Building a Resume When You Lack Experience
If you don't have much work experience, it can seem like a daunting task to create your first resume. What do you put on your resume? This article provides tips to develop your resume despite your lack of experience.
By Mari Whitmore — March 30, 2023
As a high school or college student, you'll probably want to develop and build a resume as you move into the professional world. However, if you don't have much work experience, it can seem like a daunting task to create your first resume. What do you put on your resume if you've never had an official job? How will you fill the entire page with highlights and information about yourself if you feel you haven't done anything official? Don't despair though, as nearly everyone begins their career with little or no experience, and there are many ways to showcase the unique skills and abilities you're working to develop as a student. Crafting a great first resume will set you on the path to quickly gain the work experience you desire, so keep reading for tips to develop your resume despite your lack of experience.
Identify Your Goals
The first step to building your resume begins before you pull up that blank document or template. You'll want to identify what goals you hope your resume will help you achieve. Are you trying to get your first official job? Or are you gunning for that awesome internship? Perhaps you've nearly finished school and are looking for an entry-level position and worry that your experience is irrelevant to the field you hope to enter. Or maybe you need to craft an education-based resume to help you land a unique academic opportunity. Whatever your goal is, identifying it clearly will help you know how to build your resume.
Organize Your Accomplishments
While you may not have specific experience in the field you're hoping to enter, you can build your resume in a manner that highlights your accomplishments and emphasizes their importance to your goals. For example, perhaps you would like to get a summer job teaching art classes to children through your local art center. If you have no teaching experience, focus instead on your strengths as an artist, your organizational and planning skills as a member of your student council, and your experience babysitting your neighbor's child. Even if your experiences don't exactly match, you can frame them in a way that highlights your ability to accomplish the role you desire. So, begin your resume building efforts by jotting down things you have done throughout your school years.
Include extracurricular activities, volunteer work, projects you collaborated on with your friends or classmates, and skills you have developed through your education. Even if you're not sure if a skill or experience is relevant, include it in your list. If you're having trouble remembering projects you've been involved in, consider asking your parents to help you with this list.
Consider an Objective Statement
Once you have your list of accomplishments, see if you can discern a pattern in the activities you've been involved in. This may help you craft a compelling objective statement. An objective statement is a brief statement that summarizes your career goals and what you hope to achieve. You can put your objective statement at the top of your resume to communicate to potential employers what you're seeking in a role. If you don't have much work experience, your objective statement can help to establish a clear direction for your career path. Keep your objective statement concise and specific, and tailor it to the position you are applying for. For example, if you are seeking an entry-level position in marketing, your objective statement might read, "To secure a position in marketing where I can utilize my strong communication skills and creativity to develop innovative marketing campaigns." If you're not looking for a very specific position, an objective statement may not be necessary, but it can be good practice to try writing a couple of sentences to summarize your experiences and relate them to your goals.
Focus on Your Education and Academic Achievements
When you don't have much work experience, it's essential to highlight your education and academic achievements. You'll probably want to have a specific section of your resume dedicated to showcasing your academic achievements and experience. Start by listing your high school or college, your major or intended major, and any relevant coursework you've taken. If you haven't graduated yet, you can indicate your expected graduation date so potential employers know what to expect. Consider including your GPA if it's above 3.5, as well as any academic honors or awards you've received. If you've completed any projects or assignments that demonstrate your relevant skills and knowledge, include them in your resume. For example, if you're studying marketing and have created a social media campaign for a class project, mention it on your resume.
Emphasize Your Strengths
When you lack the specific skills and experience a job requires, you'll need to convince the employer that you fit the description of a perfect candidate even if you don't have all the qualifications on paper. This is where emphasizing your strengths can make all the difference when it comes to your resume. While you don't want to make things up, you'll want to do some research into the position you seek and work to make your experience as relevant as possible to the role to increase your chances of getting hired.
Highlight Your "Soft Skills"
Soft skills are essential in the workplace, and they're even more critical when you're starting your career. Soft skills include things like communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and time management. Even if you haven't had a job yet, you likely have developed some of these skills through school or extracurricular activities. Include examples of how you've demonstrated these skills in your resume. For instance, if you were a team captain on a sports team, mention how you helped motivate and coordinate your team members. If you've been involved in any volunteer work, highlight your communication skills and your ability to work well with others. Don't just include a soft skill because it sounds good though. Tailor your skills to the job description you're applying for and emphasize the aspects of your experience that are most relevant to the position.
Make Your Experience Relevant
Remember that just because you don't have formal work experience doesn't mean you don't have relevant experience. Think about any activities or projects you've been involved in that relate to the job you're applying for. For example, if you're applying for a job in customer service, mention any volunteer work you've done that involves working with people to highlight your abilities to maintain a positive attitude and work well with others. Maybe your experience on a math team can demonstrate not only your top-notch math skills but also your ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure. If you've done any internships or summer jobs, even if they're not directly related to the job you're applying for, include them in your resume. These experiences show that you have a strong work ethic and are committed to learning and gaining experience.
Remember that your resume is always a work in progress. As you develop your skills and gain experience, you can improve your resume and tailor it to the exact role you desire. Consider making several different resumes to highlight different aspects of your experience and skills. As you progress through school and adult life, always keep learning and developing as a person. The skills you gain today could help you achieve your goals in the future.
Mari Whitmore
Mari Whitmore recently graduated from a tiny private college in the middle of beautiful Wyoming. She spends her time traveling, adventuring in nature, writing, and working as a barista and bartender. Recently, Mari relocated to the gorgeous hill country of Central Texas. In her free time, she loves to hike, paddleboard, read, paint, watch movies, and gather with friends and family.
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