Building your first resume can feel overwhelming, especially with no formal work experience. But employers don’t expect a full job history from high school or college students, recent graduates, or first-time job seekers. They want to see potential, clear communication, and a willingness to learn.
In this guide, you’ll learn how to make a resume without job experience that still stands out. We’ll walk through what to include, how to format each section, and how to use templates to speed things up. You’ll also find three resume templates that are beginner-friendly and ready to customize.
What To Put on a Resume With No Experience
Even without past jobs, you still have a lot you can include. The key is to focus on your strengths, transferable skills, and relevant experience — even if it didn’t happen in a workplace.
Focus on education first
Education is one of your strongest assets if you’re a student or recent graduate. List your most recent school first, include your expected graduation date, and highlight coursework, GPA (if strong), and any academic honors.
Example:
Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
University of California, Los Angeles
Expected May 2026
Relevant Coursework: Research Methods, Child Development, Cognitive Science
Add volunteer work or extracurriculars
Community service, campus clubs, and student organizations show initiative and collaboration. Highlight any leadership roles or responsibilities you took on.
Example:
Fundraising Chair, Environmental Club
Organized three events, raising $1,200 for local clean-up efforts.
Created promotional flyers and managed the club’s Instagram account.
Emphasize skills and strengths
Think about tools you know how to use, communication skills, or any technical knowledge you’ve picked up in school. These can go in a dedicated Skills section or be woven into your summary and experience bullets.
Examples of beginner-friendly skills:
- Google Docs and Microsoft Office
- Canva or Adobe Express
- Team collaboration
- Writing and editing
- Time management
Include internships or school projects
If you’ve completed an internship (even unpaid) include it as professional experience. You can also use class projects, capstone work, or research roles if they’re relevant to the job.
Example:
Class Project: Business Plan Pitch
Worked in a group of four to develop a mock business and present to classmates.
Designed pitch deck using Google Slides; received the highest peer rating.
How To Format Your Resume With No Experience
The right layout helps employers quickly find what they need. When you have limited experience, a functional or hybrid format often works better than a traditional chronological layout.
Recommended format for entry-level resumes
- Contact Information
- Professional Summary or Objective
- Education
- Projects, Volunteer Work, or Leadership Roles
- Skills
- Optional Sections (Languages, Certifications, Awards)
You can find professionally designed student resume templates that follow this format.
Should you use a summary or an objective?
If applying to your first job, a short objective can help frame your resume and signal your goals. Keep it concise — two to three lines is plenty.
Example Objective:
Detail-oriented college freshman seeking a summer internship in digital marketing. Interested in applying classroom knowledge to real-world brand campaigns.
Best Resume Templates for No Experience
Here are three free templates from ResumeTemplates.com that work well for new job seekers:
1. Simple and clean template
This layout keeps things organized with clear section headings and plenty of white space. It’s ideal for applicants to administrative, retail, or office assistant roles.
🔗 Explore Simple Resume Templates
2. Google Docs-friendly template
This design is perfect for students or first-time applicants using Google Docs. It is easy to edit and download as a PDF. This design supports skills-first resumes and works well for part-time job applications.
🔗 View Google Docs Resume Templates
3. Minimalist resume with sidebar
This layout features a clean sidebar for your skills and contact info, drawing attention to education and achievements. Great for creative beginners, freelancers, or portfolio-based roles.
🔗 Browse Minimalist Templates
Tailoring Your Resume to Each Job
Even if it’s your first resume, one size doesn’t fit all. Tailoring your resume to the job description can help you stand out, especially when you don’t have direct experience. Hiring managers want to ensure you understand what the role requires and are aligned with the company’s goals.
Review the job posting carefully
Before you apply, take a few minutes to read the job listing line by line. Highlight keywords, responsibilities, and required skills. If the posting says the employer is looking for someone “detail-oriented” and “comfortable with spreadsheets,” make sure you reflect that language (when truthful) in your resume’s skills or objective sections.
Use keywords from the job posting
Scan the job ad for repeated words or key responsibilities. Then, reflect those terms in your summary, skills, and any relevant sections. This increases your chances of passing through an Applicant Tracking System (ATS filter).
Create a custom resume for each job type
It might be tempting to use one resume for every job, but personalized resumes for each job type get more interviews. If you’re applying to retail and office internships, shift the focus slightly. Emphasize customer service or communication in one version, and time management or research skills in another. Use the same base resume and tweak your summary, skills, and top experience bullets to match each opportunity.
Highlight transferable skills
If you’ve worked on a team, handled deadlines, or managed projects in school, that counts. Reframe your experience in terms that are relevant to the role.
Example:
“Collaborated with classmates on a semester-long research project using Google Sheets and PowerPoint to analyze data and deliver findings to the class.”
Write strong bullet points
Use action verbs to start each bullet point and include numbers or results when possible — even if it’s something small like organizing an event or growing a club’s social media followers.
Instead of: Helped with club events
Try: Coordinated three student-led events for 50+ attendees, improving member participation
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Writing your first resume can lead to missteps. Here are some to avoid:
- Focusing on everything you’ve ever done — Be selective and relevant.
- Using filler language like “go-getter” or “team player” without backing it up.
- Listing outdated software or skills no longer relevant to the job.
- Forgetting to proofread — Typos can get your resume tossed out.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start with what you have done: school, volunteer work, extracurriculars, academic projects, and personal initiatives. Focus on transferable skills and write a concise objective showing interest in the role. You can also use templates for first-time job seekers to guide your layout and structure.
You likely have more skills than you realize. Consider tools you've used in school (Google Docs, Excel), soft skills like communication or organization, and hobby-related skills like video editing or social media management. These are all valuable, especially in entry-level roles. Create a short skills section and support it with examples from your experience or project descriptions.
A cover letter is a great way to explain your background and interest in the role. It lets you show your personality, discusses why you're applying, and highlights relevant academic or volunteer experience. Keep it focused and avoid repeating your resume. Even a short, customized letter can help you stand out.
Final Tips: Making a Resume Without Experience That Works
Your first resume won’t be perfect. What matters is that it’s clean, honest, and easy to read. Keep the formatting simple and avoid over-designing your layout, especially if you’re submitting to a company that uses ATS software.
Building a resume with no job history doesn’t mean starting from scratch; it’s more about thinking creatively. Focus on your education, transferable skills, and any experience demonstrating responsibility, initiative, or collaboration.
Double-check everything for grammar and typos, and ask a teacher, mentor, or friend to review your final draft. Getting a second set of eyes on your resume can help you catch mistakes and improve clarity. And most importantly, don’t let your lack of experience discourage you. Everyone starts somewhere — this resume is the first step toward building a strong career.
Key takeaways:
- Lead with education and relevant projects
- Include volunteer work or leadership roles
- Customize each resume to the job
- Use a clean, ATS-friendly template
- Keep it honest, focused, and typo-free
Your first resume is just the beginning. You can make a strong first impression with the right structure and mindset — even without formal work experience. Ready to build yours? Start with one of our free beginner resume templates and customize today.
Resume Templates offers free, HR approved resume templates to help you create a professional resume in minutes. Choose from several template options and even pre-populate a resume from your profile.