professionals may omit them from their resumes, entry-level candidates should do the exact opposite and highlight this kind of skill.

15. Writing

Writing is one of the best examples of technical skills to put on a resume for first job, as many professions rely heavily on it. For example, roles in social media management and content marketing require strong writing abilities.

Read more: 9 High-Paying Writing Jobs for Word People: Editors, Writers, and Beyond

Even seemingly non-technical roles like receptionist or secretary often require strong writing skills. While graduates from journalism or literature may have an advantage, those from different backgrounds can still get online certifications in creative writing, technical writing, and more.

16. Social media management

If you think about it, almost every business—big or small—has a social media presence nowadays. That's why social media management is a skill worth considering for your resume, especially if you're interested in job opportunities related to content marketing or creation.

Like the others skills on this list, social media management is something you can develop through personal projects or certifications.

How do I list my skills on a resume with no experience?

You've learned what are some skills to put on a resume as an entry-level candidate. But how do you list them effectively? Ideally, each skill should be linked to a specific experience you've had. No worries though—even without formal work experience, there are some creative ways to showcase them and grab the attention of recruiters.

Use a minimalist template

You might have some amazing design skills (put that on your list!), but your resume isn't the place to show them off just yet. Focus on keeping your resume minimalistic and clear.

“Although most candidates put a lot of effort into the specific template used or the formatting of their resume, which is often aesthetically pleasing, the overall content of the resume is what we pay attention to more,” says Yarrington.

Read more: 40 Best Free Resume Templates to Use and Customize

Leverage the resume summary

The resume summary is the very first section of the document. It's used to highlight your main goal and your most important qualifications. As an entry-level applicant, you can take advantage of this section to tell a bit about yourself and list some of your best skills.

“It's a great idea to start with a summary briefly stating the intended career goals and highlighting key strengths that are relevant to the position,” says Yarrington. “For an entry-level position, it may be beneficial to include the desired next step in the career journey—this shows a desire to commit to learning the necessary knowledge and skills to progress.”

Here's an example:

Creative and detail-oriented computer science graduate with internship experience in web development. Proficient in HTML, Java Script, and CSS, with a solid understanding of software maintenance for engineering applications. Seeking an entry-level position to expand my knowledge and further develop my skills.

Create sections related to your skills

If you've never had a formal job before, you can create sections to include relevant experiences related to the skills you want to emphasize. For instance, “education and academic success, notable achievements or awards, and volunteer work,” says Yarrington.

It could be something like:

Volunteer Experience

Food bank of West Virginia

Volunteer Shift Manager, January 2023 — December 2023

• Managed the food pantry operations, developing a new organization system that resulted in a 35% decrease in waste
• Trained over 15 new volunteers, guiding them through all our internal processes and systems
• Created and implemented a new shift calendar to better accommodate the needs of both new and existing volunteers, resulting in a 10% reduction in absenteeism

Literally create a skills section

This skills section can be added at the very end of the document, below your experiences and education. There are two different ways to do it: vertically or horizontally.

Example #1:

Relevant skills

• Creative writing
• Critical thinking
• Adaptability

Example #2:

Creative content writing, SEO, editing, critical thinking, adaptability, attention to detail

Prioritize quality over quantity

Don't go listing every skill under the sun to fill up a page. Be truthful, and most importantly, focus on the quality of your resume.

“Is it geared towards the role you're seeking? Have you highlighted skills from the position that can be found in either your education, volunteer, or organizational work? Is the resume spell/grammar checked?” Yarrington asks.

Imagine claiming to be detail-oriented and then submitting a resume that doesn't align with the job description or, worse, is full of grammar mistakes. That's definitely not the impression you want to make.

“Many people miss small things when it comes to this,” she says. “It can convey whether or not the candidate pays attention to detail or reviews their work before submitting it. These are soft skills that are vital in an entry-level position .”

Нow to Write a Resume Without Work Experience

I need a job to get experience, but I need experience to get a job. This vicious circle often scares students and graduates. How do I start the job search? Start with the best resume possible! 

This guide will show you:

• How to create a perfect resume without work experience?
• How to decide which information to include in your resume
• Great samples to use if you are a student or just are looking for your first job and have no work experience
• Magic tips to succeed at this task
• Learn how to format that resume with no work experience

Dozens of people apply for the job you want to get. They have professional skills and achievements. 65% of employers are looking for experienced candidates.

