entry level resume with no work experience

How to Write a Resume with No Experience [21+ Examples]

It’s time for your first job hunt !

You need to write a resume , which can be nerve-wracking if you don’t have any real-life work experience.  

You don’t know where to start, what to include, or which resume format to choose.

On top of that, most advice you find online isn’t relevant because it focuses on emphasizing professional background.

Chances are, you’re straight out of college with no experience to speak of. 

Or maybe you're a high-school student applying for a part-time job.

Whichever the case may be, you’re probably having trouble filling in the blank space on your resume that’s supposed to be the work experience section.

Worry not, though. In this guide, we’re going to help you create an AMAZING resume, no work experience is needed.

• How to format your resume with no work experience
• 4 sections to replace work experience (that help you stand out)
• 2 no-work experience resume samples (guaranteed to land you the job)

How to Format Your Resume [with No Work Experience + Examples] 

A resume format is the layout of your resume .

The ideal resume format usually depends on how much work experience you have. 

But what happens when you have none?

For a no-experience resume, we recommend that you use the reverse-chronological format . 

It’s the most popular format amongst applicants and a recruiter favorite.  

The sections in your reverse-chronological resume will be: 

• Header : Contact Information and Resume Statement
• Internships, extracurricular activities, projects, volunteer work  (These sections will replace your work experience)

In this article, we’ll walk you through each of these sections, and explain how to write them in a way that you stand out from the crowd.

Let’s dive in.

Start With Your Resume Header

Your resume header includes your contact information and your resume statement.  

Below, we’ll show you how to write both of these elements and how to include them in your header section.

Put Down Your Contact Information

Just like the name suggests, the first thing you add to your header is your personal and contact information.

It’s the easiest part to get right, just keep it short and to the point.

In your contact information section, mention the following:

• First and Last Name
• Phone Number
• E-mail Address
• A link to a professional profile (e.g. LinkedIn ) or personal webpage (if you have one)

Make sure to use a professional-sounding E-mail.

I.e. something along the lines of “[email protected].” 

You’re sure to leave a wrong impression if you use an email you created back in preschool ( “[email protected]” ).

Make sure to double-check, triple-check your contact information. After all, the recruiter can’t contact you if you have a typo in your phone number.

(Optional) Write Your Resume Objective

A resume objective is a short heading statement in your resume, where you describe your professional goals and aspirations.

Fun fact - hiring managers look at your resume for 5-6 seconds max .

Yep, that’s right. In most cases, the hiring manager is literally drowning in resumes. So, they have a couple of seconds to skim each one.

Well, this section is your chance to catch their attention (and let them know you’ve got what it takes).

A resume objective is usually 3-4 sentences max and includes information on:

• What your field of study is;
• What your skills and experiences are (ones that are relevant to the job );
• Why you’re applying for this position and/or this company.

As with contact information, you don’t need to label your resume objective with a title. Just write it underneath your contact information section.

Here’s an example of what a resume objective looks like:

“ Recent Communications graduate looking to apply for the role of Secretary at XYZ inc. Extremely organized with good writing and multitasking skills. Practical experience in management gained through several university projects, which involved coordinating tasks between different team members and ensuring that everyone was in sync with the latest information. ”

Emphasize Your Education

In your average resume, the first section would be work experience.

Since you don’t have any, though, you’ll want to omit that and replace it with the education section.

This way, you bring a lot more attention to your education, which is one of your main selling points. 

What should you include in the Education section? 

List the following features in this order:

• Name of the degree
• Name of the institution
• Years attended
• Location of the institution (optional)
• GPA (optional)
• Honors (optional)
• Relevant coursework (optional)
• Exchange programs (optional) 

As a general rule, if you studied in a prestigious university, you can add the name of the institution before the degree . This way, you will catch the recruiter’s attention faster.

Now, let’s go through some real-life examples:

BA in Computer Science

Tufts University

Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts

10/2015 - 06/2018

Magna Cum Laude

• Exchange Program in Greenville, NY

University of the Arts London

BA in Interior Design 

10/2017 - Ongoing

Westwood High

Boston, Massachusetts

Class of 2018 

Education Section Q&A

Still have some questions about the education section? Worry not, we’re about to give you all the answers!

Do I include my GPA?

• The answer here is a “maybe.” We’d recommend including a GPA if it’s higher than 3.5. Anything lower than that, and you might be underselling yourself. Keep in mind, though, that most employers don’t care about your grades.

Should I include my coursework?

• Yep, but just as long as it’s relevant. If you have no work experience, including courses can help establish your expertise in a field. Feel free to skip out on any basic courses, though. No one cares about your Maths 101 course.

Do I mention my degree if I dropped out?

• If you studied for more than 2-3 years, yes. A half-finished degree is still better than no degree. If you dropped out after a semester, though, that doesn’t really mean much.

Do I mention my high school degree?

• Only if it’s your only degree. If you have any higher education, your high school degree will only take up space.

4 Sections to Replace Work Experience [With Examples]

Now that you’ve listed your education, it’s time to fill that work experience gap in your resume.

You aren’t still worried about your lack of experience, right?

Because here are four sections you can use instead:

1) Internships

Have you done an internship that is relevant to the position you are applying for?

Now’s the time to mention it. 

Here is how you add an internship to your resume:

First , place the Internship section right after the education section. 

Title it: Internships

Second , write your internship title and role . Be specific.

If your internship was in the marketing department, instead of just “Intern”, say “Marketing Intern”. 

Third , put down the company name , location , and duration of the internship - in that order.

Marketing Intern

Full Picture

New York, NY

09/2019 - 12/2019

Easy and straightforward, right?

One more step:

Last , add a list of responsibilities you had as an intern in bullet point form. 

If you have any tangible achievements , even better! Write those in as well.

Finally, tailor both the responsibilities and achievements to the role you’re applying for.

Here’s how that looks in practice:

You used to be an Advertising Intern .

You’re applying for the position of Social Media Assistant . 

Here’s how you would put down your internship entry:

Internships

Full Picture Company

• Analyzed various social media platforms for trending content
• Managed company social media accounts
• Posted interested content on company Facebook page, increasing engagement by 25%

The listed responsibilities and achievements are directly connected to the Social Media Assistant job requirements.

You’re applying for a Content Writer position. Take a look at the same entry now:

• Assisted the Marketing Manager in writing press releases and new blog posts , which increased web traffic by 25%.

Notice how the internship title remains the same. 

But in this case you’re applying for a Content Writer position, so you are highlighting your writing experience instead.

For more examples, check out our full guides to an internship resume and how to write a cover letter for an internship .

2) Extracurricular activities

Still have a ton of empty space in your resume?

Extracurricular activities are always a great addition!

Whether they’re related to the job you’re applying for or not, they still show one thing:

You’re hard-working and motivated.

Imagine you’re the HR manager, and you can pick between these 2 candidates:

• Josh Johnson. Studied at Massachusetts State. 4.0 GPA, but that’s all he did in college - no extracurricular activities, internships, or anything else.
• Suzie Activeson. Also studied at Massachusetts state. 3.2 GPA. Vice-president of the business club. Served as a student government senator for 2 semesters. Organized several events as part of the marketing club.

Sure, Josh is probably qualified, but we don't know anything about him, other than that he studied a lot.

Suzie, on the other hand, can manage a team (business club VP), organize events (marketing club), and is passionate about making a change (student government).

So, which one would you pick?

Now, let’s explain how to list extracurricular activities on your resume:

• Title of the section: Extracurricular Activities
• Name of the organization and/or team 
• Your role in the organization
• Time period
• Noteworthy awards or achievements

Extracurricular Activities

Public Speaking Club

Vice-President

09/2018 - 09/2019

• Organized 10+ public speaking lectures
• Brought in speakers from all over the state
• Conducted public speaking workshops

3) Volunteering Experience

Volunteering shows dedication and passion to apply yourself. 

And there’s nothing recruiters love more than a committed employee.  

Whether you spend your free time in a soup kitchen, or you helped collect trash in the countryside, you can mention it in your resume!

But how do you list volunteering experience?

