Writing your first resume might feel intimidating, especially when you don’t have any formal work experience. But everyone has to start somewhere. Fortunately, employers who are hiring first-time job seekers are more interested in your potential than your job history.
Whether you’ve found a part-time job, internship, or entry-level role to apply for on a job board, this Remitly guide will help you figure out what to put on a resume with no experience. Let’s dive in.
Start with a strong summary
According to a study by Ladders, recruiters spend just 7.4 seconds scanning a resume on average. So, your summary plays a key role in helping them instantly understand your potential.
The resume summary is your chance to grab a hiring manager’s attention. This personal statement or career objective sits at the top of your CV, just below your name and contact details. It spotlights who you are, what you’re aiming for, and what you’ll bring to the job.
If you’re a student figuring out how to build a resume when you have no experience, this summary is the optimal place to showcase your attitude, motivation, and transferable skills.
Do this by focusing on what you’ve learned, where you’ve contributed, and how those experiences could apply in a workplace setting. You might mention academic strengths, language skills, digital literacy, or leadership in extracurricular activities.
Remember, no experience doesn’t mean no value. Your summary should reflect your current strengths and present your future potential in relation to those.
Example 1: Summary for an internship
Motivated high school graduate with strong organizational skills and attention to detail, seeking an entry-level administrative role. Experienced in managing school event logistics and proficient in Microsoft Office. Eager to grow professionally while contributing to team success.
Example 2: Personal statement for a customer service or retail role
Friendly and reliable college freshman with excellent communication skills and a passion for helping others. Volunteered 60+ hours in a community food bank, developing problem-solving and teamwork abilities. Looking for a part-time customer-facing role to build on these strengths.
Example 3: International student profile
Multilingual student with strong academic performance and cross-cultural communication skills. Adapted to new environments quickly while studying abroad and leading a group project with students from five countries. Interested in opportunities that build global experience and drive personal growth.
Draw attention to your education and coursework
Your education becomes one of your biggest assets in entry-level resume writing. Providing information about where and what you’ve studied is the easiest way to paint a picture of your interests, abilities, and work ethic.
It’s best to create a dedicated “Education” section near the top of your resume. Include your school name, expected graduation date, and GPA if it’s 3.0 or higher.
You can also add:
- Relevant coursework that ties into the job or internship you’re applying for
- Notable academic projects, presentations, or research you’ve been involved in
- Scholarships, honor rolls, or academic awards you’ve received
- Student leadership roles you’ve held
- Clubs you have been part of
If you’ve taken part in a class project that mirrors real-world tasks, like designing a campaign, presenting to a panel, or coding a working prototype, that’s also worth including. These experiences show initiative, collaboration, and critical thinking—all key traits employers look for in entry-level employees.
Including the Education section on your resume gives hiring managers context and helps you demonstrate potential, even if you haven’t had a formal job yet.
Show your non-academic experience
One of the best first resume tips is to treat your extracurriculars like jobs. When you don’t have formal work experience, non-academic activities are your next best bet to prove that you’re responsible, capable, and ready to contribute.
Employers hiring for entry-level roles want to see that you’ve taken initiative, worked in a team, or committed your time to something outside of school. It shows ambition and reliability while giving them something concrete to evaluate beyond grades alone.
Whether it’s volunteering at a local event, tutoring classmates, being part of a student society, or maybe even starting your own small business, these experiences say a lot about your character and potential.
You can include:
- Volunteer work and community service
- Church or youth group involvement
- Extracurricular clubs or sports teams
- Organizing events or student society roles
- Tutoring, babysitting, or informal jobs
When building a resume for students with no job history, these are the kinds of details that can make your application feel just as strong as a more experienced professional.
Example 1: Event planning committee experience
Let’s say you were a member of the prom planning committee and were responsible for managing a fundraising bake sale, securing the DJ, or promoting the event on social media.
You could include these experiences in your CV along with organization, communication, and leadership as relevant skills.
Example 2: Volunteering experience
Imagine you volunteered regularly at a local food bank while you were studying. During this time, you had packed and distributed groceries, tracked inventory, and trained new volunteers.
Putting this on your resume is a great way to back up any skills claims about reliability, time management, and teamwork.
How to highlight your skills
When you’re creating your first resume and you don’t have any job history yet, focusing on your transferable skills is key. These are the abilities you’ve picked up through the non-academic experience we covered in the previous section—and they can be just as valuable as professional experience.
Employers typically look for a mix of soft and hard skills when assessing the “Skills” section of your resume:
- Soft skills are personal traits like communication, teamwork, adaptability, and time management. These show how well you work with others and handle responsibility.
- Hard skills are teachable, measurable abilities, often technical, like using Microsoft Excel, speaking a second language, or basic coding.
Both types matter. While soft skills show that you’re reliable and easy to work with, hard skills show you’re equipped to hit the ground running.