What if you are a student? You may have an empty space in the section on experience. We don’t want empty white space so keep reading! You may find out you do have experience after all.

If you are a college graduate and/or have an advanced degree, your resume for a college graduate with no official work experience can still look very impressive!

How to Structure Your Resume?

Your first resume with no work experience may include the following sections:

• Title: contact information and desired position.
• Brief information: career goals or objective.
• Education: degrees and academic achievements ( academic projects, publications, practical experience such as internships, volunteer work, personal accomplishments).
• Trainings and certificates
• About myself

You will not only need this resume; You will need a cover letter as well. See our small guide on how to write one .

Stand out from your competitors.  Read each section of this guide and start writing.  Just because you are a student, do not be discouraged!  The resume for your first job as a student will look very professional!

Contact Information

Everything is simple here. You must indicate your full name, phone number, email address, city of residence.

Tip: Do not use unprofessional email addresses like littlesausage19@. Such applicants are simply not taken seriously or become the object of ridicule. Use a professional looking email; for example john.johnson@.

The same goes for social networks. Many serious companies search accounts to learn more about the identity of applicants. Make sure that your account, as well as other sources on the Internet, do not contain compromising photos or information.

How many recruiters use social networks to find candidates?

Career Objectives

There is no need to write here: “I will work for food”, “I am a student and agree to everything.” It’s better to indicate the position you are applying for. For example: trainee, assistant, sales assistant, operator, waiter, junior office manager.

Modern resumes include a summary section instead of career goals. This section goes after your name and contact information and includes one or two sentences about you, your interests, and achievements.

If you do not have experience yet, write about your level of education, relevant skills, professional interests, and work ethic. This section must be adapted according to the requirements of the job you want to have (see the vacancy description).  Even if you are a high school or college student with no work experience, this is a great chance to showcase your teambuilding, writing, computer, or other special skills.

Example No. 1:

“Beginner in the restaurant business, currently getting a bachelor’s degree at the Food Academy. I am a team player who firmly believes that the client is always right. Delighted with Italian food and very interested in working in a fast-food restaurant.”

Example No. 2:

“Author of coursework in mathematics and statistics. I have an effective data analysis and a mathematical mindset. Pay great attention to details. Interested in getting the position of Junior Analyst.”

Resume sample for the student:

Follow the link to use this resume

Education and Academic Achievements

After writing your Career Objective or Summary, you need to add a section with Education. Write here:

• High School and/or University at which you studied
• Your Degree Specialty(ies)
• Academic Degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, or Certificate
• The year you graduated
• Awards, published papers, special projects related to that particular job, special relevant term papers or dissertations

Tip: You should add your GPA only if you graduated in the last three years, and if your GPA is above average.

For example:

University of Delaware MS. Computer Science September 2014 – May 2016 

Ohio State University B.S. Information Technology Area of Concentration: Software Engineering September 2010-May 2014

Tip: It is not recommended to use name abbreviations in the resume, because their meanings may not be clear to the employer. Write the names in full.

Extracurricular Activities, Sports and Clubs

Imagine that you are a HR-manager, and you need to choose between these two candidates:

Josh Nerder. Studied at University of Arizona, grades are excellent. But that’s all he did in college — no extracurricular activities, internships, or anything else.

Alex  Activeson. He also studied at University of Arizona, good. Vice President of the business club. He worked in the student parliament. He organized several marketing club events.

Of course, Josh probably has a solid theoretical base, but we don’t know anything about him, except that he studied a lot.

Alex, on the other hand, can manage a team (vice-president of a business club), organize events (marketing club) and bring in new proposals (student parliament).

So, which one would you choose?

And here is how Alex’s activity will look on the resume:

Extracurricular activity: Public speaking club Vice President 09/2018 – 09/2019

• Over 10 public lectures organized
• Speakers from all over the state are involved.
• Public speaking event held

Volunteering

Finally, you can mention volunteering. This can be formal or informal volunteering; for example, serving food at a local homeless shelter or organizing a charity auction. For each volunteer event, indicate who you volunteered for, what your role was, the dates and hours you volunteered, and a brief description.

Awards and achievements

After section of experience (or alternative sections) create a section for awards and achievements. You can list academic or school achievements, such as “Best Presentation” in the classroom or “Highest Grade”. You can also list personal achievements, such as medals in sports. (if they reinforce your profile or illustrate personal qualities).