Well, it follows the same logic as your internship and extracurriculars:

• Title of the section: Volunteering Experience
• Name of the organization
• Relevant tasks and achievements (bullet points)

Volunteering Experience

Grand Archive Library Volunteer

Washington, D.C

08/2017 - 02/2019

• Performed secretarial activities, such as sorting mail, filing documents, answering phone calls, and taking messages. 
• Led a poetry reading event twice a month. 

4) Projects

In this section, you can add any relevant projects you were part of during your time in school or at an internship.

Your capstone project, graduation thesis, or research project go here. 

No need for work experience!

You can also mention any other type of project you’ve worked on in school, including:

• Business project for a real-life client
• Mock website you created in Web Design 101
• Fake magazine you created as a capstone project
• Market research you did as part of your graduation thesis
• Software you developed in Software Engineering class

...And so on!

Here’s how you put them down:

• Title of the section: Projects
• Project name
• Project type
• Related organization 
• Relevant responsibilities and achievements (optional)

And now, for some practical examples. Here’s what a journalism student project could look like:

Online Privacy and Social Media: a Journalistic Study of Facebook and Cambridge Analytica

Journalism Capstone Project

Harvard University

09/2018 - 11/2018

And here’s a law school example:

In-House Pro Bono Project

Columbia Law School

11/2018 - 03/2019

• Completed a full petition for U nonimmigrant status, interviewed legal persons and drafted affidavits.

If you have anything physical to back up your project with, feel free to include a link.

For example, if you’re a developer, you could include a link to your GitHub profile.

Stand out with your Skills 

There are two types of skills you can include on your no-experience resume: 

Soft skills and hard skills. 

What’s the difference? 

Soft skills are attributes or habits that describe how you work. They are not specific to a job, but indirectly help you adapt to the work environment. 

Here are some of the most popular ones: teamwork, responsibility, leadership, creativity, etc.  

Hard skills , on the other hand, refer to specific tools, technical knowledge and training and other work-specific skills. They apply directly to the job. 

Technical writing, C++, financial accounting, etc. are all examples of hard skills.

So, which of these skills should you include? 

That depends on a lot of factors, but as someone with no work experience, you should opt more for hard skills .

See, you could write all the cool buzzwords like “Critical Thinking” and “Leadership,” but the recruiter won’t believe you.

Fun fact - that’s what 90% of students do.

Instead, you should focus on skills that make you stand out , and in most cases, those are hard skills.

So, how do you decide which hard skills to mention? Easy! Just check the job ad you’re applying for.

Let’s say you’re applying for an entry-level creative internship, and you find these requirements in the job description: 

• Video editing experience (Premiere, After Effects)
• UI design experience
• Photo editing experience (Photoshop)
• Photography experience
• Experience with Adobe Illustrator

You’d transfer this into your skills section:

• Premiere & After Effects - Expert
• Photoshop - Expert
• UI Design - Intermediate
• Adobe Illustrator - Intermediate
• Photography - Intermediate

Not sure which skills to mention? Check out our article on 150+ must-have skills for all sorts of professions !

Other Sections You Could Include in a No-Experience Resume

A resume without experience does have one advantage: extra space . 

You can use this space to create other sections that highlight how awesome you are!

Here are some sections you could include:

• Hobbies and Interests . Add flair to your resume by showing your genuine passion and interest in the industry.
• Languages. Do you know a second language? Or even a third? Awesome! Most companies these days are pretty international and appreciate an extra language skill or two. Be mindful not to over-exaggerate your proficiency, though. Only knowing how to ask “¿Donde está la biblioteca?” doesn’t warrant a Spanish entry on your resume.
• Awards & Certifications . Do you have any fancy pieces of paper that show you’re smart? Maybe it’s an award for a terrific essay in a competition, or a certificate from an online course . Whichever the case may be, awards and certifications show that you’re a winner, so definitely include them in their own respective section.

Need Inspiration? 2 No Work Experience Resume Samples

Do you still have questions or don’t know where to begin?

That’s when a resume sample comes in handy. 

It provides you with a predetermined format.

It also helps you picture how your no-experience resume is supposed to look like. 

As Picasso put it: Good artists copy; great artists steal! 

Here are 2 no work experience resume samples you can borrow ideas from:

Business Student Resume Sample

High-school Student Resume Sample

Create a Matching Cover Letter

All done with your resume?

It’s not over yet. You need to write a cover letter to go with it.

A cover letter is a single-page letter that accompanies your resume and is part of your job application.

Look at it this way: your resume describes your experiences, and your cover letter explains (in simple words) how they’re relevant to the job.

Now, here’s a quick infographic on what to include in a cover letter:

Finally, as with everything else in your resume, make sure to keep your cover letter relevant, short, and concise.

The hiring manager doesn’t have time to read an autobiography, they’ll only review your cover letter for a few minutes. 

There’s a lot more to creating a good cover letter than what we just explained.

For a complete, all-you-need-to-know walk-through, check out our Complete Guide on How to Write a Cover Letter !

Key Takeaways

...and that’s a wrap!

At this point, you should know everything there is to know about writing a killer no-experience resume.

Just to keep things fresh, though, let’s quickly go through everything we’ve learned so far:

• When creating your no-experience resume, use the reverse-chronological format.
• You can create a killer no-experience resume by emphasizing your education instead. Include relevant internships, soft & hard skills, and projects.
• Other sections you can include on your resume are hobbies & interests, languages, certifications, or achievements.
• Keep all the content on your resume clear, precise, and relevant. Use bullet points for all your descriptions.
• After you’re done with your resume, you want to write an awesome cover letter that goes with it. The cover letter is a one-page letter that tells the story behind your resume content and reemphasizes why you’re a great fit for the job.

Related Resume Examples

• Internship Resume
• High School Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• College Resume
• Students and Graduates Resume
• Teacher Resume

Recommended Readings:

• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job in 2024
• 20+ One-Page Resume Templates [Free Download]
• 35+ Common Interview Questions and Answers [Complete List]

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How to Make a Resume With No Experience

You can lean on internships, class projects and extracurricular activities.

Making a resume early in your career feels like a classic catch-22: A good resume highlights relevant work experience, which you don’t get until you land a job.

The truth is you don’t always need professional experience for entry-level jobs. By highlighting your existing skills, coursework and extracurricular activities, you can craft a resume that will impress employers — even without work experience.

Writing a Resume With No Experience

• Start with a professional summary 
• Emphasize your education 
• Include relevant experience like internships and extracurriculars
• Highlight your accomplishments
• Showcase your skills 
• Don’t include a headshot, hobbies and other unnecessary details

Even if you don’t meet all the requirements described in a job description , there are still ways to write a resume that catches a company’s eye. First, you may want to get your hands on a resume template (word processors like Google Docs and Microsoft Word have resume templates to guide you with a general structure). From there, you can fill in the details by following the tips below.

1. Start With a Professional Summary

Career coaches have mixed opinions on including a short professional summary at the top of your resume. Lesa Edwards, founder of  Exclusive Career Coaching and the former director of the career center at  Truman State University , is in favor of a professional summary because it can set the stage and contextualize the experiences that follow. It also allows you to set yourself apart in a large stack of resumes. 

If you decide to include a professional summary, ask yourself: What do I bring to the table? What soft skills could I transfer over to this role? What do I have that other candidates don’t have? If written well, this two-to-three-sentence summary could encourage recruiters and hiring managers to take a closer look at your resume and cover letter.

2. Emphasize Your Education

If you recently graduated from college, put your education experience as one of the first headers on your resume. You should list your major, any academic honors and your GPA (if it is 3.5 or higher). The education section of your resume can also include a subsection for industry-relevant certifications . As your career progresses, you can bump your education section further down the resume to make room for more relevant professional experiences.

3. Include Relevant Experience and Activities 

Instead of focusing on the requirements you don’t meet, think about any transferable skills or experiences you might have gained from internships , extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, volunteering or school projects.

Jill Silman Chapman, director of early talent programs at Insperity , said she favors candidates who have a well-rounded set of experiences. It shows they are able to multitask, work in different types of environments and adapt to changing circumstances.

“In today’s workplace, we’re changing all the time,” she said. “That ability to adapt is critical.”

