Employers value candidates who have a versatile background and a balanced array of both hard and soft skills on their resumes. Although it’s important to highlight the technical aspects of your career, it’s good to also show hiring managers you communicate effectively with clients and team members in fast-paced business environments.
In this guide, we’ll provide you with a list of soft skills to put on your resume to enhance your job application and land your next interview opportunity.
What Is a Soft Skill?
Whether you’re applying for your first job or starting your professional career after college, how to write a resume with no experience comes down to focusing on your education and transferable skills. This step-by-step guide explains how to make a resume without work experience and provides samples of first-time resumes without expertise.
Why a Resume Is Important Even Without Experience
Creating a high-quality resume is a significant part of the job application process, even if you’re a student or have no prior work experience. Many jobs require prospective candidates to submit resumes; even if a hiring manager doesn’t, having a basic resume at the ready can show your professionalism.
A resume’s purpose isn’t solely to show your work experience. It also highlights your skills, interests, and potential and explains how you’re the right fit for the job and organization.
Step-by-Step Guide: How To Make a Resume With No Experience
Creating a basic resume highlights the skills you’ve learned in other areas of your life and focuses on your educational achievements. These five steps can show you how to make a resume without work experience.
1. Start with a solid objective statement
Make a positive impression on the hiring manager with a solid objective statement by clearly articulating your career goals. The objective also matters regarding how to make a resume with no work experience because it allows you to call out any specific education qualifications or skills.
Example
A recent graduate with a degree in web design, specializing in user experience (UX) design, front-end development, and graphic design. Seeking a position with Pantheon Technologies to apply user-centered design principles in a forward-thinking work environment centered on innovation and real-world solutions.
A recent nursing graduate with entry-level work experience specializing in patient relations, post-anesthesia care, and process improvement. Seeking a registered nurse (RN) position with the University of Pennsylvania Hospital to deliver exceptional patient-centered care and grow as a medical professional within one of the nation’s leading hospitals.
A recent graduate with a bachelor’s degree in economics, specializing in finance, financial modeling, accounting principles, and risk assessment. Seeking an internship position at Vanguard to forecast long-term business outlooks and identify financial risks for clients at one of the world’s largest investment firms.
2. Highlight transferable skills
Hiring managers often have a list of both technical and professional skills they’re looking for in a candidate. If you lack job-specific skills, highlight your transferable skills, such as basic computer skills, communication skills, the ability to work with a team, and leadership skills.
3. Showcase educational achievements
If you’re a recent graduate figuring out how to make a resume with no job experience, focus on your education. You’ve spent years taking classes and studying material that can help you in your next role. If your degree is relevant to the job you’re applying for, consider listing relevant coursework or academic projects and awards that show you’re prepared to enter the workforce.
Listing extracurricular activities can also help you relate them to the position. This can be especially helpful for the resume of a student who has yet to experience high school.
4. Leverage volunteer work and internships
You don’t have to work a paid role to get work experience. Volunteer roles and internships can qualify as job experience on your resume. List these as you would a traditional employment position, including your role, organization, and dates. Craft bullet points to detail your responsibilities and impact.
Here's an example:
Volunteer Experience
ASPCA, Bronx, NY June 2020 – present
- Clean cages and ensure animals have water and food as needed
- Answer phone, email, and in-person inquiries about available animals and fostering
5. Focus on extracurricular activities and leadership roles
If you have a college or high school student resume with no work experience, highlight your involvement in extracurricular activities, such as sports, clubs, and student government. This can demonstrate your responsibility, initiative, and leadership skills to a potential employer. List these activities in their header labeled “Extracurricular Activities” or “Leadership Opportunities.”
First-Time Resume With No Experience Samples
Brenda Martin
(123) 456-7890
[email protected]
LinkedIn | Portfolio
Tampa, FL 33601
Reliable high school student with recent solid sales experience at a major clothing retailer. Committed to providing positive service experiences to new and returning customers. Motivated and adaptable to new work schedules, challenges, and conditions.