An example of how to list awards and achievements No. 1:

“Tourism in Broward County”,” Economics and Law”, August 2018. “Basics of Hospitality” – the best group presentation (analysis of McDonalds restaurant).

An example of how to list awards and achievements No. 2:

“Data Analysis of College Majors with the Highest Salaries”, group project for MBA degree.

Trainings, Courses, and Certificates

The ideal option is when you have higher education and want to work in your specialty. But life makes its own adjustments, and such ideal scenarios are far from real life. You may have realized that you are not interested in that profession, and you want to do something completely different

There are professions in which it is impossible to work without higher education – for example, doctors or chemical engineers. But for the rest (say, marketing and PR) there are online courses, distance learning, which may be quite reasonable and teach very specific skills. You can learn from the best professionals in the field at EdX, Udemy, or Coursera. Pass at least one course in the desired profession, get a certificate and indicate it on your resume.

Include the courses you completed at the University, if they are relevant to the position you are applying for. It is enough to indicate the name of the course, as well as add a brief description of what you have learned, and what skills you have acquired. Add a start and end date for the course.

Write about attending seminars, conferences, master classes only if they are related to the work you want to get.

An example of how to write about a course in a resume:

Hospitality Basics Course: Introducing the hospitality industry, including various career paths. In-depth lessons on food and drink, including categories of restaurants and various types of catering.

An example of how to list a certificate:

University of Phoenix, Certificate in Medical Coding, 2019. First Aid and CPR Certificate, 2018

Skills are divided into Hard Skills (professional skills) and Soft Skills (flexible skills of the applicant).

Hard Skills previously were critical, but priorities have changed over time. Employers more and more value Applicant’s Soft Skills, partly because it’s almost impossible to learn them, unlike professional skills that are achieved by practice.

Before filling out the section “Personal Qualities”, think about what is important in the profession that you have chosen. It can be an analytical mindset, determination, punctuality. Indicate these qualities, if you have them. Don’t lie! 🙂

Skill Types for Graduates and High School Students

Your resume may include skills that you have acquired in school, in extracurricular activities, in sports and volunteering. For example, if you played soccer, basketball, or other sports, you have teamwork skills. You were captain? You have leadership qualities.

Did you attend a computer class or learn programs? You have computer skills. Almost everyone has some level of communication skills. If you can keep up the conversation, speak in front of the class, or defend an essay at school, you have written/verbal communication skills.

When you successfully maneuver between personal demands and study, you are flexible. Have you worked on a group project? You have collaboration skills. Did you look after small children? You are reliable.

Top High School Skills

The following are examples of skills that almost every high school student has and almost all employers are looking for:

Communication skills (written and oral) Reliability / Responsibility Following instructions Industriousness Multitasking Organization Fast learner Energy Enthusiasm Initiative Thirst for research Teamwork Cooperation Leadership Positive attitude Digital Technology Technical Skills: Excel, PowerPoint, Photoshop

Section “About Me”

We do not recommend indicating your hobbies; in fact, it is not very interesting for a recruiter (if he/she is interested, he/she will ask about them at the interview). It is better to use free space on your resume to talk about the types of tasks you would like to work on as well as areas of professional growth. This is much more interesting for the recruiter.

You can supplement the impression you give with personal qualities that correlate with the necessary skills. For example, for a lawyer, “attention to detail” and “handling stress well”.

You can also talk about your preferences at work.

For example: “I prefer work at a large international company” or “A flexible schedule is desirable.”

Tip: In fact, there is only one requirement: you should summarize your knowledge and skills in terms of the requirements of the vacancy to which you will respond.

Wrong (for the financier): “I like to travel and take pictures. I’m into running and skiing. Single, no children. Without bad habits”.

Right: “I have knowledge of banking products; I am familiar with the methodology of personal financial planning. I prefer to work alone with deep concentration on the task.”

Cover letter with Resume Without Work Experience

Do employers read cover letters?

45 out of 100 recruiters do not even bother to open a student’s resume if there is no cover letter attached to it. Therefore, writing a cover letter doubles your chances of getting into this interview.

Yes, that is correct. You can’t argue with statistics, can you?

Your task is to demonstrate how diligently and actively you want to gain experience. Therefore, the cover letter fulfills precisely this goal. Bet on energy, prospects, lack of family obligations, willingness to devote yourself to work in the name of acquiring the necessary skills. The decision making factor is completed higher education, additional courses, knowledge of foreign languages.