Internships

Internships are the best way to gain relevant work experience before entering the professional world. They offer an opportunity to apply the lessons you’ve learned in the classroom in real-world situations.

Part-Time Jobs

If you worked in a service industry job and you are seeking your first professional job after college, you could highlight soft skills , like time management skills needed to juggle school and work responsibilities. Customer service is an especially underrated skill, Silman Chapman said, because it translates to customer-facing roles and  interpersonal skills within the workplace.

Extracurricular Activities

This could include student government, fraternities and sororities or any number of campus organizations or community activities. Athletics is also a resume-booster in some industries, especially sales and other professions that tap into a competitive spirit. You might also note if you were an Eagle Scout, helped out at a peer tutoring program or volunteered your time in other ways that show you are engaged in your community.

Class Projects

Projects you worked on as part of a class or online certification program can also be incorporated into your resume. This could include your marketing class working on a semester-long campaign that culminated in a big presentation. If your class partnered with a company on a large project, that could be a relevant real-world experience for your resume.

Online certification programs are also a good way to gain professional experience, and often provide a chance to apply your learnings to a project, which can then be highlighted on your resume, said Karen Scully-Clemmons, assistant director of career services and employer relations at the  University of Texas at Austin . You’ll want to detail what you accomplished, what technologies you used and what you learned . If possible, you should also link to your project on your resume.

Related Reading How to Use the STAR Interview Method to Land a Job

4. Highlight Your Accomplishments

For each experience you list, showcase the results in bullet point format, and look for ways to quantify your results. For example, don’t just rattle off what you did as president of a school organization, highlight how many new members joined during your tenure or how much money you raised while leading fundraising efforts.  

These accomplishments don’t need to be groundbreaking, but you might have to reflect deeply and think creatively to recognize and articulate the value you provided in each role. Just be sure to align these accomplishments with the responsibilities in the job description. 

“Sometimes I think the hardest thing for students is to think of an achievement, because they think it has to be a super big deal,” Edwards said. “So much of it is a shift in mindset of what constitutes an achievement.”

5. Showcase Your Skills

For a skills section, you can include your software proficiencies, as well as soft skills like organization, time management, communication, adaptability to change and the ability to work as part of a team . If you are going to highlight soft skills, though, you should also include evidence of a role or situation in which you demonstrated those skills.

“It may not be numbers, dollars or percentages,” Edwards said, “but maybe you could talk about how you took a leadership role in a class project that was presented to a community organization.”

Related Reading 5 Things New Grads Need to Know About the Job Market

6. Don’t Include These Elements

You only have so much space on your resume, so be sure to leave off these unnecessary details. 

Objective Statement 

Don’t include an “objective” statement that lays out what you are looking for in a job. Instead of talking about what you want, use that space to describe what value you can offer the employer. 

Hobbies and Interests

While you might think a job is related to your hobbies and interests, Edwards said these are of little practical interest to recruiters and hiring managers. Leave them out of your resume.  

A GPA below 3.5 is not likely to win over a company, and a GPA below 3.0 could only hurt your chances. Only include your GPA if it’s above 3.5.   

Headshot or Photo

Recruiters and hiring managers don’t need or want to see what you look like. Unless you are applying for an acting job, don’t attach a picture to your resume because it could be potentially used to discriminate against you. 

Your Full Address

In the electronic age, there is no need to put your address on your resume. Providing your city and state is typically enough, unless an online application requires your full address.  

Graphics  

Don’t employ resume templates with fancy graphics: most companies use applicant tracking systems (ATS) , which can’t read resumes that are decorated with graphics, special fonts, columns and other formatting tools.

Frequently Asked Questions

What can i put on my resume if i have no experience.

In lieu of professional experience, you could highlight your education, skills, internships, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, volunteering experiences and school projects.

How to write a professional summary for a resume with no experience?

A well-written professional summary will draw upon the experience you’ve gained from school, internships and other extracurricular activities to demonstrate the impact you have made and the value you would bring to your desired role.

How do you say you have no experience but are willing to learn?

Employers are often willing to train entry-level candidates who have shown initiative and a hard work ethic in school, internships and extracurricular activities. You can emphasize your willingness to learn through your professional summary statement on the top of your resume or through the cover letter that accompanies the resume.

Do I need a resume if I don't have experience?

Yes, you need a resume when applying for a job, regardless of your experience. Most word processors, like Google Docs and Microsoft Word, offer free resume templates to get you started.

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11 Entry-Level Resume Examples That Landed Jobs in 2024

Entry-Level Accounting

Best for senior and mid-level candidates.

There’s plenty of room in our elegant resume template to add your professional experience while impressing recruiters with a sleek design.

Resume Builder

Like this template? Customize this resume and make it your own with the help of our Al-powered suggestions, accent colors, and modern fonts.

• Entry-Level Resumes A-L
• Entry-Level Resumes M-Z
• Writing Your Resume

Getting your first full-time job is a classic chicken and egg problem.

Companies want to hire professionals with years of experience, but how the heck are you supposed to gain that experience in the first place?!

Rest assured that it gets easier to land new jobs throughout your career once you have your first experience under your belt.

To help secure that all-important first job, we’ve reviewed countless entry-level resumes to find what works and what doesn’t when  building your resume  and leveraging a cover letter generator so you can line up more interviews.

We’ve curated 11 stellar entry-level resume samples and some excellent  resume-writing tips  that have helped candidates across industries get their first break in 2024 .

Entry-Level Accounting Resume

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Highlight your numeracy and research skills and familiarity with accounting tools, such as QuickBooks and Excel.

Learn how to land a job

Get the free 4-day email course for college students and recent grads.

Entry-Level Data Analyst Resume Example

• These projects don’t have to be huge open-source types with thousands of users. Did you ever build a project to scratch your own itch? Then talk about it!
• Need more room? These story-telling details are a perfect storm for an effective entry-level cover letter .
• If you’ve had the chance to have an internship experience, then be sure to quantify the impact of that work on your entry-level data analyst resume. Did you save time? Increase revenue? Improve customer satisfaction? Any way to quantify your results will  improve the quality of your resume .

Entry-Level Engineer Resume

• Starting your engineering career is a classic catch-22. When you’re trying to get your first engineering job, employers say you need experience. But to get engineering experience, you have to get your first engineering job. Cue endless cycle.
• But although employers “require” you to have experience, what they really want is for you to have the skills to complete the job.  More often than not, all you need is a degree and some soft skills  like organization and project management in your  resume’s skills section .
• Tailor it to match the  job description’s  keywords, including them in a few of your work experience bullet points and your  resume objective  (if you decide to use an objective).
• Lastly, if you’re freshly out of school, you can leverage any projects you worked on that apply to the listed requirements. They’re an excellent way to show your skills and initiative in place of work history. 

Entry-Level Healthcare Resume

• Starting off with the  right resume template  and  formatting your resume properly  can save you oodles of time and set you in the right direction as you begin writing your entry-level healthcare resume.
• Work in the form of internships, volunteering, projects, and surprisingly, even relevant  interests and hobbies can be included on your resume .

Entry-Level HR Resume

• Think about an internship, school project, or even coursework that polished a proficiency relevant to the role. See how James gives his entry level HR resume a clever twist by pointing to his successful “Navigating Workplace Harmony” project presentation and research for the “HR Trends in Modern Workplace” project.

Entry-Level Marketing Resume

• As a marketer, you know that the most important metric you ultimately need to drive is revenue. If you’ve had a marketing internship when applying for your first full-time role, you should focus on how your marketing efforts impacted the bottom line.
• Volunteering for a local business or charity to help them with marketing is a great way to get some preliminary marketing experience under your belt. You can then leverage this experience into landing your first full-time marketing role. 
• In the  resume skills section  of your entry-level marketing analyst resume be sure to state all of the channels (both paid and organic) that you’re comfortable with. Since you’re looking for an entry-level role, this list doesn’t need to be exhaustive! It’s okay if that’s one to two channels when you start your career.

Entry-Level Nurse Resume

• Vividly show your achievements in your entry-level nurse resume as an educator and highlight your voluntary roles to benefit disadvantaged groups.

