How to Make a Resume With No Experience [Examples + Tips]
It’s time for your first job, and you’re in it to win it! You’ve started the job hunt, but you must write a resume in order to apply.
No big deal, except you don’t yet know how to write a resume with no experience.
Don’t worry! You can do it and we’re here to help you.
We’ve put together this guide to show you:
- The correct way to format a no experience resume.
- How to write a resume for a job with no work experience.
- Why you should leverage your transferable skills.
- The best way to highlight your accomplishments.
- First-time resume with no experience samples.
- Tips for perfecting your resume.
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How to format a resume with no work experience
First, you need the right format to organize your qualifications. The best layout for a no experience resume is the functional resume format because it emphasizes job skills over work experience. After all, your skills are your ticket to success when you don’t have work experience.
Here’s what a resume for no experience looks like:
How to write a resume with no work experience
Now that you know the correct format to use, let’s look at how to write a no experience resume, step by step.
STEP 1 Read the job description closely.
The best way to write a no job experience resume is to customize it for your target job. That means you must read the job description and highlight all the skills and experiences that apply to you. Take special note of keywords because you will want to use them throughout your resume to make it past applicant tracking systems (ATS) — which scan resumes for keyword relevance — and the discerning eyes of recruiters and hiring managers.
STEP 2 Write your header.
The resume header is where you put your contact information. Your contact information must include:
- Your full name
- Your city, state and ZIP code
- Your phone number
- A professional email address, such as YourName@email.com
- Your LinkedIn account, professional website or portfolio (if you have them)
Pro tip Never use a silly or funny email address such as DogDad22 — it’s a surefire way to make a bad impression!
STEP 3 Write a resume objective statement.
While a professional summary works well for experienced job seekers, a resume objective statement is useful for first-time job applicants because it communicates your goals and top credentials.
To create a resume objective for a resume with no work experience, write three to four compelling sentences that tell potential employers:
- Your subject area or field of expertise (introduction).
- Your most job-relevant skills (what you offer).
- Your most job-relevant skills (what you offer).
Here’s an example of a compelling resume objective statement for a no work experience resume:
Why does the above example work? Because it tells the hiring manager that they meet the requirements for teaching, provides an overview of the job seeker’s motivation for applying and emphasizes relevant hard skills (Montessori teaching methodologies) and soft skills (listening, speaking, critical and imaginative thinking).
STEP 4 Add your skills.
Since you don’t have work experience, you have to rely heavily on relevant skills when applying for a job, so put them directly below your resume objective where they will be prominent.
Your skills section can be called something like Skills, Skills Summary, Core Skills Highlights, Competencies or Relevant Skills. Under the section heading create up to three categories for your skills to make them stand out. Select three to five of your strongest skills for each category and display them in a bulleted list.
For example:
Relevant Skills
Software development
- Coding (C++, Java, Python, CSS)
- Basic testing procedures
- Cryptography
- Cloud platforms
Soft skills
- Times management
- Problem-solving
- Teamwork
Pro tip To diversify your qualifications, don’t use the same skills in this section that you used in your resume objective. Mix it up!
STEP 5 Add experience.
Think you don’t have the experience to add to a resume? Think again.
Here’s what to put on a resume with no experience.
- Internships
- Student teaching
- Coaching or mentoring
- A role in a student organization
- Community service
- Volunteer experience
- A personal project
Remember: Your resume should be tailored to the job, so only add relevant experiences.
Here are a few examples to get you started:
Student Teacher Experience
Student Teacher, 7th-Grade Math, January – April 2021 San Lorenzo, CA, 94541
- Created individualized lesson plans weekly for a class of 20 7th-grade students.
- Spearheaded creating a math lab, which helped students improve test scores by 90% mastery.
- Developed a behavioral incentive program that reduced detention rates by 20% in three months.
Relevent Project
RecipeSwap.com Boise, ID, April 2020 – Present
- Created and maintained a website in WordPress for people to trade recipes, with an average of 2,500 hits monthly.
- Developed a subscription program for swappers in 2021 that receives more than 300 subscriptions and $500 net revenue on average per month.
- Wrote two blog posts about food per week.
Pro tip Use action words throughout your experience section to create impact.
STEP 6 Emphasize your education.