How to issue?

The fastest way is to use an already-prepared template for this purpose. Recommended size – 1 A4 page. You can edit sections, as well as add your own photo. Note that U.S. resumes and cover letters do not contain photos as a rule.

In CV2you, select the Smart or Simple template . It lacks white space for work experience, and correctly placed accents focus the employer’s attention on your education and personal qualities.

Takeaway Tips

• Try to convince the recruiter that you will offer such a level of return to the company that even candidates with 5 years cannot provide. Use the details from your research on the company to demonstrate that you already know something about it (look at the website / social networks, google the latest news, if it is a large company).
• Contact the recruiter by name: find out the name of the hiring manager. Personal appeal is captivating from the start.
• Demonstrate that you are already “included” (at least with one foot) in the required circle of knowledge/communication; you can mention which courses you have completed, literature you have read, or a fact from the latest industry news.
• Read our article on how to write a cover letter with examples .
• Give the text for verification to a competent person; perhaps there are errors in it.
• Highlight any relevant skills or experience you have that are unique or hard to find in other candidates. For example, if you speak multiple languages or have experience working in a particular industry or with a certain type of technology, emphasize how this could be an asset to the company.
• Provide specific examples of past achievements that demonstrate your potential value to the company. This could be something like a project you spearheaded that resulted in significant cost savings, or a successful marketing campaign you ran that generated a high ROI.

Use perfect verbs in your resume:

Wrong: performed, received.

Right: made, reached, read, received.

______________________________________________________________________________

Well, now you know how to create a resume without work experience, and the CV2you template will help you with this!  Whether you are a high school student, a college student, or a college graduate with no formal work experience, you can find the tools to create a professional resume that will give you the best chance to land your first job.

Post Navigation

Successful Interview. How (not) to Fail?

Resume Format: Length, Style and Design

Related posts.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

“About Me” section of a resume?

What Personal Qualities to Put on a Resume?

Log In to Resume Trick

• Log in with Google

Forgot password?

Don’t have an account? Sign Up here

Create your free account

Please verify email. check your inbox and follow the activation link., recover your password.

Please enter your email to reset your password. You will receive letter with the password reset link.

How to Write a Cover Letter With No Experience

• Aug 22, 2024

Writing a cover letter with no experience can be a daunting task. However, it is a crucial part of your job application, offering you a unique opportunity to make a lasting impression on potential employers.

A standout entry-level cover letter can highlight your enthusiasm, skills, and the value you bring to the role, even if your resume lacks professional experience.

In this article, we'll explore practical tips and strategies on how to write a cover letter with no work experience . From emphasizing your transferable skills to showcasing your passion and willingness to learn, we'll guide you through the process step by step.

What is a cover letter for a first job?

A cover letter is a document sent along with your resume to provide additional information about your skills and experience. It’s meant to introduce you to potential employers and explain why you are a good fit for the job.

When you're applying for your first job , a cover letter is especially important because you might not have much information to showcase on your resume.

A well-written cover letter for job even with no experience demonstrates your ability to communicate effectively , which is a valuable skill in any position.

You can draw attention to specific abilities and experiences that are relevant to the job. Mention even if they were not gained in a traditional work setting.

How to write a cover letter with no experience?

Include your name , address , phone number , and email at the top. Follow with the employer’s contact information .

Address the cover letter with no work experience to a specific person . If you don’t know the HR's name, use "Dear Hiring Manager" .

Introduction

Introduce yourself and state the position you’re applying for. Mention how you found the job listing and express your enthusiasm for the role .

Body Paragraphs

First of all, explain why you’re interested in the job and the company.

Then, highlight your skills and experiences that are relevant to the role, even if they’re not professional experiences. This could be volunteer work, school projects, or extracurricular activities .

Emphasize that you're willing to learn and how your personal qualities make you a good fit for the role .

Close your cover letter with no work experience by thanking the hiring manager for considering your application. Mention that you’ve attached your resume and that you look forward to the possibility of discussing the role further.

Use a formal closing like "Sincerely" or "Best regards" . Sign your name if submitting a hard copy or type your name if submitting electronically.

Aim for a one-page no experience cover letter . Keep it concise and focused, highlighting your enthusiasm and transferable skills.

Cover letter examples with no experience

Marketing cover letter for an internship with no experience, cover letter example no experience for the it sphere.

