How to Write a Resume With No Experience (Plus Examples)

Creating a resume when you have little to no experience can be challenging, but with the right approach it’s doable.

In this article we’ll show you how to write a resume even if you have no work experience. Additionally, we’ll provide several examples and templates so you can make sure you’re on the right track.

Here’s how to write a resume when you have no formal work experience, step-by-step:

1. Gather all your relevant information

The first step of making a resume with no experience is to create a master resume with any information employers might be interested in knowing about you. This includes:

• Volunteer work
• Projects
• Skills
• Relevant courses
• Clubs
• Hobbies
• Student government positions
• Internships
• Anything else you can think of that could help your application

Don’t worry about this list becoming too long. You can pick and choose what to put on your final resume later, this exercise is just meant to get you thinking about what you have to offer that employers might want. It will also make the resume writing process faster, because you’ll already have your resume bullet points ready.

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2. List your contact details

Next, it’s time to add your contact details to your resume. Pick a resume template with the contact information section placed at the top of the resume, just below the header with your full name, so it’s easy for employers to reach out to you.

Include the following information:

• Phone number
• Email address
• Address (just your city and state is fine)
• LinkedIn profile (optional)
• Website or portfolio (optional)

3. Write a strong summary

Your resume summary is your opportunity to make a strong first impression on employers.

Even if you don’t have work experience, you can still highlight some of your transferable skills and your enthusiasm for the position. Think of your summary as an elevator pitch for your resume – a quick introduction that advertises why you’re a valuable candidate.

Here are four examples of student resume summaries — note how they only include skills honed in school, and don’t mention work experience:

4. Substitute work experience with any relevant experience

Job hunting can feel impossible when you don’t have work experience. How are you supposed to write an entire one-page resume with no experience?

Fortunately, many recruiters are looking for more than just formal work experience. Here are six alternative resume sections you can put on your resume to impress employers:

Internships

Internships technically do count as work experience, even if they’re unpaid, so you can list them in a professional experience section as you would a paid job.

Here’s how to put an internship on your resume:

Research Intern
Green Energy Tomorrow
May 2021 – December 2021

• Maintained excel data spreadsheets, updating all new outreach contacts, photo accreditation details, and updated website pages
• Grew knowledge of SEO through content writing for website blog
• Transcribed interviews to include as written online content

Volunteer work

Adding volunteer work on your resume shows employers that you’re motivated and passionate, both qualities that make a great employee.

To list volunteer work, start by listing your position (volunteer), followed by the organization and dates you volunteered.

After this, you can detail your experience with a few bullet points.

Volunteer
Denver Food Rescue
July 2021 – Present

• Rescue and redistribute food from our community partners around Denver each week by bicycle, reducing food waste and minimizing C02 emissions
• Create and share content across organization’s Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok accounts as a Social Media Ambassador

Extracurricular activities

If your extracurriculars are relevant to the industry you’re applying to, they can help to strengthen your resume and demonstrate your abilities.

Some particularly good types of extracurriculars for your resume are:

You can list extracurriculars in a relevant experience section, or as part of an education or achievements section.

Here’s an example of how to put an extracurricular activity on your resume:

Debate Team
Washington High School

• Wrote and delivered 50+ compelling speeches to audiences ranging in size from 100–1000 people
• Winner of the National Debate Tournament in 2021

Awards

Receiving an award is a sign of distinction and shows that you’ve been recognized for your standout achievement or performance. If you’ve received any awards, feature these on your resume to impress employers.

If you’re writing a student resume with no work experience, you might have some academic achievement awards to include. You can put them in your education section, or make a special section for awards on your resume, even if it’s just to display one.

Here’s an example:

Awards

Recipient of the 2022 Award for Excellence in Volunteerism
Colorado Association for Engaged Volunteerism

Projects

Listing projects on your resume is a very versatile way to showcase some relevant experience that will make you stand out to employers. Projects to include could be school projects or personal projects.

For example, if you’ve been working on a website, building a niche social media following, or teaching yourself how to code, these are great skills to share with hiring managers.

Here’s an example of how you can list an academic project on your resume:

Education

University of Maryland
Bachelor of Science in Psychology
May 2021

Capstone project
Psychological Impacts of the Adoption Process on Pre-Adolescent Youth

• Studied a group of 100 adoptees over the course of 9 months, during the adoption process and transition period
• Analyzed data from monthly surveys to evaluate participants’ mental states

If you want to showcase a personal project, you can do it like this:

Projects

bakingwitherica.com
April 2020 – Present

• Prepare hundreds of pastries, finding the perfect ingredients and recipes to share with my readers
• Use strategic SEO to increase organic traffic and boost CTR
• Build, design, and maintain the website for optimal user experience

Hobbies and interests

Including hobbies and interests on your resume can give employers some extra insight into your personality, what motivates you, and what skills you possess.

It’s best to include interests that are relevant to the job you want. For example, if you’re applying to an internship at a tech startup, include your tech-related hobbies and interests. These could be coding, website development, Figma, Adobe Photoshop, or other similar technical skills.

