How to Write a Resume for Your First Job (Free Samples & Tips)

Most employers will require a resume for your first job. The good news is that writing a resume with no experience is easier than you think.

Start with the sample below to see an impressive first-job resume for a teenager:

Use This Template

No matter your background, we’ll show you how to highlight your skills and relevant experience effectively, with great examples you can use as a model for your own resume.

How to write a resume for your first job

Follow these steps to write a standout resume from top to bottom, even if you don’t have formal work experience yet.

ViewsLikes

Our Expert:

Nathan Soto

1. Format your resume properly

Using the right resume format helps make a good first impression on employers. A clean, well-organized resume can set you apart from other candidates, even when you’re applying for your first job.

Here are some key points to remember when formatting your resume:

2. Use a well-organized resume template

Writing your first resume is much easier when you start with a clean, well-organized resume template. The right template helps you present your skills and accomplishments in a way that’s easy for hiring managers to scan.

To make the best possible first impression, choose a template that’s both eye-catching and professional:

Use this template

Timeless

Use this template

Supreme

Use this template

Classic

3. Fill in your header

Your resume header makes it easy for employers to find your name and contact details so they can reach you if they want to interview you.

Here’s what you should put in your header:

And here are some things to leave out:

4. Begin with a clear resume summary

Starting your resume with a tailored resume objective helps you introduce yourself to hiring managers by briefly explaining your goals and why you’re a good fit for the role.

In 2–4 sentences, your resume objective should name the role you’re applying for and highlight your:

• skills
• experience
• education or training
• achievements
• career goals

Remember, “experience” doesn’t have to mean a paid job. It can come from school, volunteering, extracurriculars, or personal projects — as long as it relates to the job.

Here’s an example of a high school student’s resume objective for a first job:

5. Emphasize your education and coursework

When you’re writing a resume for your first job, your education section will often be one of the most substantial parts of your resume.

If you don’t have relevant experience, consider moving your education section near the top of your resume, right under your summary.

You can include school accomplishments like:

• Academic accomplishments
• Special projects
• Certifications
• Publications
• Awards and honors
• GPA (if it’s 3.5 or higher)
• Relevant coursework

Adding relevant coursework on your resume is especially helpful because it shows you’ve studied topics related to your target field.

6. Include relevant experience

If you don’t have formal work experience yet, internships, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities are great additions to your first resume.

Add these in a relevant experience section, or create separate sections like “Volunteer Experience” or “Internships,” depending on what you have. Just make sure to choose experiences that connect to the job you want.

Hobbies and interests

Include hobbies and interests only if they demonstrate job-relevant skills or show you’re a good fit for the company culture.

Skip generic interests like “watching movies” or “listening to music.” Instead, choose specific pursuits that set you apart — like running a blog, learning a language, or competing in a sport.

Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities show you can balance commitments and work with others.

List clubs, sports, or organizations where you held a role or developed skills relevant to the job.

Part-time or gig work

Informal work belongs on your first resume, even if it seems unrelated.

Jobs like babysitting, lawn care, pet sitting, and food delivery still show reliability, time management, and customer service skills that employers value.

Volunteer Work

You can also add volunteer work to your resume. Volunteering shows you’ve gained practical experience and gives you more to talk about during an interview.

Even if the work isn’t directly related to the position you’re applying for, many skills you develop are transferable to other careers, such as communication, organization, and time management.

7. Highlight your transferable skills

When writing a resume for your first job, think about the skills you gained through classes, projects, clubs, and sports. These include both hard skills (technical abilities) and soft skills (interpersonal abilities).

In your skills section, list 6–8 of your strongest hard skills that match the job you’re applying for. For example:

Soft skills are best shown through examples in your resume objective and your experience bullet points.

Use our AI skills generator

Unsure which skills from your background apply to your target job? Enter your student roles, part-time gigs, volunteer work, or internships into our AI skills generator to find transferable skills you can include on your first-job resume.

Writing your first resume?

Our AI-powered resume builder takes the guesswork out of writing your resume. Just choose your favorite template and our software will guide you through each step.

Build my resume

Resume examples for your first job

One of the easiest ways to learn how to make a good resume for your first job is to look at some resume samples from other first-time job seekers.

Below are five student resume examples to show you how to fill out your resume even if you don’t have work experience:

Teenager resume

A solid teen resume showcases soft skills like time management, customer service, and attention to detail.

Use This Template

High school student resume

A high school student’s resume often emphasizes academic achievements, extracurricular activities, or volunteer work, like this example does:

Use This Template

College student resume

This college student resume example shows how to emphasize key skills you built in school when applying for your first job:

Use This Template

Recent graduate resume

Recent college graduates often have academic experience that translates directly into professional skills.

Use this sample to see how achievements on campus can demonstrate the abilities employers seek.

Use This Template

Volunteer resume

This example shows how to frame volunteer experience on your resume as relevant professional qualifications for your first job.

Use This Template

Create your finished resume in 5 minutes

Need help getting started? Use our AI resume builder to write your resume, format it automatically, and pick from dozens of modern resume templates.

Build My Resume

Our resume builder can make your resume in as little as 5 minutes. Pick the template you want, and our software will format everything for you.