How to Write a Resume With No Experience [Examples + Tips]

Whether you're a new graduate or starting your career, learning how to write a resume with no experience can seem overwhelming, but don't let that discourage you from showcasing your potential.

Your academic achievements, volunteer work, and extracurricular activities have equipped you with valuable skills and experiences that employers value. The key lies in knowing how to effectively present these qualifications in a format that resonates with hiring managers.

This comprehensive guide will walk you through how to craft a resume that highlights your capabilities, even without formal work experience.

We'll explore proven strategies for showcasing transferable skills, academic accomplishments, and leadership experiences that demonstrate your readiness for the professional world.

With the right approach and tools, you can create a compelling resume that positions you as a promising candidate for your target role.

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What to put on a resume with no experience

Learning how to write a resume with no experience can feel a little daunting.

To build an effective resume without traditional work experience, focus on your transferable skills, academic achievements, and other relevant activities that demonstrate your capabilities to potential employers.

Every section of your resume is important in highlighting your relevant experience and expertise. Deciding which sections to include will depend on situation, circumstance, and, most of all, relevance.

Here's a general breakdown of what you'll want to include on a resume with no experience:

1. Contact Information
2. Professional Summary 
3. Education
4. Skills (hard and soft skills)
5. Certifications
6. Projects
7. Awards and Scholarships
8. Volunteering and Leadership
9. Publications
10. Interests and Hobbies

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How to write a resume with no experience

Whether you’re creating your first job resume or are looking to transition from your current career path, your life experience holds more value in a professional setting than you may think. Let's go through each step on how to make a resume with no experience, so you can create a resume that stands out, regardless of career background.

Pro Tip: If you're a professional making a career pivot, but lack experience in your new field, check out our how-to guide on creating a career change resume.

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1. Prepare your information

Before you begin creating your resume, it’s important to gather your skills, volunteer experience, past projects, education and anything else that is relevant to the job description and would be beneficial to include in your resume.

Before you get started, reflect on:

• Projects you've completed
• Volunteer experience
• Internships
• Clubs or teams you've been part of
• Awards and scholarships you've received
• Certifications you earned

As you brainstorm, write down what you accomplished during, and as a result of those experiences and how you achieved it—also known as showcasing impact and skills.

Having all your information organized and ready will help you better articulate your value as you begin to create your resume.

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2. Choose a resume format

When writing a resume with no experience, using a functional resume format is usually the best format to use since emphasizes your skills and capabilities rather than your work history.

This format allows you to showcase relevant coursework, projects, and transferable skills at the top of your resume, making your qualifications immediately visible to hiring managers.

Pro Tip: Save time formatting your resume with Teal’s library of more than 100+ resume templates.

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3. List your contact information

You'll want to start your resume with an organized contact section. Make sure your information is easy to read, and up to date so employers can reach you. As you list your contact information, be sure to include:

• Full name (larger font size than other text)
• Professional email address
• Phone number
• City and State (full address not needed)
• LinkedIn profile URL (optional)
• Personal website or portfolio (if relevant)

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4. Write a resume summary

Your resume summary introduces you to hiring managers. Even without work experience, use this section to highlight your relevant skills and qualifications for the position.

Make your summary effective by:

1. Including keywords from the job description
2. Highlighting 2+ relevant skills and their impact
3. Writing 3-5 clear sentences
4. Using first-person voice

When writing your summary, focus on skills and achievements from:

• Coursework and academic projects
• Volunteer experience
• School activities
• Personal projects
• Certifications
• Training programs

The key is showing how your experiences, even without formal work history, make you qualified for the role.

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Example summary for a resume with no experience

As a highly motivated student, I have valuable experience in leadership. As Vice President of the student council, I launched 5 school-wide fundraisers and drove a 25% increase in student engagement. As soccer team captain, I leveraged leadership, communication, and teamwork skills to guide us to an 85% win rate. My tutoring efforts supported 30+ peers, elevating their academic performance. Balancing a demanding schedule, I maintained a 3.7/4.0 GPA. 

Pro Tip: For more insights and examples on writing a resume summary, check out this beginner resume summary guide.

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Step 5: Emphasize your education

If you’re still in school or a recent graduate, offering a detailed look at your education can help show hiring managers how the skills and experience from your academic background align with the role.

When you don’t have work experience, it’s important to leverage the education section of your resume to show hiring managers how your academic qualifications align with the position.

Your education section should include: 

• Degree or diploma earned
• Institutions name
• Completed date or anticipated graduation date
• Academic recognitions or awards

After listing your most recent education, you can place emphasis on these qualifications by including any academic achievements, coursework or projects that are relevant to the job description. 

A comprehensive “Education” section that showcases other relevant coursework and relevant experience in a resume for a first job could look something like this:

Note: You can also include relevant projects and activities beneath your general education, or you can create a dedicated “Projects and Activities” section.

Utilize this section to incorporate skills throughout your bullet points using keywords from the job description to better highlight how your academic achievements relate to the position.

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Step 6: Add a dedicated “Skills” section

Skills are an important part of a resume when you don’t have work experience. While you should incorporate your skills throughout each section of your resume, it’s also recommended to include a dedicated resume Skills section, as your skills section bridges gaps in work experience by highlighting your relevant capabilities. 

As you write your skills section, focus on technical and measurable skills that match the job requirements, and demonstrate how you've applied them in past experiences such as projects, coursework, or volunteer work.

Aim to include 5 to 10 skills within your skills section, and weave any additional skills throughout the other sections of your resume, emphasizing how you've used these skills to drive meaningful impact.