Alex Johnson Springfield, IL [email protected] (555) 123-4567 July 31, 2024 Jessica Martinez Hiring Manager Tech Innovations Inc. Dear Ms. Martinez, I am writing to express my interest in the Junior IT Support Specialist position at Tech Innovations Inc., as advertised on your company’s website. While I am new to the IT field, my passion for technology, strong problem-solving skills, and dedication to learning make me excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team. Although my professional experience is limited, I have actively pursued ways to build a foundation in IT. For instance, I completed a CompTIA A+ certification course. There, I gained hands-on experience in troubleshooting hardware and software issues, as well as understanding networking basics. This course not only honed my technical skills but also taught me the importance of attention to detail in IT support roles. In my previous role as a Customer Service Representative at Springfield Solutions, I developed strong analytical and troubleshooting abilities. I assisted customers with a range of issues. This experience enhanced my problem-solving skills and taught me how to manage multiple tasks efficiently. My ability to stay calm under pressure and my eagerness to resolve issues quickly are qualities I am eager to bring to an IT support role. Additionally, I have been actively involved in local tech meetups. I collaborated with others on small tech projects and gained further insight into industry trends and best practices. These experiences have deepened my understanding of IT concepts and have further fueled my desire to pursue a career in this field. I am particularly drawn to Tech Innovations Inc. because of your innovative approach to technology solutions and your commitment to professional development. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring my dedication, quick learning ability, and problem-solving skills to your team and contribute to the exciting projects you are working on. Thank you for considering my application. I am looking forward to the opportunity to discuss how my background, skills, and enthusiasm align with the needs of your team. Please feel free to contact me at (555) 123-4567 or [email protected] to schedule an interview. Sincerely, Alex Johnson

Cover letter example with no experience in teaching

Jordan Smith East Syracuse, NY [email protected] (555) 123-4567 July 31, 2024 Ms. Emily Davis Principal Maplewood Elementary School Dear Ms. Davis, I am writing to express my interest in the 5th Grade Teacher position at Syracuse Elementary School, as advertised on your school’s website. Although I am new to formal teaching, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your educational community and bring a fresh perspective to your classroom. My background in marketing and project management has equipped me with strong communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills, which I believe are highly transferable to teaching. In my previous role as a Project Coordinator at Acme Corp, I developed and implemented project plans and trained team members,. In addition to my professional skills, I have a deep passion for education and a strong commitment to fostering a positive learning environment. I have actively volunteered at the Syracuse Community Center, where I assisted with tutoring and organized educational activities for children. This experience has provided me with insight into various teaching methods and the importance of creating engaging, supportive learning experiences. I am enthusiastic about the prospect of bringing my unique background and skills to Syracuse Elementary School and contributing to the academic success and personal growth of your students. I am committed to continually developing my teaching abilities and am eager to participate in any professional development opportunities your school offers. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the opportunity to discuss how my skills and experiences align with the needs of your school. Please feel free to contact me at (555) 123-4567 or [email protected] to schedule an interview. Sincerely, Jordan Smith

Entry-level cover letter example for a customer service role

Booker Jarvis Tulsa, OK [email protected] (555) 123-4567 July 31, 2024 Jamie Lee Customer Relations Manager Bright Solutions Inc. Dear Ms. Lee, I am writing to express my interest in the Customer Service Representative position at Bright Solutions Inc., as advertised on Indeed. With a strong commitment to delivering excellent customer service and a solid background in problem-solving and communication, I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team. In my previous role as a Retail Associate at Greenfield Electronics, I developed key skills that align with the requirements of this position. I interacted with customers daily, addressing their inquiries and resolving issues with a positive and professional demeanor. One instance that highlights my problem-solving abilities involved a customer who was dissatisfied with a faulty television they purchased. I listened carefully, offered a replacement or refund, and ensured the customer left with a solution that exceeded their expectations. This experience reinforced my ability to manage challenging situations effectively and maintain a customer-first mindset. I am particularly impressed by Bright Solutions Inc.’s reputation for providing exceptional service and fostering a supportive work environment. I am enthusiastic about the opportunity to bring my strong work ethic, attention to detail, and eagerness to learn to your team. I am confident that my proactive approach and ability to adapt quickly will enable me to make a positive impact at Bright Solutions Inc. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how my skills and experiences align with the needs of your team. Please feel free to contact me at (555) 123-4567 or via email at [email protected] to schedule an interview. Sincerely, Booker Jarvis

