When you’re just starting out in your career, you may have little in the way of previous work experience to put on your CV. Sitting down to write a CV in this situation can be daunting.
What should you write about? What are employers looking for? How can you make a convincing CV for a first job with little or no work experience?
The good news is that it is possible to answer these questions and craft an interview-winning CV with the right approach. While you may not have a wealth of work experience yet, it’s highly likely that you’ve developed valuable skills and gained other experiences that you can relate to a your first job.
In this article, we’ll explore how to make a CV for your first job without prior experience. You’ll learn how to identify your most transferable skills and experiences, and how to format your CV to effectively highlight your personality and potential.
According to a recent Department of Education report, the completion of work placements not only improves academic attainment but also first job prospects. One study referenced found that 50% more placement than non-placement students secured graduate-level jobs and a somewhat higher starting salary.
Sample CV for a first job
Let’s be honest, there is nothing scarier than a blank page when it comes to creating your CV for the first time. Having some insight into what a first job CV should look like can often give you some inspiration and help you get started.
There’s no reason why your first job CV shouldn’t resemble a normal CV. Ideally, you want the hiring manager to not judge you any differently than other candidates. As a result, the content of your CV is king. Here’s an example of a first job CV crafted with these best practices in mind:
How to write a CV with no experience
Many job adverts request relevant experience, but just because you haven’t had a formal job yet doesn’t mean you lack experience. Through your studies or other activities, you will have gained skills and experiences that can still allow you to be a good fit for the role. Follow these steps to create a strong CV for your first job:
1. Choose the right structure
Choosing the right CV format will ensure that you highlight your strengths and create a compelling CV for your first job. Typically you can structure your CV in one of the following formats:
- Reverse-chronological. This format outlines your education and work experience in reverse chronological order. Recruiters prefer this CV type due to its easy-to-read format and this structure can also easily be parsed by applicant tracking systems (ATS) that many companies use. This format works well if you have acquired relevant part-time work, internships, and/or volunteer work.
- Functional. Also known as a ‘ skills-based CV,’ this format typically omits or simply lists any work experience, with the focus instead on the relevant skills you can apply in your first job. Organisation, communication, and collaboration are all examples of the types of skills you may have acquired that can be applied in a professional setting.
- Hybrid. A popular choice, the combination or hybrid CV places equal weight on both skills and work experience. Typically, relevant skills and abilities are placed at the beginning of the CV, closely followed by a work experience section.
Selecting the right format for your CV will ensure you present your skills and experience in the best possible light and attract the hiring manager’s attention. Choose the format that represents your own unique situation and check out our CV examples to see these structures in action.
2. Tailor your CV to the job description
Before you start to write your CV, closely review the job description of the advertised role. Your CV should reflect the person the employer is seeking, so tailoring the information to the specific job opening will make a more convincing argument of your suitability for the job.
Start by going through the job description and highlighting all the skills, abilities, and values that are mentioned. Pay particular attention to terms that are repeated and those described as 'essential'. Next, think about experiences from your life that match these qualities.
For example, if the job asks for organisational skills, consider situations where you’ve demonstrated this ability—perhaps you organised a school event or managed a group project. Don’t worry if you can’t match every requirement, just keep this list handy as you work on filling out your CV.
3. Focus on your education
Education should feature prominently on your first job CV, after all, it shows the culmination of years of hard work and is often directly relevant to your chosen career path. Apart from listing your qualifications, educational institution, and dates attended, consider adding the following:
- Course content. Modules and projects from your academic studies that relate to the job you’re applying for are worth listing. Stick to those that are more recent and relevant.
- Academic achievements: Include any notable grades or awards, such as an academic achievement award, to highlight your academic success.
- Extracurricular activities: Focus on those that align with the job description. For example, being captain of the netball team shows your leadership and teamwork skills.
- Training and courses: If you've completed any training, boot camps, or certification programmes outside of school, be sure to include them if relevant.
Don’t forget to list academic studies in progress too. Just ensure it’s clear that they are ‘in progress’ and include any notable predicted grades and an anticipated completion date.
Creating a CV for your first job can seem like a challenge, but don’t be tempted to lie on your CV to get ahead. Trustworthiness is the foundation of positive working relationships.
Making false claims can lead (at best) to embarrassment and a damaged reputation. Worst-case scenario, you could lose your job and even face legal consequences (if the lie directly harms the company or its clients).
4. Highlight work experience
If you're fresh to the workforce, recruiters will understand that you aren’t necessarily going to have any or a lot of work experience. Instead, focus on detailing any relevant and relatable experience you’ve gained via part-time jobs, internships, volunteer work, tutoring, freelancing, or community projects. Here are some specific areas you could highlight:
- Paid work experience. Feature paid work prominently on your CV. Nothing beats the evidence of having a responsibility to deliver on a job and get paid for it. Highlight part-time work to support your studies and any summer jobs to demonstrate your strong work ethic and transferable skills.