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Example skills for a resume with no experience

Skills Section

• Data analysis
• Project management
• Public speaking

Another option is rather than listing "public speaking", "project management" or “data analysis” in a dedicated “Skills” section, incorporate them into your professional summary like this: 

Leveraging communication skills and data analysis, I spearheaded a group presentation in Economics 405, achieving a 95%.

While you can include soft (or transferable) skills in a no experience skills section, keep in mind these are more challenging to measure objectively, and you should demonstrate them alongside complementary hard skills and the impact made.

Pro Tip: Want to make sure you're including skills that align with the job? Use Matching Mode in Teal's Free AI Resume Builder to quickly compare the skills and keywords in a job posting to those in your resume.

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Step 7: Add relevant certifications

Professional certifications serve as powerful validators of your skills and commitment to professional growth, especially when you're entering the job market without traditional work experience. 

Obtaining recognized and valued certifications within your desired field showcases your commitment to learning and adapting to new challenges.

As a recent graduate, adding certifications to your resume shows potential employers you have practical, up-to-date expertise beyond theoretical learning. 

As a career pivoter, you can use certifications to align your skills and experience with the qualifications employers in your target industry.

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How to add certifications to a resume with no experience:

Remember to list each certification with its official title, issuing organization, and completion date. If the certification is a requirement of the target role, you might also include a brief note about specific skills or knowledge areas it validates.

How many certifications should you add to a resume with no experience?

For a resume without experience, where you place your certifications will depend on their quantity and relevance. For one or two certifications, incorporate them within your education section, positioning them directly beneath your academic credentials.

However, if you've earned multiple certifications that align with the job description, another option is to create a dedicated "Certifications" section. This approach gives proper weight to your credentials and ensures they catch the hiring manager's attention. 

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Step 8: Include projects 

Whether you’ve managed projects independently, as part of a team, or during academic pursuits, well-documented projects have the ability to demonstrate practical skills, initiative, and achievements to potential employers.

Prioritize projects that showcase relevant technical skills, leadership capabilities, or results that directly relate to your desired position. Create your projects section with the same formatting as you would with a traditional work experience section.

Your "Projects" section should include:

1. Name of the project 
2. The organization you were with while completing that project
3. Dates started and completed
4. The scope (for example, the size of the team, project duration, or budget)
5. Any feedback received 
6. Quantifiable outcomes and metrics 

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Here’s an example of adding projects to a resume with no work experience:

Pro Tip: Organize your projects by relevance rather than chronologically. This ensures your most impressive projects appear prominently. This formatting can help hiring managers immediately recognize your capability to contribute to their organization, even without formal work experience.

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Step 9: Include volunteer experience

Volunteering is an excellent way to develop new skills and gain hands-on experience. While volunteering is generally not compensated, the work experience you gain from volunteering is still highly valuable to include in your resume.

When adding volunteer experience to your resume, it’s still recommended that you only include the volunteer experience that is relevant to the field or position you’re applying for. 

To showcase relevant volunteer experience on your resume, include: 

• The organization
• Your involvement or role
• City and State
• Dates of experience
• Your quantified bullet points (using numbers, metrics, and data) 

Pro Tip: Want to know how to add volunteer experience to your resume? Check out Teal’s Youtube to learn how to highlight your experience the right way.

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Step 10: Add awards and scholarships

Awards and scholarships often honor specific skills or initiatives—such as technical knowledge, leadership, teamwork, or creativity. For instance, a "Most Innovative Project" award can showcase creativity and problem-solving skills. A Scholarship for "Excellence in Community Service" acknowledges dedication to giving back and underscores the ability to collaborate effectively. 

How to list awards or scholarships on a resume with no experience:

• Name of the award or scholarship
• Organization
• Date 

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Step 11: Create a section for interests and hobbies (optional)

If you still feel your resume is light on content, consider adding a section for interests and hobbies if you have several hobbies or interests that are relevant to the job. 

For example, a hobby like Debate Club could align with skills needed in marketing or sales that require strong communication, articulation, and persuasion. A hobby such as ethical hacking indicates programming skills, problem-solving abilities, and a passion for technology—often necessary in software, data, and IT. 

When listing interests and hobbies on a resume with no experience, it's best to either incorporate these into your resume summary, or create a list with 5-8 bullet points.

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Resume templates for no work experience

Finding a way to highlight your qualifications on a resume when you don’t have traditional work experience can be challenging. These resume templates are designed to help you save time, and format your qualifications in a way that stands out to hiring managers.

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Tips for creating a resume with no experience 

1. Tailor your resume for each job application: Every job is unique, and your resume should be too. By tailoring your resume, your relevant experiences will better align with the requirements and qualifications of the job description.

2. Quantify bullet points whenever possible: Using numbers, metrics, and data to showcase impact offers prospective employers tangible proof of your accomplishments.

3. Optimize your resume format: Consistent formatting (in terms of fonts, bullets, white space, and headings) gives your resume a professional look. In addition, make sure to double-check spelling, punctuation, and grammar to maintain a polished and error-free resume.

Pro Tip: If you want to understand more about resume formatting, including a deeper look at chronological format and a functional resume format, check out this guide to the best resume formats.

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Write a resume with no experience today

Every professional journey starts somewhere, and your unique combination of academic achievements, skills, and experiences forms the foundation of your career narrative.

While traditional work experience may be limited, your potential to contribute meaningfully to an organization isn't. 

Transform your qualifications into a compelling professional story with Teal's AI Resume Builder, with features like Matching Mode and customizable resume templates, you can create a resume that stands out to hiring managers and showcases your readiness for the workplace.