Cover letter example with no experience in finance

Jordan Lee San Francisco, CA [email protected] (415) 987-6543 July 31, 2024 Taylor Robinson Capital Insights Group Dear Taylor Robinson, I am excited to submit my application for the Financial Analyst position at Capital Insights Group, as advertised on Indeed. While I am new to the finance industry, I am eager to apply my analytical skills and enthusiasm to contribute effectively to your team. In my recent role as a Data Coordinator at BrightFuture Tech, I developed key skills that are highly transferable to the finance sector. My responsibilities included conducting thorough data analysis, preparing detailed reports, and managing projects with tight deadlines. For example, I successfully led a project to improve our data reporting processes, which resulted in a 15% increase in efficiency. Academically, I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from the University of California, Berkeley. I excelled in coursework such as Financial Accounting and Econometrics. I have also actively participated in finance-related extracurricular activities. This includes the Investment Club, where I gained valuable insights into financial analysis and market trends. My interest in finance is further reflected in my personal investments and continuous learning about market dynamics. I am particularly impressed by Capital Insights Group’s innovative approach to market research and data-driven investment strategies. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to such a forward-thinking organization. I am confident that my analytical abilities, coupled with my enthusiasm for finance, make me a strong candidate for this role. I would welcome the chance to discuss how my background, skills, and eagerness to learn can be an asset to your team. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to Capital Insights Group. Sincerely, Jordan Lee

Cover letter for a first job in healthcare

Alex Rivera Dallas, TX [email protected] (214) 555-7890 July 31, 2024 Ms. Laura Thompson Hiring Manager Dallas General Hospital Dear Ms. Thompson, I am writing to express my enthusiasm for the Patient Care Assistant position at Dallas General Hospital, as advertised on your careers page. Although I am at the beginning of my career in healthcare, I am eager to contribute to your team and am confident that my dedication and willingness to learn will make me a valuable addition. I recently completed my certification in Healthcare Administration at Dallas Community College, where I gained foundational knowledge in healthcare principles and practices. My coursework in medical terminology, patient care, and anatomy has provided me with a solid understanding of the industry. Additionally, I have developed strong interpersonal skills through my volunteer work at Dallas Free Clinic, where I learned the importance of empathy, communication, and teamwork in a professional setting. One of my key strengths is my ability to adapt quickly and handle new challenges with a positive attitude. For example, during my volunteer work at Dallas Free Clinic, I was tasked with assisting patients with daily activities. I managed administrative tasks such as scheduling appointments and maintaining patient records. I am particularly drawn to Dallas General Hospital because of your commitment to providing exceptional care and improving patient outcomes in the community. I am excited about the opportunity to contribute to your team and to grow both personally and professionally within your organization. I am confident that my enthusiasm for healthcare and my willingness to learn will allow me to quickly become a valuable asset to your team. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of discussing how my background, skills, and eagerness to contribute align with the needs of your facility. Please feel free to contact me at (214) 555-7890 or via email at [email protected] to schedule an interview. Sincerely, Alex Rivera

Create your professional Cover letter in 10 minutes for FREE

Writing a cover letter with no prior experience might seem challenging, but it's an excellent opportunity to demonstrate your enthusiasm, transferable skills, and potential.

By focusing on your strengths , such as your educational background, volunteer work, relevant coursework, or personal projects, you can create a compelling narrative that resonates with employers.

Remember to tailor your no-experience cover letter to each job , highlighting how your unique attributes align with the company's needs and values.

Trevor Richfield

Career Coach & Professional Resume Writer

Trevor is a professional resume writer, career coach, and Nationally Certified Online Profile Expert (NCOPE) with well over 1,000 resumes under his belt. He emphasizes the importance of building an authentic professional brand you are proud to display to potential collaborators and employers. From recent graduates to executive leaders, Trevor has helped professionals land jobs at Fortune 500 companies and expand their own independent ventures.It's not only about results with Trevor, but about a continuous journey of professional and personal empowerment.

Rate this article:

Like the article spread the word, related articles.

How to Respond to a Recruiter on LinkedIn (+ Examples)

Navigating the professional landscape of LinkedIn often presents exciting opportunities ...

Follow Up on a Letter of Recommendation After No Response

In the competitive world of professional and academic advancement, knowing how to follow up on ...

How to Write a Letter of Recommendation (with Templates)

Constructing a letter of recommendation is a big responsibility. You are given the power to ...