Entry-Level Phlebotomy Resume

• When well-aligned with the hiring company’s needs and goals, a career objective does wonders. It parades your ambition and commitment—some real heavyweights that could set you apart from the competition, regardless of your low experience level.

Entry-Level Recruiter Resume

• Lead with your strengths on your entry-level recruiter resume. More often than not, this will be your education.
• As you progress in your career, your education section will take up less and less space on your resume, but right now, it’ll consume a sizable amount of real estate. Starting with a  resume outline  can help you fill in some of these important details. 
• These statements can, however, set your resume apart from the crowd when customized to the target job:
• Great objectives (for entry-level) and summaries (for 10+ years of experience) mention the business by name, use power-packed, concise language, and sprinkle some metrics describing previous job achievements.

Entry-Level Sales Resume

• Having a job, regardless of what it is, demonstrates responsibility—one of the most in-demand skills for entry-level candidates.
• With that said, you should still try to make your experience as relevant as possible to the sales role you’re applying for. For example, to be successful in sales, you need effective time management skills. Thankfully, almost all jobs require the ability to manage time, so it’s an inherently universal and valuable skill!

Entry-Level Software Developer Resume

• Listing one to two programming languages you know really well is much wiser than mentioning four to five languages you have novice familiarity with. You’ll end up looking foolish—or worse, dishonest during the interview!
• If you include a  skill on your resume , you should be comfortable answering interview questions about it.

Related resume guides

• College Graduate
• Grad School
• Administrative Assistant

Writing Your Entry-Level Resume

There’s no silver bullet when it comes to  resume templates . You can use nearly any template and make an effective entry-level resume. Just be sure to follow a few rules:

• Make sure your resume is readable. Make the job of the person reviewing your resume as easy as possible.
• Keep your resume to one page. Your resume should only stretch to two pages when you have five or more years of experience.
• The resume sections you need: work experience, skills, education, and contact info. The rest are optional.
• Please, please, avoid spelling and grammar errors. Triple-check your resume; then, have a friend read it.

All of these rules are in service of one goal: make it as easy as possible for the person reviewing your resume to come away convinced that you deserve an interview for the role you’re applying to.

Stretching your resume to two pages or inserting big blocks of text goes directly against this goal.

Insert plenty of white space, avoid really small font, and use big headings.

Resume summary or sesume objective?

Have you ever opened a book or article because the title was compelling just to read the introduction to be disappointed?

Think of the  resume summary  or  resume objective  as the introduction paragraph to your resume.

Before we dive into how to make an effective summary or objective, let’s get some definitions out of the way:

• Resume summary: Used for experienced professionals to recap some of their career highlights.
• Resume objective: A short statement of a candidate’s key skills or qualifications as well as why they’re a good fit for a specific job.

As you can imagine, a resume objective is more suitable for an entry-level candidate.

Keep in mind that, unlike an introduction for a book, a resume objective is not required for your resume.

In fact, 95 percent of entry-level resumes should omit a resume objective!

Why? Because most resume objectives don’t increase a candidate’s chances of getting an interview.

To ensure you write a resume objective in the top five percent of applicants, follow these rules:

• Customize it for each job you apply to.
• Don’t be afraid to be personal about why you’re interested in the role or career you’re applying to.
• Keep it to two to three sentences. Any more and it will be ignored by the hiring manager.
• State your top one to two qualifications for the role you’re applying for.

I know, this seems like a lot to fit in two to three sentences. To help give you some inspiration, here are a few examples of effective entry-level resume objectives.

Entry-level resume objective examples

• “Prospective data analyst who strives to pose and answer questions with quantitative-driven insights. Through the development of personal projects I’ve learned the importance of having an iterative, hypothesis-oriented approach to analysis and I’m excited to leverage that approach at Acme Corp as a data analyst.”
• “Recent computer science graduate with a passion for developing scalable web applications and working across the full stack. I’ve built two web apps from the ground up using React, Node, and PostgreSQL.”
• “Retail sales associate with experience working directly with customers to ensure their satisfaction. Looking for an opportunity to work for a KPI-focused organization where I can grow like Acme Corp.”
• “Recent marketing graduate with a passion for developing scale-able acquisition strategies through paid acquisition and SEO. I have experience creating and improving campaigns in the context of a big team and I worked independently to help local organizations start and grow their user acquisition.”

Make any experience relevant

What on earth are you supposed to include on your entry-level resume when you don’t yet have relevant experience?

The answer, frankly, is anything that you can make seem relevant to the role you’re applying for.

I’m a firm believer that any work experience has skills that are transferable to other jobs.

Hiring managers understand that early in your career you may not have a ton of relevant industry experience to draw on.

That’s okay! Having a job, whether that’s a part-time summer job or an entirely unrelated full-time position demonstrates responsibility.

So don’t be hesitant to include any employment you’ve had in the past. Own it!

Still, there is another way to demonstrate to prospective employers that you’re qualified to do the entry-level job you’re applying to: projects.

These can be projects you did as part of a class or projects you undertook to satiate your own curiosity. Projects demonstrate a few things to employers:

• You have a real interest in the industry you’re seeking employment in.
• You take initiative (a very desirable trait for entry-level candidates).
• A level of expertise in your field.

Projects can truly be anything. To give you a better sense of that, here are some project ideas for different entry-level positions:

Project ideas for entry-level resumes

• Did you build a social media following for a club or organization you were part of or implement a successful SEO initiative?
• As part of a class, did you build out a comprehensive case study or hiring process for a real or fictional company? Talk about it.
• Did you build a web app to help your friends decide on which movie to watch next? What kind of programs have you developed in class?
• Can you do a deep dive on a company you’re interested in and build a presentation around a new market they can expand into or a new product offering they can develop?
• Can you try to join a hackathon and shape the vision of a product to build? Can you choose your favorite consumer web app and detail any changes you’d make?
• Pose a question you’ve always wanted to answer; then collect and analyze data to answer that question and put it in a blog post.

Which skills should you include?

When it comes to the skills to include on your entry-level resume, it’s better to include a few skills you know very well than a laundry list of skills you kind of know.

Put yourself in the shoes of the hiring manager. Isn’t it a little suspicious for an entry-level candidate to be an expert in 10+ skills?

You should include your relevant skills in a dedicated  “skills” section on your resume  and also include the context in which you used those skills in a work experience or project.

How do you know what skills to list for a given job?

• If you’re looking for a technical role, be sure to include programming languages or relevant technologies.
• Read the job description of the job you’re applying to.
• If so, list those skills!
• If not, are there skills mentioned in the job description you have that weren’t on your list?

It’s important to customize the skills that you include on your resume for each job you’re applying to because before a human reads your resume, an automated system called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) will read it.

The ATS is checking whether or not your resume contains certain keywords mentioned in the job description. So it’s worth the time to customize your skills section for each entry-level role you’re applying to!

• We’ll show you how, step-by-step • Real, practical tips and tools • 100% free

If you’re looking for how to write a summary for your resume with no work experience , you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to walk you through exactly what to do, and then we’ll look at resume summary examples for entry-level job seekers, students and fresh graduates. 

How to Write a Summary For Your Resume With No Experience:

First, a resume summary is different than an objective . And it’s much better. Putting an objective on your resume is outdated and unnecessary. Resume objectives are useless because they don’t share anything the hiring manager doesn’t already know (such as “my goal is to obtain a position in the ___ industry”). So what we’re doing here is better and will help your resume stand out from people who simply put an objective. Whereas, the resume summary gives a quick highlight reel of your qualifications, education, and more. If you’re not sure what a resume summary actually is, check out this article on 10 resume summary examples . And while it’s easier to figure out what to put if you’ve built up some work experience, you can still write an effective resume summary with no work experience whatsoever.

So in this article, I’m going to show you how. What should go into your summary when you don’t have any work experience? 

1. Put academic accomplishments and leadership

What did you study? Did you just graduate with a degree? Mention that. If you took a leadership role in your class projects, or clubs/groups at your school, you can mention that too. Leadership doesn’t need to be in a job to get the hiring manager’s attention! Taking a leadership role in a sports environment is impressive as well. You’re not going to mention specific accomplishments in your resume summary usually (you can do that later in your resume), but you can say things like “proven leadership” or “natural leader”, etc.

