How to write a CV with no work experience
Almost everyone writes their first CV before they have had a job. Employers hiring for Saturday jobs, apprenticeships and graduate schemes know this. They are not looking for years of experience. They want to see that you are reliable, willing to learn and able to get on with people.
The good news is that you have more to show than you think. This guide explains what to include and how to word it.
1. Swap "work experience" for "experience"
Experience on a CV does not have to be paid. Anything where you took on responsibility or worked with other people counts. Look back over the last two or three years for things like:
- Volunteering, such as a charity shop, food bank, animal shelter or church group
- School or college roles, such as prefect, form rep, peer mentor, open evening helper or library monitor
- Clubs and teams, such as sports teams, Scouts, Guides, Cadets, a band or a drama production
- Projects, such as coursework, a science fair entry, a website you built or a fundraiser you ran
- Helping at home or for family, such as caring for a relative, babysitting or helping in a family business
- Work experience placements arranged through school
In Free CV Builder you can label each one as Work, Volunteering, Project or Society / Club, so it is clear what it was.
2. Describe what you did, not just what it was
A heading like "Volunteer, Hereford Food Bank" tells an employer very little. Two or three short lines underneath showing what you actually did make all the difference. Start each line with an action word and add a number if you can.
Welcomed visitors and explained how the service works.
Helped run a school collection drive that gathered 400 items.
Useful action words for students include: helped, organised, led, created, supported, planned, presented, trained, built, raised and managed.
3. Put education near the top
When you have little experience, your education is your strongest section, so place it just after your personal statement. Include:
- The name of your school or college and the dates you were there
- Your qualifications with grades, or predicted grades if you are still studying
- Any subjects or modules that link to the job, such as Business for a retail job or Food Technology for a café
4. Write a short personal statement
Two to four sentences at the top of your CV that say who you are, what you are good at and what you are looking for. Keep it specific to you. Our personal statement examples show how.
5. Back up your skills
Lots of CVs say "good communication skills". Very few prove it. Choose six to ten skills and make sure each one is backed up somewhere else on your CV. If you say you are organised, your experience section might mention planning a fundraiser. Read more in our guide to skills for a student CV.
6. Use the extras section
Achievements and interests help an employer see you as a person. Good examples include the Duke of Edinburgh Award, music or dance grades, sports teams, first aid certificates, languages and specific hobbies. "Reading" says little. "Reading crime fiction and running a book swap at school" says much more.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving gaps empty instead of using projects or volunteering
- Using a jokey email address. Make a simple one with your name.
- Spelling mistakes. Read your CV out loud and ask someone else to check it.
- Copying a friend's CV word for word. Employers notice.
Free CV Builder includes example lines for volunteering, projects and clubs. Tap one to add it, then edit.
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