Resume with no work experience example (plus tips and guidance)

For many, their resume is their chance to showcase years of experience in their field of work. But what happens when you need to write a resume but don’t have any work experience? 

Perhaps you are a student, just finishing school and looking to land your first job. Maybe you are simply someone entering the workforce later in life. Regardless, even if you have no formal work experience, you can still write a killer resume that lands you interviews.

In this guide, we’ll show you an example of a resume with no work experience and walk you through how to optimize your skill set and other experiences in a professional format.

What should be included in a no-work-experience resume?

While traditionally, resumes are used to showcase relevant work experience, you can still write a compelling resume before you have earned years of experience in a job field. The goal for a no-work experience resume is the same as a traditional resume — you want to demonstrate to a hiring manager why you’d be a good fit for a job. The only difference is that, with a no-work experience resume, you have to be more creative in your approach to demonstrate your viability for a job.

When writing a no-work experience resume, you’ll want to include any life experience that will help qualify you for a job position.

Examples of what you can include are the following:

• Participation in school clubs or organizations
• Being part of a team
• Volunteer work
• Side gigs or self-created cash income sources

Remember, even if the work you did was not through a formal organization or employer, you could still use it to showcase your skills and your ability to handle responsibility. Don’t be afraid to include experience that may have only taken place for a short period of time, such as holiday volunteer work.

How to write a resume without work experience

To create a resume without work experience, take the time to carefully put together the right information that will help tell a story about who you are and how you’ll fit into an organization. 

Use the following steps to put together your resume:

Step 1: Research the role

Before you write a resume, take the time to understand the details of the role you are applying for. Most job listings will include keywords and important information about the hiring manager’s expectations, which you can use to create a personalized resume.

For example, if you are applying to an entry-level sales role, you might see:

• Enjoys working with people

This information tells you that you will want to include information in your resume highlighting how you have worked with others and your ability to be part of a team.

Go through the job listing and highlight any keywords or ideas that will help you focus your resume information.

Step 2: Compile a list of side gigs, clubs, teams, and volunteer work

After you have a good sense of what a hiring manager is looking for in an applicant, put together a list of any side gigs you have held, any clubs you were part of or led, any teams you were on, and any volunteer work participation.

Even if it was something small, such as helping out over the Christmas season at your local soup kitchen, be sure to list the details of what you did and the time you volunteered.

Step 3: Outline your resume

Next, you’ll want to create a rough outline for your resume. A resume with no work experience should include the following, from top to bottom:

• Your contact information: Include your name, address, email address, and phone number.
• Your completed education: Include your high school or college, as well as your date of graduation.
• Your experience: Use the list you created above to showcase your unique experience.
• Skills: Highlight your top skills. Use your job role research to help reflect the skills the job requires.
• Awards and Achievements: Use the last section of your resume to list any awards or achievements you earned through clubs, school, or other areas.

Step 4: Fill in the details

Once you have your outline in place, go through and fill in the details. For your experience section, you’ll want to start with a factual statement about the role, followed by the dates you participated.

After that, use bullet points to list what you accomplished or learned during your time leading, volunteering, or participating.

Example of a no-work-experience resume

If you need a little help kick-starting your no work experience resume, use the following example as your guide. Remember, personalize this to your own set of strengths and your own unique experiences.

Benjamin Lahey
2749 Overland Drive
Denver, CO 80204
benjamin.lahey22@exampleemailcompany.com
777.777.7777

EDUCATION
Nolen Catholic High School
Class of 2022 (3.8 GPA)

EXPERIENCE
Dog Walker — Denver, CO
July 2018-Present

• Established a successful dog walking business.
• Obtained 15 clients over the course of four years.
• Organized dog walking around client scheduling needs.
• Met and exceeded customer expectations with a five-star Rover rating.

Nursing Home Volunteer — Denver, CO
January 2020-Present

• Helped to organize outings and participate in activities for Sunny Rise residents.
• Spent one weekend each month hosting a chess tournament for senior residents.
• Earned volunteer of the month award for March 2021.

Math Tutor — Denver, CO
August 2021-May 2022

• Managed tutoring sessions with 12 students.
• Conducted progress assessments and provided feedback to students and parents.
• Created math activities and worked to increase student confidence in mathematics.

SKILLS

• Leadership
• Team Collaboration
• Customer Service
• Analytical Reasoning

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

• President of the Young Leaders of America Club
• Eagle Scout
• Chess Club President
• Honor Roll

Tips for making your no-work-experience resume stand out

If you follow the guidelines above, you’ll be on track to create a compelling resume that helps hiring managers understand how you’ll contribute to their business. However, taking a few extra minutes to polish your no-work resume can help you stand out, even without years of experience in the working world. Use the following tips to make your resume shine:

• Always double-check your resume for errors. Use an online tool, such as Grammarly, or ask a mentor or teacher to help you. An error-free resume goes a long way in demonstrating that you are responsible and capable of paying attention to details — all of which are important skills for any job.
• Use a simple, clean format. Don’t feel the need to embellish your resume’s format. A simple, easy-to-read font and professional layout will be easier for a hiring manager to quickly scan and will ensure that computer readers aren’t confused by strange columns or graphics.
• Be honest. No matter how much you want to land your dream job, never lie on your resume about experience or skills you don’t have. It is more important to showcase how you are teachable and willing to learn than to fake details.
• Use positive statements about your experience. You might not feel that confident yet in your job skills, but odds are good that you have learned and accomplished a lot through participation in clubs, volunteer work, or even just babysitting your neighbor’s kids. Look for ways to highlight this experience in a positive light by using success verbs, such as helped, earned, managed, or organized.
• Don’t be afraid to try! Often, a job listing will seem daunting when you have little or no work experience. However, many employers offer on-the-job training opportunities and are willing to work with individuals with a drive to succeed. Keep trying and sending your resume to jobs of interest.