2. Put your interests and passions

Are you passionate about startups and technology? Great, put that. Want to make a difference in the world, and focus your career on social impact? Mention that. This can include the grades you received, but also leadership positions you led, and clubs/groups you participated in.

3. Put “hard” skills

If you’re proficient in any tools, technologies, etc… you can include that in your resume summary. Don’t list 20 things. That’s what your “Skills” section is for. But pick the three or four things that are most relevant for the job you’re applying for.

Coming up in this article, we’re going to look at two resume summary examples for people with no experience. .. and in the second example, you’ll see how this would look.

4. Include soft skills

Are you great at analytical thinking? Do you love working as a part of a team? Are you great at multi-tasking and handling a fast-paced team environment? While these shouldn’t be the main focus of your resume summary section, they can be worth mentioning. It’s especially good to include soft skills that you see mentioned in the job description.

For example, if you see they mention wanting someone who’s great at multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment, and you feel that describes you well, then your resume summary is the perfect place to include this.

5. Put statements that will grab the employer’s interest and make them want to ask you questions!

If you mention leadership they’ll want to ask you more about your leadership experiences. That’s a good thing. Remember, whatever you put, they’ll probably ask you about. So as you write your summary for your resume, try to think about what you want them to discuss with you, and what you want a chance to talk about. And try to “tailor” your resume to fit the companies you’re applying to. If you’re applying to large corporations don’t start your summary by saying “Startup enthusiast”.

3 Resume Summary Example for Students, Fresh Graduates and Entry-Level Job Seekers:

In this section, I’m going to share three examples of how to write a summary for your resume with no experience. You can use these resume summary examples as a student, entry-level job seeker, or any job search where you don’t have experience:

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #1: Economics Student

Enthusiastic, highly-motivated Economics student with proven leadership capabilities, who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges.

In this example above, you’re showing that you completed your Economics degree and have an interest in the subject, and you’re mentioning leadership and making the reader want to learn more about this. You’re also making yourself sound ambitious and motivated at the end, which is always a good thing (I’m referring to the part that says “who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges). Notice the format too. This is how I recommend phrasing it. Don’t say “I am a ___”. Just start with the descriptive words.

This is a simple yet effective resume summary example for students OR recent graduates.

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #2: Fresh Graduate in Computer Science

Computer Science graduate passionate about data engineering and machine learning. Highly-capable leader, having led multiple Senior class projects to completion. Proficient in a range of modern technologies including Python, Java and Scala.

This is another good example of a student or fresh graduate resume summary that still shows your skills and academic focus, even if you have no formal work experience.  In this entry-level resume summary example, you’re highlighting accomplishments and leadership as a student and you’re also showing that you’re passionate about your work. Saying you’re passionate about data engineering is much better than just saying, “Looking for a job in data engineering.” They’ll know you’re looking for jobs because you applied. Taking up space to say it is a bad use of this area of your resume, and is why I never recommend having a resume “Objective” section. The summary exists instead of an “Objective” and is much better.

The example above also included some great programming keywords (Python, Java, Scala) to help get past any automated application systems and grab the hiring manager’s attention very quickly when they first look at your resume. If you work with any tools or technologies that have names like these, you can include it in your entry-level resume summary if you’d like. Other examples of tools/technologies: Photoshop, MS Excel, etc.

If you decide not to include these on your resume summary, make sure to include them elsewhere such as your Education or Skills section .

Resume Summary Example with No Experience #3: Math Student Graduating Soon

4th year mathematics student passionate about statistics and data analysis. Proven project leader. Active member of Boston University’s Mathematics Club. Speaker at 2018 “New York Young Mathematicians Conference.”

This resume summary example for students shows how you can list accomplishments even if you’ve never formally worked before. Did you participate in any clubs at school? Have you led any class projects? These are impressive pieces you can add to your resume summary with no experience formally working. 

How to Write a Resume Summary For Students/Fresh Graduates – Quick Recap

• Skip buzzwords like “hard-working” and put real academic accomplishments instead, like projects you produced and tasks you led
• Include what you’re interested in and passionate about to show them why you are applying for this position
• Mention hard skills like “Java Programming” or “Excel,”  especially if they’re listed on the job description
• Include soft skills as well like, “excellent at multi-tasking”, especially if you saw these keywords anywhere on the job description
• Include statements in your resume summary that will catch the employer’s interest and make them want to talk with you and ask you more. Remember – the entire goal of your resume is to get invited to interview. So if you did anything unique like giving presentations, working in an internship , participating in a school club, etc., you can include this in your entry-level resume summary.

If you follow the tips above, you’ll have a great entry-level resume summary that will stand out and catch a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s attention so you can get more interviews.

After you write your entry-level resume summary, here are two more articles that may be helpful when job searching with no experience:

• The best times of year to job search
• How to create a great elevator pitch for job hunting

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

More Resume Tips & Guides

Crafting the perfect resume for teens (template & expert advice), how to beat applicant tracking systems with your resume, what do recruiters look for in a resume, what happens when you lie on your resume 10 risks, don’t say you’re a quick learner on your resume, guide to resume sections, titles, and headings, 12 resume formatting tips from a professional, how artificial intelligence (ai) is changing resume writing, 22 resume bullet point examples that get interviews, are resume writers worth it, 7 thoughts on “resume summary with no experience: examples for students and fresh graduates”.

This site was pretty helpful in guiding me throughout my school resume, would love other tips would do well.

This is a great guide. If only schools were actually interested in teaching children real life skills like this.

Hi, I am a student who has been finding it very difficult to make resumes due to the lack of working experience. I am currently trying to find a job while studying at the same time. I am in University completing a certificate and will soon be applying for a BA in Psychology and Criminolgy. However, I wish to apply for a part time job in the fashion industry. Can you please leave me some tips about what I can do to ensure that I can find a job without needing experience.

Your page has really helped, Thank you.

Hi, I’m a job seeker with 2 years experience working as a cart collector at grocery store and an Associate’s Degree in Computer Information Systems, is this a good professional summary?: “Reliable team member with a keen interest in information technology and other applications. Capable of handling multiple projects within deadlines. Eager to apply my professional and academic background as an Administrative Assistant at Bogdan Contracting.”

I’ve been job seeking since October 2018, I’m hoping I can start a career in tech support as soon as possible.

Hi Marcais,

I think it sounds pretty good. My least favorite part is the first word, though. “Reliable” sounds pretty average/boring. Sure, you show up, do your job, etc. That’s what I think when I hear “reliable”. But not much more.

I’d look for a better word to lead off with.

I would like to say thank you for making this article about writing a summary for a resume. For the past couple of months, I have been struggling to find someone who can help me with that because I don’t have a lot of experience in my field (i.e. engineering). I do have one question though. Is it appropriate to use first-person nouns in the summary section? I have seen people do that, but I find it quite odd.

Please let me know as soon as you can. Thank you.

Hi Frances,

I’d avoid saying, “I” if that’s what you’re asking.

Just say “Led team of 7 people to accomplish ___”

Just start without a pronoun.

Another example: “Highly-accomplished accounting professional who has ____”

Comments are closed.

The 'no experience' developer resume: a step-by-step guide (with templates)

When you're looking for your first job in a new career, having the right resume can be the difference between landing your dream role, or not even getting to speak to the company.

But how do you get taken seriously (and make yourself look good!) when you're just trying to break into an industry?

This guide will give you a detailed, section-by-section walkthrough of how to write your first developer resume . It will cover what to include, what to leave out, and how to structure each section.

It's aimed at new software developers without professional experience, and especially those changing career from a non-traditional background.

🔗 In this guide

• What does your resume need to do?
• Who does your resume need to convince?
• General resume best practices
• Main sections to include
• What NOT to include
• Free resume templates

🔗 What does your resume need to do?

The purpose of your resume is to represent you before you interact with a company in person . And you often have just a few seconds to make a good first impression.

So what does this mean?

Your resume needs to showcase your skills in a clear, scannable and visually appealing way. When you have no experience, there are several key techniques you can use to draw attention to the most relevant information (while staying honest about your background).

So, your resume is not solely responsible for getting you hired, but it does need to get you through that first stage of the process.

