Resume with no experience: how to write one

Quick Resume team · Updated October 16, 2026

Having no work experience does not stop you from having a good resume. Employers hiring for a first job know you are starting out; they look for signs of interest, responsibility and willingness to learn.

The key is to show what you have already done, even outside a job: studies, courses, projects, volunteering and everyday responsibilities.

What to include

Contact details with phone and an email based on your name.
A short summary about your interest in the field and what you want to learn.
Education: school or ongoing course, with institution and year. Highlight anything related to the job.
Courses and certificates: computer skills, languages, online courses and workshops.
Activities and projects: school work, clubs, volunteering, personal projects, helping at a family business.
Skills: office software, customer service, communication, organization, teamwork, as long as it is true and useful for the role.

Sample summary

“Business administration student, organized and a clear communicator. Looking for a first job in customer service or administration to learn on the job and contribute to the team.”

Adapt it to your situation. Name the field of the job and add something concrete about yourself.

Turning what you have done into experience

Helped in a shop or family business? Describe the tasks: customer service, cash register, stock organization.
Volunteered? Say what you did and for how long.
Took part in a school or university project? State the goal and your role.
Took an online course? Give its name, the platform and the year.

What to avoid

Inventing experience. It shows in the interview.
Filling the page with adjectives (“hardworking, proactive, dynamic”) without examples.
A nickname-based email address.
More than one page. At the start, one page is enough.

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Frequently asked questions

Can I include online courses?

Yes, especially ones related to the job. List the course name, who offered it and the year.

Do I need a summary on a first resume?

It helps a lot. Two to three lines show interest in the field and give direction where experience is missing.

Which template should I use with no experience?

A simple, single-column one that is easy to read. With less content, avoid busy layouts that make the page look empty or confusing.