- Internships. Employers will be interested to hear about internships that relate directly to the job opening. Maybe an internship with a reputable IT firm can get you on track for a career as a software developer. Aside from being able to include this experience on your CV, you can also get a taste of whether you would actually enjoy your dream job.
- Volunteering. Opting to do something for free demonstrates passion and interest. If volunteer or community work aligns with your future job, even better. This is the perfect opportunity to prove that your heart is in the right place, so make sure to make it part of your first job CV in the experience section.
- Freelance gigs. Freelance jobs are a good way to gain practical experience in your desired field, which you can then reflect on your CV. See if writing a few articles can land you a first job as a copywriter, or perhaps you can assist your church accountant and gain the experience needed for that accounts receivable position.
- Clubs or organisations. Perhaps you play and deputise as a coach on a successful sports team, or worked as a student content creator at your university campus and are targeting a marketing role. Share this on your CV, outlining the most relevant details specific to the advertised role.
5. Outline your skills
Skills fall into two broad categories, hard and soft. Both types of skills are important to have and develop, so should be presented across your CV as well as in a dedicated skills section.
Hard skills are industry-specific, technical skills. These skills almost always require specific education, training, or experience acquired over time. Examples of hard skills include data analysis, software development, project management, graphic design, and language skills.
Soft skills are personal attributes that enable individuals to effectively communicate, collaborate, and lead others. These skills can come naturally or can be strengthened over time. Examples include adaptability, problem-solving, communication, leadership, and teamwork.
The skills you include on your CV should align with those mentioned in the job description. It’s completely fine if you don’t have many technical skills to list.
Research by LinkedIn has shown that most companies place a higher value on candidates with strong workplace or transferable skills, as these are often harder to teach.
According to LinkedIn, the five most in-demand skills in 2024 are:
- Communication
- Customer service
- Leadership
- Project management
- Management
6. Create an engaging summary
Your summary sits near the top of your CV, providing an overview of your personality and relevant experience. Similar to a mission statement, It's concise and engaging. Think of your summary as a condensed version of your CV, that sells your career highlights to date in three or four concise and impactful sentences.
For this reason, it’s often easier to write your professional summary once you have created the rest of your first job CV. Use the job description as your guide and cherry-pick highlights from your career to date that demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria. Be brief, share your career objectives, and give the reader one powerful reason to keep reading.
Top CV examples for a first job
There is nothing like browsing some examples to inspire you when writing your first CV. Here is a selection to help you get started on a job-winning CV:
Retail. One of the most popular part-time jobs for college and university students is in retail, where working evenings, weekends, and during the holidays aligns perfectly with course timetables. Check out our retail CV example on how to shine the spotlight on your retail experience and achievements in your first job CV.
Tutor. Many students complete tutoring work to earn some extra cash, but there are also a wealth of skills you can gain from teaching. This tutor CV example (with UK templates) showcases the transferable skills and experience a tutor will acquire, including critical thinking, time management, and communication skills.
Internship. Hands-on experience in your chosen field is true gold, so internships have become increasingly popular across various industries. Our internship CV sample can help you secure an opportunity as an intern or give you valuable pointers on how to present any internship experience on your first job CV.
Top tips for preparing your first CV
Now that you've created a standout first job CV with our step-by-step guide and UK examples, there are some final touches you can make to ensure it’s pitch-perfect:
- Keep it to one page. Avoid creating an overly long CV to mask a lack of experience. Focus on what’s relevant to the job and leave out anything unnecessary.
- Use action verbs when describing your skills and experiences. Start sentences with strong verbs like created, improved, steered, established, led, or collaborated.
- Incorporate keywords from the job description. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to sort applications based on specific keywords. Using words and phrases from the job listing can increase your chances of your CV getting noticed.
- Proofread. Make sure your CV is free from spelling, grammar, or punctuation mistakes. If possible, ask a friend or family member to review it for you.
- Outline accurate contact details, including your full name, a phone number where you can easily be contacted, an appropriate voicemail, and a professional email address.
Key takeaways
Finding your first job is an exciting time as you take the first steps in your career, but it can also be daunting when you actually need to sit down and prepare your CV. Having zero experience could make you feel that there is no point in applying for a dream starter job, but, if you don’t try, you will never know.
While you may not have had a job, you will have developed valuable skills and gained other experiences that you can relate to an advertised job opening. Follow our step-by-step guide and examples to make a CV for a first job that showcases your top-notch skills and abilities, and then convinces the hiring manager to invite you for an interview.