The education section on an entry-level resume with no experience is important because it’s another opportunity to show employers you are qualified for the job, especially if you’re a recent graduate.
It should look like this:
Bachelor of Science in Media Writing, Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA – 2012-2016
- Graduated magna cum laude
- 3.95 GPA
- University Honors
STEP 7 How to include certifications, licenses and training
Some jobs, like nursing, accounting and teaching, require candidates to have certifications and licenses. Some job seekers go the extra mile and get additional training or certificates to establish their expertise in their chosen fields.
When you make a resume with no job experience, create a separate resume section for certifications, licenses or professional training if you have them.
Here’s how to make a no experience resume certifications section.
Directly below your education section, list:
- The title of the certification, course or license
- The name of certifying agency or body
- The date you obtained each certificate
- The expiration date of your certificate (if applicable). If you have not yet finished the course, write “In progress” and the expected date of completion.
Here’s an example:
CPR Certificate
American Red Cross, October 2021
Expires: October 2023
STEP 8 Optional sections for a resume with no experience
While it’s optional, creating a section for awards, honors and relevant coursework (if you have them) can help you secure a job.
Below the education section (or certifications section if you have one), write the type of qualification followed by three bullet points listing the titles, certificates, and the dates earned.
Here’s a no experience resume sample for an optional award:
Awards
- George Polk Award for National Reporting (2020)
- Conscience-in-Media Award (2018)
- Clio Awards (2016)
If you can tie awards, honors and courses into your education or experience sections, then do so because it helps to put them in context.
For example:
- If the award, honor or class is tied to your degree, add it below the university or high school name.
- Include it in your work history section as a bullet point to underscore your experience.
Pro tip Don’t forget to write a cover letter! Cover letters are crucial to a complete job application because they tell employers more than a no experience resume can, allowing new job seekers to explain why they are a perfect match for the job.
How to make a resume with no experience fast
The easiest way to write a resume with no experience is with a professional resume template.
Download one of our expertly designed templates for free to make a resume from scratch, or use one with our Resume Builder and let us do the work for you!
Our no experience resume templates will frame your qualifications with the correct formatting and meet the latest applicant tracking system (ATS) requirements, making it a breeze to write a professional resume in minutes.
In addition, our builder offers:
- Job-specific phrases and skills: No matter the job you’re applying for, we give you the right words and relevant skills you can incorporate with just one click.
- Step-by-step guidance: Get expert advice at every step to help you present your best self and get the job.
- Easy customization: Write a cover letter for every job application and save as many versions of it as you need.
- Multiple download formats: Save and export your resume as a PDF, DOCX or plain text.
Resume formatting tips
When writing a resume with no work experience, every detail matters. These tips will help ensure you make a perfect resume every time.
- TIP #1 Set margins to 1 inch on all sides of your document.
- TIP #2 Choose an appropriate resume font type and size and stick to it throughout your resume. Good font choices are Arial Calibri, Helvetica and Times New Roman in 12-point size.
- TIP #3 Ensure proper spacing between sections of your document. The best practice is to use a single space, but adding extra space between section headers and section body text can sometimes look better, depending on font type and how much content you add to your resume.
- TIP #4 Left-align your page content.
- TIP #5 Use bullet points to emphasize your skills and achievements.
How to make a resume with no experience: important takeaways
Now you know how to write a resume with no work experience! But before you run off to build the perfect resume and cover letter, let’s recap:
- Use the functional resume format when creating a no experience resume because it highlights your relevant skills.
- Transferable skills are your best friends when creating a resume with no job experience.
- You must tailor your resume for every job you target.
- Add optional resume sections like awards or important coursework if they apply to you and you can’t fit them into other sections of your document.
- Use a no experience resume example for inspiration.
- A resume template, combined with our Resume Builder, is the easiest and fastest way to make a resume with no experience.
- Most companies use ATS to screen resumes before they get to a hiring manager and the software can’t read documents that are formatted incorrectly.
- You have to write a cover letter to accompany your resume. Cover letters give you room to expand on your qualifications.
More resources on how to make a resume with no experience
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50+ Resume Objective Examples (With Writing Tips)
If you’re applying for a job for the first time, a good resume objective will highlight your goals and capabilities. Check out our examples and guide for writing one well.