🔗 Who does your resume need to convince?

The initial point of contact for your resume might be an online jobs page (which I wouldn't recommend; more on that later), a recruiter who you've connected with on LinkedIn, or a hiring manager while they decide whether to move you forward in their interview process.

These different audiences will be looking for different things.

🔗 Online jobs portals

These are sites like Indeed, or the jobs pages of companies using systems like Greenhouse or Lever.

These portals often have automated screening of resumes that are uploaded. They look for relevant keywords, and could determine whether your resume even gets seen by a human. So, including the right keywords in a machine-readable format is important here.

Pro tip: If you save your resume as a PDF, make sure you can select the text with your mouse—this means it will be readable by automated systems too.

🔗 Recruiters

Unless it's a very small company, your resume will usually be reviewed first by a recruiter. They will be scanning it for relevant keywords and experience to determine whether you're a possible candidate for the position.

Unlike machines, recruiters will also likely base their decision on how professional your resume looks, so this is where clarity, layout and overall design are important.

🔗 Hiring managers

If you pass the recruiter screen, your resume will make its way to a hiring manager. This person will likely have an engineering background, and therefore more technical knowledge, so will be looking for more than just keywords.

This is where explanations of your projects and experience come into play. Hiring managers will want to know not only what tools and technologies you've used, but how—and why you used those specific ones.

🔗 General resume best practices

• Keep it to 1 page. When you have no professional experience, you don't have enough content to justify a longer resume. Anything you might put on a second page is likely not relevant to the role you're applying for.
• Put the most relevant content first. This goes for overall structure, and for the content within each section. For example, if you don't have relevant education, don't put your education at the top—put your (relevant) skills or projects first. Then inside each section, list items in reverse chronological order. This means your employment section should list your most recent job first, and so on.
• Double check for errors. You would be surprised how many professional resumes contain basic spelling or grammatical errors, inconsistent capitalization, or typos. If this kind of thing isn't your strong suit, get a friend to proofread your resume for you. One or two mistakes probably won't cost you a job, but it doesn't give a good impression of your attention to detail.
• Keep the design modern but professional. One or two accent colors is fine, but no more than that. Stick to readable fonts in legible font sizes. Use obvious headings and leave some white space for breathing room (if you cram the page with tiny text, it won't be easily digestible).
• Format it as a PDF. This ensures a consistent layout for anyone viewing your resume. Text files (like .doc or .docx) render differently in different programs, so you risk your formatting looking broken for other people if you use them.
• Consider using a template. Not everyone is a designer, but luckily anyone can get a good-looking resume by using a template. There are hundreds of free options available online, that can be edited in Google Docs and exported to PDF.

🔗 Main sections to include

This is the core structure of a 'no experience' career-changer resume:

• Header section

Let's look at each section in more detail.

🔗 Header section

This is the section at the top of your resume which shows things like your name, contact details, and social links. It's often boldly formatted to stand out and grab attention.

It should include:

• Name. This should be the name you are known by, and would like to be called.
• Job title. Something simple like 'Software Engineer' is best, but you can be more specific, e.g. 'Front-End Developer' if you know you want to specialize in a particular area. It doesn't matter if you haven't had this as an actual job title yet. Avoid words like 'junior' because this could be interpreted negatively before the reader even gets to the rest of the content—let them figure that out for themselves.
• Phone number and email. This is the only information a company should need to get in touch with you. Make sure they're both accurate, and use a professional-sounding email. Gmail is fine, but ideally your email address features your name, and isn't something like '[email protected]'.
• Social links. Stick to relevant ones—developers should generally include GitHub, LinkedIn, and your personal blog/portfolio/website if you have one. A portfolio site can be a great way to show off your skills, particularly if you're a front-end developer.
• Citizenship/work authorization. If your resume implies you're an international candidate (e.g. you list jobs or education from abroad), it can help to mention if you are authorized to work in the country where you're applying for jobs.

🔗 Optional extra: profile

Your header area could also include a profile, overview or objective paragraph.

It's not required, but you can add it if you have space, or a template that includes one. It's basically a sentence or two to summarize who you are and what you're looking for. Keep it short, and use it to draw attention to one or two specific points .

Because you have no experience, you should focus on your enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and what direction you hope to take your career (you can also include any interesting relevant experience you do have).

Pro tip: Avoid generic descriptors like 'results-driven', 'detail-oriented' or 'passionate' without qualifying examples. Anyone can claim these things, so they are meaningless if you don't also demonstrate how they actually apply to you.

Some examples of profile statements that show specific interests and direction:

Motivated software engineer with a background in journalism. Seeking a role in a fast-paced startup where I can continue to develop my backend engineering skills using Python and Go.

Front-end developer with 7+ years of design agency management experience. Looking to grow my technical skill set with the goal of making use of my senior leadership abilities in future.

JavaScript developer with a track record of open source contributions. I'm looking to join a company with a strong open source culture so I can continue to give back to the community.

This section is where you list the skills you've learned that are relevant to your future job as a developer . Most people list technologies here (programming languages, frameworks etc.) but I also like to include things like any agile methodologies I've used, or collaboration skills like pair programming or reviewing other developers' code.

This section is actually optional, but I recommend including it as it's a good way to communicate your experience to the reader in a format they can digest easily—even if they're just quickly skimming your resume.

If you do include this section, keep it focused (don't include too many skills) and be sure to group skills in ways that make sense . For example, if you're looking for a full-stack role, you might list technical skills arranged by stack area (so into front- and back-end sections). If you're just focused on the back end, you might have separate sections for programming langages, frameworks and databases.

🔗 How to present skills on a resume

Skills often work well as a more graphically interesting section on your resume. Simple bullet points are fine, but many resume designs display skills in a table or pill/chip format.

You'll also notice that a lot of templates include skill charts or star ratings for skills, the idea being that you can grade yourself based on your proficiency in each skill. These might be pretty, but I actually don't recommend using them, for the following reasons:

• They're ambiguous. What are these bars relative to? What does each rating mean? How does a 4 out of 5 star rating for CSS with no other context show anyone that you have the ability to do the job?
• Many skills can't be compared equally. Say you want to list, as I mentioned above, a skill like pair programming. Are you better or worse at this than at JavaScript? They're so different that it doesn't even make sense to ask that question.
• There's no proof or validation. People are bad at estimating how proficient they are at things. Describing a real example of how you applied the skill would be more informative (and let the reader decide for themselves whether your skill level is enough) than giving yourself an arbitrary chart rating.

🔗 Experience

This section should be the main focus of your resume. It's where all the most interesting and unique information goes, and is your chance to add the kind of detail that's going to make you stand out.

I use the title 'Experience' rather than 'Employment' deliberately. As a self-taught career changer, you might not have had a job yet, but you can (and should) use this section to showcase all the relevant experience you do have.

So what can you include here?

• Projects. If you know how to code at all (which hopefully you do if you're at the stage of applying for jobs), list your most interesting personal projects here. It's great if you can tell a story with each one: why you built this project (what problem it solves), how you approached it, which technologies you used, and why you chose those ones in particular to solve the problem.
• Open source contributions. This is one of the best ways to get 'real' experience when you haven't had a job. There many large open source projects all looking for new contributors, and it's a great way to work with experienced professional developers, on mature codebases, that operate just like the kind of projects you might work on when you land your first job.
• Freelance work. Another great way to get experience as a new developer is to take on a few small freelance projects. Maybe you had a family member with a small business who wanted a tool or website, or perhaps you found some projects through a freelancing site like Upwork . This type of work isn't usually well paid, but it can be worth it when you're just starting out because it's real experience you can list here.
• Hackathons. You might have participated in events like hackathons or coding challenges, and often this means collaborating in small groups. That's all valuable, relevant experience you can absolutely put on your resume.

If you don't feel like you have enough experience to even fill out this section, I would recommend trying to do some more of these types of projects before applying for a job. You'll have a much easier time getting someone to hire you once you have at least some way to demonstrate you can do the job.

🔗 How to present experience on a resume

To keep the information digestible, use clear headings and short, snappy bullet points rather than walls of text.