Key Skills- Creative solution-seeking
- Customer service and relations
- Inventory monitoring and control
- Point-of-sale (POS) systems
- Product sales and merchandising
Sales Associate, XYZ Clothing, Tampa, FL
May 2022 to September 2022
- Provided high-quality service to new and repeat customers of this famous clothing store
- Greeted and directed store visitors to their desired apparel section
- Assisted customers with sizing and product choices
- Operated cash register to process order payments
- Tagged and displayed incoming merchandise and performed markdowns on previous season styles
- Maintained a clean and tidy work area at all points
Highlight:
- Won “Employee of the Month” in August 2022 for outstanding customer service
Assistant, Paw Plus Pet Shop, Tampa, FL
June 2021 to September 2021
- Gained a strong foundation in customer service, helping visitors find their desired products
- Stocked shelves and maintained inventory
- Worked the cash register and helped other retail associates as needed
Candidate: Diploma, Tampa High School, Tampa, FL | expected June 2025
Joseph Corbin
(123) 456-7890 | [email protected] | Philadelphia, PA 12345 | www.linkedin.com/example
Motivated student with strong academic performance in high school, including an “A” average for mathematics. Demonstrated success in a leadership role through multiple school athletics and work activities. Naturally curious and eager to explore and understand new topics.
Key Skills- Complex solution-finding
- Data analysis
- Group leadership
- Mathematics
- Microsoft Excel
- Team collaboration
Graduate, Benjamin Franklin High School, Philadelphia, PA | June 2022
- “A” average in all mathematics classes, including A.P. Calculus
High School Athletics
Spring Track Team
Co-Captain (Senior year)
- Voted into a team leadership role; coordinated with the head coach to help organize meets and answer various questions from team members
- Served as a valued mentor and resource to underclassmen
Member (all four years)
- Gained and demonstrated a strong sense of dedication and teamwork
- Contributed to the team’s placing in the top four out of 18 high schools in the region for three consecutive years
Host / Server / Team Lead, Domino’s Pizza, Philadelphia, PA | Summer 2018 and 2019
- Greeted visitors and took and served food orders in a fast-paced environment
- Proposed several changes to the order entry process for servers and delivery drivers, improving efficiency and collaboration among the two groups
- Helped restaurant place No. 3 in the region for customer satisfaction in July and August 2019
Avid reader (six or more books per month) | Painting | Running
LanguageAdvanced proficiency in Spanish (A- average for classes taken in all four years of high school)
FAQs About How To Make a Resume With No Experience
How do I make a resume with no job experience?-
To create a resume without job experience, focus on your other qualifications. For example, soft skills like being a self-starter or motivating others don't have to be learned in the workplace, but they make you a valuable asset in an organization. Move the education section to the top of your resume to show hiring managers your academic background.
Can I put unpaid work on my resume?+
Absolutely. As long as you note that it was a volunteer position or internship, these are still valuable roles to include on a no-experience resume. Side hustle jobs and freelance work can also qualify here. List these as you would traditional work experience, with detailed bullet points that start with strong action verbs and use metrics to quantify achievements. You can also discuss unpaid work in more detail in your cover letter to provide more context.
What if I don't have any relevant skills?+
Even if you don't have the specific technical skills specific to that role, you probably have several transferable skills that would make you a great candidate. Think about the skills you've gained and what you've learned from your education, extracurricular activities, and other life experiences. If you're still stuck, consider taking an online skills assessment or asking a friend for help identifying your strengths.
What sections should a no-experience resume include?+
A resume without experience should still include all the standard sections, such as an objective statement, your education, a key skills list, and any relevant extracurricular activities. Tie anything you include back to the position.
For example, a resume for a high school student with no work experience could include organizational and leadership skills from student government as transferable skills. The key is to show the hiring manager how the skills you've learned will help you succeed in the position.
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