Include your hobbies and interests in a dedicated section, like this:

Hobbies and Interests

• HTML
• Figma
• Adobe Photoshop
• Photo editing

5. Describe your educational background

As a job seeker without professional experience, your educational background is likely your strongest job qualification. This is especially true if you’re writing a recent college graduate resume.

One approach to highlight this background is to describe your relevant coursework first, like this:

You also need a resume education section, regardless of whether you want to mention your relevant classwork. And because you’re applying for your first-time job, it’s okay to make this section longer to fit your academic experiences.

Expand your education section by mentioning any student committees you were part of, and any scholarships, awards, or honors you were awarded, like being on the dean’s list.

Additionally, include your GPA on your resume (if it’s over 3.5) to further emphasize your work ethic and potential, like this:

6. Showcase your transferable skills

Writing a strong resume skills section will set you apart in your job search and increase your chances of landing an interview.

Even if you don’t have work experience, you’ve likely already developed some valuable transferable skills throughout your life. Soft skills such as interpersonal skills or communication skills and hard skills like basic computer skills, for example, are applicable for nearly any industry, and are universally valued by employers.

Here are some other examples of transferable soft skills:

• Critical thinking
• Communication skills
• Leadership skills
• Teamwork skills
• Organizational skills
• Positive attitude
• Public speaking
• Assertiveness
• Time management skills
• Problem-solving skills

You might also possess some relevant hard skills to showcase. These are technical skills gained through hands-on experience or training. Showing employers you possess relevant hard skills will strengthen your resume and set you apart from other entry-level candidates. List these in your skills section along with some of your soft skills.

Here are some examples to include on your resume:

• Customer service skills
• Research
• Mathematics
• Language skills
• Computer skills
• Writing
• Sales skills
• Social Media
• Video editing
• Collaboration tools (Slack, Zoom, Trello, etc)
• Photo editing

7. Polish your resume

The right resume formatting makes your resume easier to read and highlights your most marketable skills and experiences.

Before submitting, take the time to ensure your resume is application-ready by focusing on clarity, consistency, and relevance.

Here’s a quick checklist to help you make sure your resume is polished:

• Proofread carefully to check for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. Also, consider asking a teacher, friend, or mentor to review your resume.
• Make sure your formatting is consistent throughout your resume, including font style, size, bullet points, and spacing.
• Start each bullet point with a strong action verb to convey your responsibilities and achievements effectively.
• Include numbers or specific examples to illustrate your accomplishments, even in volunteer roles or school projects.
• Make sure your email address is professional, using your name or initials rather than nicknames.
• Avoid unnecessary graphics or overly complex layouts – a clean, easy-to-read resume is more appealing to recruiters.

8. Customize your resume for each position

With no experience, your best chance of getting an interview is to target your resume to the specific job you want. Check out their listing for the position, and see what skills they’re looking for. From those skills, take the ones you have and place them in your skills section.

You can also reuse some of these skills elsewhere in your resume, like in your resume summary or experience section.

@resumegenius A quick guide on how to make a resume with no experience. Watch the full video and read the article here: 🔸 resumegeniusDOTme/no-experience-resume 🔸 #noexperienceneeded #howtowritearesume #howtomakearesume #resumeguide ♬ original sound – Resume Genius | Career Advice

Sample resumes with no experience

When you need to know what to put on a resume with no experience, it helps to look at some examples to see what others have done.

Here are three resume examples for students with no experience to help give you some ideas:

Teenager resume with no work experience

If you haven’t started university, it can be extra hard to figure out what you should put on your resume. Here’s an example of a teen resume that does a good job of highlighting relevant experience:

Download This Free Template

High school student resume with no work experience

If you’re a student with no work experience, here’s an example that shows how you can use your education section to demonstrate your hirable skills:

Download This Free Template

College student resume with no experience

Are you about to graduate college, or looking for a part-time job? Here’s an example of what a college student resume with no work experience should look like:

Download This Free Template

Internship resume with no experience

If you’re applying for an internship, this example can help give you some ideas for ways to show your relevant skills:

Download This Free Template

No experience resume template

To help you get started on your resume with no experience, here’s a resume template that you can use to help you write your own:

Frequently asked questions about writing a resume without experience

Still unsure about making a resume without experience? Check out our answers to some of the most commonly asked questions:

Is it okay to have no work experience on my resume?

Yes, it’s perfectly okay to have no formal work experience on your resume, especially if you’re a student or recent graduate.

Instead, focus on highlighting your skills, volunteer work, academic projects, extracurricular activities, and any relevant coursework that shows your potential and what you can bring to a role.

How long should a resume be with no work experience?

A resume without work experience should fit on one page. This is plenty of space to showcase your education, skills, and any relevant activities or volunteer work.

What is a good objective for a resume with no experience?

A good objective for a resume with no experience should emphasize your enthusiasm for learning, your willingness to contribute, and your relevant skills. For example:

Motivated high school student seeking a part-time position where I can apply my strong communication and organizational skills while gaining valuable work experience.

​​How do I make my resume stand out with little experience?

To make your resume stand out with little experience, focus on transferable skills, academic achievements, and involvement in extracurricular activities.

Use strong action verbs, quantify your achievements when possible, and tailor your resume to the specific job by highlighting relevant skills and experiences, including school projects or volunteer work.