The basic structure of each experience entry should be:

• Role, Title or Project Name
• Date (range or single month)
• Description
• Bullet points with extra detail

Here are some examples of how the first three items could look:

🔗 Open Source Contributor, [Name of Project]

June 2020 - present Contributed several bugfixes which led to an improved user experience by... [add more detail about what you did]

🔗 Participant, [Name of Hackathon]

May 2020 Working in a team of 4, we created an app... [describe what your app did and what role you played]

🔗 Personal Project: CoffeeWalks

January 2020 Built a React Native app to guide me on walks around new cities, ensuring I pass at least one coffee shop en route.

If you completed multiple freelance projects, you could group these all together under one 'role' like this:

🔗 Freelance Front-End Developer

Web Design & Development, Joe's Pizza June 2020 Created a new website for this small business to replace an outdated design.

Website Development, Stem & Petal February 2020 Developed a responsive, image-heavy website using React for a local florist.

Blog Development, Prism Marketing November 2019 Added a blog to this marketing agency's website using WordPress.

For each entry, you then want to add a few bullet points going into more detail. Don't just say what you did, but talk about the impact , outcomes and reasons for your choices.

Another way to think about this is every time you state something you did, explain more by answering the question: so what?

For example, this:

Wrote unit tests using the Jest framework.

...is not as good as this:

Introduced unit testing with the Jest framework, which reduced the need for manual testing, saving around 2 hours per week.

Pro tip: Consider introducing some more advanced concepts in your projects like testing, monitoring and performance (and then mention them in your resume). Most people with no experience don't do this, so it will make you come across a lot more professional than the average entry-level candidate.

If you're wondering whether to write your bullet points in the first or third person, it honestly doesn't matter. I've seen both. It's not necessary for a tech resume to sound super formal, so just pick whichever you prefer and be consistent.

🔗 Where to put previous career experience

If you're changing career, you might have several years of employment experience that you don't know what to do with. Do you just list it in with your tech experience? Should you even include it at all?

This depends on how relevant the work is. If you've had roles where you dabbled in something technical, like basic coding or SQL or data analysis, I'd include it for sure (talking up anything that sounds particularly relevant to your new career, of course).

If your past experience is not at all relevant to software development, I'd group it under a single entry at the bottom of your experience section. Say you had a few jobs in fast food restaurants over several years, that single entry could look like this:

🔗 Fast Food Worker

June 2017 - May 2020 Maintained high standards of customer service across various roles in the food service industry, before retraining as a software developer.

🔗 Education

I put this section last for a reason. If you're a new grad with a CS degree, you probably want to put this at or near the top or your resume. But as a self-taught career changer or bootcamp grad, your practical experience will be more valuable than your education in your job search.

Although it might be at the bottom of your resume, this section is still important, particularly because you likely at least have some relevant education—even if not a STEM degree.

So what should you put here?

• Any degree(s) you do have. Even if you studied something completely non-technical, degrees you earned are still a part of your professional journey. Completing a degree also shows that you have skills beyond just the specific content you covered.
• A bootcamp (if you did one). This has been a subject of some debate since the coding bootcamp boom, with some people even suggesting bootcamps could have a negative impact on a resume. Personally, I don't advise trying to hide your bootcamp, but don't expect it to carry any pedigree either—the value of a bootcamp is in the skills you learned, not the fact you attended.
• Relevant online courses. These can show you're dedicated to and capable of learning technical subjects via self-study (an important skill for software developers ), particularly if you've completed some of the more academic ones from platforms like Coursera and edX.

🔗 What NOT to include

With just a single page to work with, you need to use space efficiently. Here are a few things that people often include in their resumes which don't need to be there.

🔗 Your address

People viewing your resume to assess you as a candidate don't need to know your full physical address. In fact, companies generally only need this information when they've made (and you've accepted) a job offer . So just provide it when they ask for it.

You may also want to share your resume publicly on the internet (e.g. on Twitter or a personal website). If it has your home address on it, that could be a security concern.

There are valid reasons you might want to show your location, such as if you're local to the position, and want to indicate that you could start quickly. But in this case, including just your city is fine.

🔗 References

References are the people your new employer can contact to verify your track record and employment history. But they are also not relevant to the initial candiate screening process , and only needed at a later stage—usually either just before or after the company has decided to make you an offer.

Not all companies even use references, so they'll ask you for them if they need them.

Many resume templates include a photo because it looks nice in a layout—but it's definitely not required, or even common, for a software developer resume.

This one is actually optional, but I advise against it for a couple of reasons: at best, it doesn't provide any necessary information (what you look like should not influence whether you pass a resume screening). At worst, it could contribute to bias and discrimination.

🔗 Free resume templates

• Canva resume buider & templates : 8,000+ beautiful templates, which are also easily customizable through a great UI (and professionally designed—no one will ever guess you used a template!).
• Official Google Docs resume templates : Includes 5 very basic resume templates, but you know they will work with Google Docs, and 3 of them have a matching cover letter design if you need one as well.
• ResumGO resume templates : Modern, well designed selection of templates, many of which are formatted for Google Docs. A lot of them include space for a photo, so if you don't want to add a photo, either pick one where you can remove the photo without affecting the design, or filter by 'No Photo'.
• Resume Genius resume templates : Large selection with lots of different styles, though not all have attractive designs. Check the Modern or Creative sections for some of the better ones.
• Tech Careers

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Landing an entry-level job without experience

Apr 30, 2024

Starting your job search can be a daunting task for anyone. Whether you’ve recently finished school or you’re looking to make a career change , it can be hard to decipher how to land a job in a new industry. No matter your circumstances, finding and applying to entry-level positions can be a long and difficult process, especially if you don’t have previous experience. As technological and cultural shifts change the workplace, entry-level jobs are falling by the wayside as they are replaced by internships and mid-level positions.

These positions are great ways to get your start in a new field, but as they become harder to come by the competition for these coveted openings is fiercer than ever. For those without relevant experience, it can seem almost impossible. In the US, 27% of employers prefer candidates with internship experience when filling entry-level roles, and 79% require at least a Bachelor’s degree to apply. However, it’s important to not be discouraged. There are many things you can do to maximize your job search and increase your chances of landing an entry-level job without experience.

Craft your CV

The first thing to do when starting any job search is to update your resume. When applying to a job, your CV is your first impression. It’s often a make-or-break opportunity to get into the recruitment funnel. In fact, research shows that most recruiters only spend a mere seven seconds reviewing individual resumes. So, it’s important that your CV is a well thought-out representation of who you are as a candidate.

For applicants with limited work experience, your CV should highlight different factors than someone who has been in the industry for a few years. The most important thing to emphasize for entry-level positions is your education. While you may not have a relevant work history, your education is another way you can show your achievements and knowledge in your field. You can highlight any specialized areas of study that would give you an advantage in the role you are applying for as well as any research, publications, or special projects you contributed to while studying. Your degree is a great way to illustrate your interest and commitment to the work you would be doing.

Alongside your educational background, soft skills are another important component to lean on when you lack experience. While you may not have technical skills, soft skills are often harder to learn and more important when finding a cultural fit. Take this section as an opportunity to show off your unique personality, and what you would bring to the team as an individual.

Build your portfolio

The next step in leveling up your candidate profile is to create a portfolio. This is a useful tool that allows recruiters to look at your previous work, especially in creative industries. Think of it as an expansion of your CV where someone can go to learn more about who you are and what you do. Usually, someone’s portfolio is a personal website that can be linked to on job applications or added to your CV. Building your portfolio is a chance to highlight your unique personality through what you choose to represent your personal brand.

While portfolios are especially useful in fields like journalism, photography, graphic design, and more, they can help set you apart in any industry by allowing you to take a more in-depth look into your background. You can write a bit about your life story, where you are now, and what your goals are. You can also showcase any academic or professional achievements that aren’t on your resume, such as awards, publicity, and anything else that could be relevant to your field.

Work on your elevator pitch

While it may seem unimportant when compared with other ways to land a job, never underestimate the power of a good elevator pitch . As Shakespeare wrote, “brevity is the soul of wit,” and when it comes to introducing yourself a little can go a long way. Honing your introductions can be especially valuable for job hunters with little to no professional experience. While a more seasoned worker can rely more on their experience to speak for itself, there’s no margin for error for those trying to land their first entry-level job.

