What to Put on Your Resume if You Have No Experience

A successful resume is detailed, curated, and relevant for the job that you want to apply for. But for those starting a new career or people fresh out of university, having no demonstrated work experience can seem daunting, especially when competing with experienced professionals (and glowing resumes to match!). However, no experience does not mean you won’t be successful in toward your dream career. Here are our top tips on sprucing your resume game up. Before you know it, what begins as a blank Word document will be a glowing Resume to showcase the best of you in a meaningful way.

1. Internships

For people with no professional work experience, consider completing an internship. Internships are an advantageous way to gain the basic level of skills and knowledge that you need for meeting entry-level employment in the industry of your choice. Internships require a level of commitment and a development of expertise that holds credibility in the eyes of potential employers. During an internship, your progress will be supported by industry mentors who can give you the perspective you need to understand your strengths and weaknesses better before you enter the workforce. Internships assist in developing your independence and increase the level in which you can successfully complete tasks and projects. Learning to integrate yourself within a team, with colleagues and within the company culture are also benefits of internships. Overall, those who complete an internship find themselves attaining personal growth in matters of self-confidence, self-efficacy, and real-world experience in their chosen field.

2. Volunteer experience

Have you volunteered in the community for a charity or given your valuable free time to a cause? Having volunteer experience can provide employers with an insight into the type of person that you are. For many people, volunteering is a selfless act and demonstrates that you are seeking engagement with a higher purpose toward others. Volunteering can also be across industries: for example, that local festival you volunteered for can come in handy for a future job in event planning and management. Putting volunteer experience on a resume if you have no prior experience can highlight your ability to work within a team, work across diverse contexts and causes, and that you have an interest or passion that makes you a unique person.

3. Education

Finding jobs for students with no experience can be tricky if you are you still in high school, university, or in a vocational course that will give you certification in a marketable skill. Whether you’ve completed your studies or not, having your education listed on your resume is crucial. For employers, this signifies that you are competent in literacy and numeracy skills. In the case of university degrees or vocational certifications, it means that you meet the nationally held requirements of knowledge and understanding within a specific industry.

4. Highlight your transferrable skills – and provide evidence!

Transferrable work skills are invaluable, as jobs require a level of flexibility across all industries. So if you have proficiency in Microsoft Suite, or love the energy that comes with honing your skills in collaboration and teamwork settings, then list these on your resume. Critically, skills in both written and oral communication are necessary to establish in a resume if you have no prior professional experience. The ability to think critically on the job, along with problem solving capabilities, are two examples of transferrable skills that you can demonstrate on your resume. It is not guaranteed that even the people with the most professional experience are willing to develop these skills to a desirable standard!

piles of resumes on the table

If you are entering a new career and have minimal or no experience at all to show on a resume, then there are ways that you can. Regardless of the amount of professional experience someone has, all companies require employees to undergo some form of induction. This be a period of workplace training or supervision to ensure that they are working in accordance with the responsibilities of the role. If you have no experience but you are dedicated to learning more about the necessary skills for the job, then this enthusiasm is a genuine strong point that will make you a memorable and respected person over those who are experienced but disinterested.Overall, your potential as an employee is a valuable asset to a company – in fact, some companies see no or minimal professional experience on a resume as a positive, in that they can train you in accordance with the vision and/or method of their company. Don’t fret if you have no experience, as there are always meaningful and relevant details in life that you can draw upon in your resume.

If you are interested in getting experience to help boost your resume, then consider checking out our Premium Internship Program, or for personalised resume tips and tricks, view our K22 Mentorship Program.