Highlight different skills depending on the role you’re applying for. There are a few simple steps you can follow when putting your resume together to help you showcase the most relevant ones:
1. Review the job description
Before you start picking which of your skills to list, take a close look at the job advert. Employers usually include a “Requirements” or “Qualifications” section that outlines exactly what they’re looking for.
Don’t stop there, though. Pay attention to other details like the job title, day-to-day responsibilities, and the overall tone of the posting. These all offer clues as to the types of skills you’d need to execute the job.
2. Align your hard and soft skills
Once you’ve reviewed the job description, the next step is to match your skill set to what your potential employer is looking for.
Start by making a list of your hard skills, such as the languages you know, computer programs you can work with, or technical abilities have. Don’t forget about the soft skills, including leadership, time management, and other interpersonal strengths. The point is to highlight abilities you’ve developed through academic and extracurricular activities.
Then, compare your list to the job posting. For example, if a Customer Service Assistant role requires answering phones, resolving issues, and updating databases, communication (soft skill), problem-solving (soft skill), and familiarity with Google Sheets or Excel (hard skill) would all be relevant.
Breaking them down helps show employers not only that your experience directly supports what they need, but that you’re also able to see patterns and draw logical conclusions.
3. Only include skills relevant to the job
When you’re building a resume with no experience, it’s tempting to list every skill you have, but more isn’t always better.
Employers are scanning for specific traits that match the job, so focus on what’s most relevant. Sharing unrelated or outdated skills can dilute your resume and make it harder for hiring managers to see your potential.
So, tailor your skills to each application. If the role values teamwork, communication, or data entry, lead with those. Keep your resume sharp and focused rather than stuffing it with unnecessary information.
General entry-level resume writing tips
There’s a lot more to creating your first resume than making it nice to look at. That said, the formatting and wording you use are incredibly important for helping it gain visibility.
Most companies now use technology called an Applicant Tracking System—or ATS—to screen resumes before a human ever sees them. The ATS scans applications for keywords and formatting that match the job description. If your resume isn’t compatible, it could get filtered out before it even reaches the hiring manager.
That’s why you should aim to keep things clear, focused, and tailored to the role. Here are some proven tips for entry-level resume writing that can help your CV stand out to both computers and real people:
- Use a clean, simple format: Avoid images, fancy fonts, or tables. Stick to clear headings, bullet points, and consistent spacing.
- Tweak your resume for every job: Match keywords and responsibilities from the job listing to your skills and experiences.
- Complement your resume with a cover letter: Give yourself the chance to tell your story, show enthusiasm, and explain why you’re a good fit for the role.
- Add references: Focus on people who know you and can vouch for your strengths, like a professor, coach, or club leader; just be sure to ask for permission before listing them.
- Proofread, proofread, and proofread again: Spelling and grammar mistakes can leave a bad impression, so use spell check and ask a friend or mentor to review it, too.
Following these tips can increase your chances of landing that internship interview and even your first job. When your resume clearly reflects your effort and potential, it’s much easier for an employer to picture you in the role.
Potential, not titles
Your first resume doesn’t need to prove you’ve done it all. It only needs to show that you’re ready to learn, contribute, and grow. Employers understand that everyone starts somewhere. What they’re really looking for is effort, potential, and a willingness to show up.
So, if you’re wondering what to put on a resume when you don’t have any experience, there’s no need to worry about job titles. Rather, focus on what you’ve done in school, in your community, or through personal projects.
With the right mindset and a clear structure, a resume for students with no job history can land you the role. Just beware of job offer scams—if something sounds too good to be true or asks for personal information upfront, it’s worth double-checking before you respond. And if that first opportunity takes you across borders or opens the door to an international move, we’ll be here to help you wire money home, too.
FAQ
What if I’ve never used a resume before?
There’s no need to worry if you’ve never used or prepared a resume before. Many online tools, like Canva or Google Docs, offer free basic resume templates. You can also have a look at samples from trusted job sites. Pick a clean design that includes sections for education, skills, and activities. Also, write a short summary, list your qualifications, coursework, extracurriculars, and add any informal experience.
Should I include jobs like babysitting or helping family?
If you’ve routinely babysat or helped family—such as on a weekly basis for several months—you should definitely include it on your resume. This experience can show that you’re responsible, trustworthy, and have some time management skills. You could create a “Work Experience” section and include action-focused bullet points detailing what you’ve done.
Can I list hobbies or personal projects?
Including hobbies or side projects like building a website or raising chickens can show that you take initiative and can solve problems creatively. Focus on hobbies or projects that are most relevant to the role and show off skills like self-direction, discipline, or niche knowledge. Avoid generic lists and give context to add value.
How do I turn this into a PDF to apply for jobs?
How you turn your resume into a PDF will depend on the program you created it in. In Word, go to File > Save As > PDF (select “Best for electronic distribution”). In Google Docs, go to File > Download > PDF Document. And remember to always name the file clearly so that it’s always easy to find.