If there’s not much on your CV to prove your commitment to an industry, that short blurb on a cover letter or phone interview is one of the simplest ways to set you apart from the competition. Don’t be caught out when an interviewer asks you why you want a job you haven’t done before. Instead, be prepared to explain why you are interested in the field, and why you feel you would make a valuable addition regardless of your experience. If you have an untraditional background, this is your opportunity to explain your unique career path, highlight relevant skills and qualifications, showcase your industry knowledge, and make a case for why you would be a better fit than someone with previous work or internship experience.

Expand your network

Anyone who’s been working for years will tell you that networking is one of the most powerful tools in your professional arsenal when it comes to building your career. From landing your first job to advancing to the senior level, professional relationships can be as important, if not more, than your capabilities or achievements. However, networking can also seem like the biggest hurdle to jump for job seekers at the beginning of their careers. Building a network from scratch can seem impossible, but rest assured there are plenty of ways to start making connections.

If you are a recent graduate, take advantage of the relationships you’ve built during your time at school. Professors, fellow students, and speakers can be great ways to hear about new openings and receive referrals. If you’ve had a great experience with a professor, worked a student job, or know a former classmate who works in the industry you can reach out to any of these people with questions or even request letters of recommendation for your job hunt. It can seem awkward reaching out, but remember one day you’ll be able to return the favor once they’re in your network!

Optimize your job search

Often overlooked, this strategy can be crucial to landing a job with no experience. While your instinct might be to apply for every position you can, practicing a bit of restraint can actually be more helpful. First of all, if you cast too wide of a net, it’s likely that the quality of your applications will suffer. Tailoring your candidacy for each position can be time-consuming, but it will also give you a stronger chance of landing an interview. For people with less experience, having your cover letter, resume, and work samples tweaked to fit the company you’re applying to is essential.

Secondly, you should also be strategic about which jobs you apply to. Not every company has the same standards when it comes to what they look for in an entry-level candidate, and you don’t want to waste any precious time applying somewhere that doesn’t value your unique background. Start by reading the job description carefully . Are there any major skills required that you’re missing, or are they saying they want 5+ years of experience for an “entry-level” role? There are plenty of signs in job descriptions that will tell you if the position is actually open to inexperienced job hunters, or if the company wants a mid-level employee with a junior salary. Do some research into companies that seem like a good fit and you will surely find organizations that value a nontraditional background or are willing to take a chance on someone lacking in experience, but full of potential.

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11 Highest-Paying Jobs That Require Zero Experience

High-paying entry-level jobs.

A ccording to a study by The Interview Guys, there are many high-paying jobs available that require zero experience. From nurse practitioners earning a median salary over $110,000 and pharmacists pulling in a median income of $123,000 to math and English teachers, each earning approximately $80,000 annually, there's a great new job waiting for you whether you're just getting started in the job market or looking to make a career switch.  You don't need a college degree to be a police officer or to land one of these great jobs , either.

There's always been a market for stories but never before has the access to both tell and monetize our own stories been so readily available. And there's zero experience required for this potentially high-paying job. Kate Sorensen, the successful blogger behind the sites CouponCravings.com and MomsCravings.com, says she makes over $100,000 a year as an at-home, working mom.

Transcriptionist

"We have some transcriptionists that make over $50,000 a year that had no experience before they started with us," says Ben Walker, CEO of Transcription Outsourcing, LLC. Of course, as with most jobs, you'll need to learn the skill and it takes time to reach that annual salary but many transcriptionists got there in just about a year.

"One job that can pay very well with no experience is recruitment," notes Taylor, who worked in IT recruitment before becoming a freelance consultant and founder of homeworkingclub.com . "The reason it's sometimes possible to get into this work without experience is that it requires strong sales skills, resilience, and a thick skin—a combination that can be hard to find, and is sometimes more about natural attributes than experience." Being a recruiter often means a commission-based wage with a small salary, but it is possible to turn zero recruitment experience into a high-paying job. These 14 careers could make you a millionaire before you retire .

Remote location dishwasher

Unlike a traditional kitchen, where chefs earn the big bucks, a remote location dishwasher is a high-paying job with no experience needed. "On offshore oil-rigs or remote camps for example, a dishwasher can earn $80,000 or more each year plus benefits," says Michael Alexis, CEO at Team Building Hero. If you're willing to head off to a remote location, there's a lot of money to be made without having technical knowledge or specific industry experience. Looking to switch careers later in life? Here are some cool jobs you could have in the future .

According to Power Home Remodeling, the nation's largest full-service exterior home remodeling company with $700 million in annual revenue, "It is not atypical for first-year sales employees to earn between $100,000 and $185,000 for meeting their annual—and very attainable—goals." The company goes on to state that not only is experience not required for this high-paying entry-level sales job, but a college degree also is not a prerequisite.

Real estate investor and agent

"One of the best-paying jobs that require no previous experience is investing in real estate," per Daniela Andreevska, the marketing director at Mashvisor, a real estate data analytics company. "You can easily start investing in rental properties or other types of real estate after doing some reading and research online and using your common sense," Andreevska says. This is a very intuitive job that could be high-paying and requires zero experience to get started. Roger Maftean, a Career Expert and Content Strategist at Resumelab, shares, "To become a real estate agent you need to have an impeccable appearance and be equipped with the right skills set, including patience, perseverance, and interpersonal skills," but zero experience is required for this high-paying job. Maftean goes on to point out that a successful real estate agent will be, "passionate about working with people, understand their needs, and match these with the right solutions, and knowing basic math and negotiation tactics would come in handy too." It's never too late to start a second career.

Police officer

There is no experience required to be a police officer and because the average starting salary of a police officer is $57,794, according to Ethan Lichtenberg of USInsuranceAgents, it's a solid high-paying job many adults can perform. Lichtenberg says that the need to go through police school is a possible downside for some, but the salary may be worth a little extra education to get a high-paying job.

"Freelance translation was one of the first legitimate online jobs on the market, and to this day the translation industry continues to grow as the world becomes more globalized," according to Darko Jacimovic, co-founder of What To Become. "Anyone who has functional knowledge of two languages can do it. If you have good language skills, you can make a lot of money with translation without any working experience." Find out the 10 best careers to pursue right now.

Online proofreading

You may not have any professional proofreading experience on your resume, but per Martin Luenendonk, co-founder and CEO of Cleverism, if you, "have learned writing structures from the online course like Coursera or Udemy, etc, then you can earn well from providing your proofreading services online." The Cleverest CEO continues, "In proofreading, you don't need to rewrite or create content for someone's book, but you need to give it a last conclusive read to remove an anomaly in text. Ideally, an online proofreader can earn $44,954 to $58,595 annually." Being a freelance online proofreader is just one of many jobs where you can be your own boss.

Air traffic controller

It may come as an uneasy surprise, but, "It's not extensive work experience that matters in becoming an air traffic controller," per Roger Maftean. "From a formal point of view, you need to be under 30 and pass a few examinations, including medical tests, and to make it as an air traffic controller, you must be endowed with unique skills and predispositions, including spatial vision, outstanding stress resistance, ability to work in a team, and quick decision-making." If you qualify, even with zero experience you could land one of the highest-paying jobs out there, with a median annual wage of around $120,000. Read on to learn about the most unusual high-paying jobs.

• The Interview Guys : "No Experience Needed"
• Kate Sorensen, the successful blogger behind the sites CouponCravings.com and MomsCravings.com
• Ben Walker, CEO of Transcription Outsourcing, LLC
• Taylor, founder of homeworkingclub.com
• Michael Alexis, CEO at Team Building Hero
• Power Home Remodeling
• Daniela Andreevska, marketing director at Mashvisor
• Roger Maftean, Career Expert and Content Strategist at Resumelab
• Ethan Lichtenberg of USInsuranceAgents
• Darko Jacimovic, co-founder of whattobecome.com
• Martin Luenendonk, co-founder and CEO of Cleverism

The post 11 Highest-Paying Jobs That Require Zero Experience appeared first on Reader's Digest .