How to write a resume with no work experience?

If you started a job search for the very first time, you must’ve been wondering how to write a resume with no work experience. Honestly, it doesn’t matter if you’re a student looking for your first job or a stay-at-home parent who spent the last 15 years with the kids.

What matters is that you learn how to present yourself properly.

How do I start my resume if I’ve got no work experience?

Well, we always recommend starting a resume (CV) with a nice and clear overview. This overview should briefly explain why you’d be a great candidate for the role. With this section, you grab the reader’s attention and spoon-feed them all the information you want them to have about you.

Yes, it really is that easy! So, to write a resume with no work experience, you still need to find your angle. What this means is, basically, you want to direct your reader towards an aspect of you that makes you seem like the perfect fit for the role.

In some cases, this will be educational background while in others personality traits. It really does depend on what position(s) you want.

What should I avoid in my resume?

In order to retain the reader’s attention, avoid listing things in your resume that give nothing away about you as a professional. Meaning, do not mention your hobbies, interests, date of birth, marital status, or primary school achievements… Focus only on those things that tell the reader, “This is it, I need to talk to this person.”

Obviously, it is going to be tricky, and it will require a lot of thinking on your end. If you are just finishing your studies, just focus on your education.

However, if you are trying to get a job after not working (ever), avoid mentioning personal reasons as to why you were unemployed. Maybe you can mention it on an interview, but that’s just a “maybe.” It would be more appropriate to write a sentence or two in your cover letter and you don’t have to go into details. Simply say you had to take care of a personal situation.

Can I present my personal situation as a work experience?

If you want – sure! For example, if you had to take care of a sick family member, you can convert it into an experience. Your role would’ve been a Personal Assistant, Care Assistant, or Carer, depending on what you were doing. You can describe it as if it were a paid job.

For all of the stay-at-home moms & dads, you’ve got loads of options as well. You can be an Activities Coordinator, Household Manager, or Babysitter. Again, this depends on what kind of role you’re looking to get.

Remember: whatever you write in your resume needs to convince the reader you can do the job. Hence, this goes for both types of job seekers: those with and without work experience.

Where can I apply if I’ve got no work experience?

Once you’ve written your resume (despite having no work experience!), you need to start applying to roles. Remember to tailor your resume so it fits the job ad you’re applying to. This is crucial and it will boost your success in your job search.

A lot of companies take on interns, apprentices, or volunteers. Some even give a chance to people with no work experience. Hence, getting a job with no work experience shouldn’t be mission impossible. Depending on the sector of your interest, in most cases, you will be able to get work. And then, you will have a chance to earn some work experience, build your professional profile, and kickstart your career.

This sounds too hard. Can you help?

Most definitely – yes! You’ve come to the right place. First, we can help with a bunch of free advice that you can find on our blog. If you feel like that’s not enough and you need help figuring out what you want to do in the first place – book a coaching session.

However, if you already know which way you want to go but are still unsure how to write a resume with no work experience, check out our step-by-step CV and cover letter writing guide. Follow the principles outlined in this book and see how it transforms your job search!

If you simply can not be bothered with the process of writing a resume, maybe the best thing to do is order our CV and cover letter writing service. We’ll write a winning CV and cover letter for you in no time.

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