resume for a high school student with no work experience

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16 High School Student Resume Examples Created for 2024

High School Student Resume

• High School Student Resumes by Experience
• High School Student Resumes by Role

High school is one of the best times of your life, but it can also be one of the most difficult when looking for your first or second job. You’ve got to fill out applications, prep for interviews, and write your resume.

Using ChatGPT for resumes  is a cool idea, but can still feel daunting and overwhelming. We’ve all been there, and up until now, there hasn’t been a good resource for high schoolers to help  craft compelling resumes or student cover letters .

We’ve analyzed countless high school resumes to discover  what would get students job interviews in 2024 . While you may want to start with a simple  resume outline , keep reading to find 16 high school resume samples (plus writing tips) that are jam-packed with essential techniques and tricks.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• If you choose to use a template, make sure you adjust the  resume’s formatting  so that your text is big enough to read with one-inch margins on the side.
• However, you should write your bullet points like you would for a job. Highlight any responsibilities and accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for now.
• For example, if you’re looking for a job in sales, emphasize your ability to work in groups and create a good customer experience.

High School Student No Experience Resume

• If you don’t have work history, include projects and volunteer work instead. Treat them like a job and write bullet points according to your responsibilities.
• Make sure you start every bullet point with active verbs, and always double-check for typos. You’ve got this!
• Include your unique skills, your desired position, and the company you hope to work for to make your objective stand out from the rest!

First Job High School Student Resume

• To remedy that problem, add a  skills section on your resume  to give hiring managers an important overview of your strengths.
• To really highlight your abilities, incorporate the same skills in your work experience, too. Demonstrate how you used your skills to better your workplace, and you can’t go wrong!
• Adding stylistic elements like color and different fonts can help you show a bit of your personality (and make your resume more fun to read). 

Experienced High School Student Resume

• Remember, your resume is a highlight reel, so you need to include what’s most important (like your achievements and relevant metrics). 
• You can adjust your layout, font sizes, and margins, but keep it easy to read. 
• Use a bit of color and some fun fonts, provided it still looks professional. You’ve got this!

High School Senior Resume

• This statement must align with the potential employer’s needs, proving you understand the job requirements and have gone the extra mile to address doubts about your capabilities. As for experiences that might have prepared you for the job, workshops and volunteering programs you’ve participated in are prominent candidates.

Out of High School Resume

• Leisure activities range from soccer, hiking, drawing and sketching, robotics, and photography to journalism. But how do they fit in the picture? Well, a penchant for drawing and sketching could reflect creativity and an eye for detail, while journalism stints could hint at strong communication and critical thinking.

High School Graduate Resume

• Right from the first line of the career objective, you can see the candidate’s passion and willingness to work in this field. Notice how Serai’s love for photography is clearly backed by a previous project for a school newspaper.
• These details will be perfect when Serai’s ready for the AI cover letter generator to bring her application to perfection.

High School Student Scholarship Resume

• Your high school student scholarship resume should vividly show your positive contributions to noble causes, such as offering ADLs to seniors, and emphasize your impact on society.

High School Student College Application Resume

• Ensure your high school student college application resume shows your practical and classwork achievements that emphasize your grand vision to make a positive contribution to society.

High School Student for College Resume

• Before hitting “submit,” always  check your resume  for typos and other minor errors. It’s amazing what you can miss during your first few reviews.
• A good GPA can demonstrate, at least in part, your willingness to work hard. We’d recommend including your GPA only if it’s above 3.5, but anything above a 3 is a good average.

High School Student for Customer Service Resume

• Including projects, volunteer work, or club memberships is a great way to add value to your resume.
• Your resume should focus on your abilities and other activities you’ve engaged in that will show your value.
• Read the responsibilities and qualifications to look for key skills and tasks. Then, incorporate some of those skills and responsibilities into your high school student customer service resume.

High School Student Internship Resume

• For example, if the job description lists responsibilities like writing and analyzing data, include “written communication” and “data analysis” in your skills section.
• One easy way to customize your resume is by focusing your  resume skills  on things that apply to the internship. 
• Make sure you keep your resume professional and to the point. You don’t want to include anything too personal about your beliefs, religion, politics, or personal information.
• For example, you can list “volunteering at local church,” but avoid saying “fasting every weekend.” It doesn’t show off relevant skills and is a bit too forward for a resume.

High School Student Office Worker Resume

• Good projects include anything that demonstrates your leadership abilities or desire for knowledge. Senior projects, personal blogs, or even being on a sports team are all good examples to include!
• Add work experience directly under your contact information and name, then add any relevant projects if you’re low on space. 
• While there are plenty of  resume writing tips , your resume should be as unique as you. Don’t get so caught up in what you think you “should” do that your resume is bland and cookie-cutter. 

High School Student Sales Resume

• Numbers demonstrate your value, and they’re useful tools for the Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) software that hiring managers use to sort through job applicants.
• Trust us, and incorporate metrics into at least 80% of your bullet points!
• For example, you know that different  resume templates  can change your resume’s appearance, but different templates can also stretch or streamline your content. 
• Mess with multiple templates to see what your content will look like—you may find a template that allows for more room, or one that allows you to highlight your skills better.

High School Student Athlete  Resume

• Think of a time you proved you were the MVP on your team—Did you lead your team to a championship? Perhaps you made the game-winning shot in a crucial, nail-biting game?

High School Student Music Resume

• When you include hobbies like songwriting or your interest in classical music in your high school student music resume , it conveys to your recruiter that you’re super dedicated and passionate about your craft.
• You can also include hobbies that are different, too. For example, if you enjoy experimenting with new recipes from around the world, that can show you’re ready to give new genres a whirl or that you understand that music—while art—is still supposed to be fun and adventuresome.

Related resume guides

• Entry Level

High School No Experience Resume Examples and Templates

This page provides you with High School (No Experience) resume samples to use to create your own resume with our easy-to-use resume builder . Below you'll find our how-to section that will guide you through each section of a High School (No Experience) resume.

If you’re a high school student stressed about writing your first ever resume, don’t worry – it’s not just you! When you’re young and inexperienced, resumes can seem like a serious challenge. All you want is to land your first ever part-time job – but how do you fill all that space, when you’re totally new to the world of work?

Don’t give up hope! You probably have more relevant experience than you think, even if it isn’t directly related to work. As a high school student, employers will expect you to include things like club activities, school-based responsibilities, and even volunteering work on your high school resume.

To give you a head start, we’ve written up a helpful guide to writing your first ever resume. We’ve put together examples of what a good resume should look like, hints on what to do (and what not to do) when writing, and advice on what to expect from the job application process – including some tips you may not get from your school’s careers counselor. Read on, and you’ll be sending out your first resume in no time!

How to Write Your High School No Experience Resume

As a high school student with no work experience, it’s unlikely that youve never had to write a resume before. Don’t let it scare you – it’s not as complicated as you might expect! In general, most resumes will contain the following sections:

• A summary and/or objective
• A record of your past work experience
• A list of your qualifications, certifications, and licenses
• A list of your relevant skills

Your resume needs to show a hiring manager two things, especially when you have no previous work experience. The first is that you have relevant qualifications for the role you want – whether that’s an academic qualification in a relevant field, or just some relevant experience that may not have anything to do with work. The second is that you have the skills that will allow you to excel in the role.

This means that it’s okay if you don’t have much to fill out your experience section. As a high school student, new to the workforce, you won’t be expected to bring any real professional experience to the table. The more important thing is how you present yourself in your resume – which means calling attention to the skills, qualifications and experience that you do have, so hiring managers know why they should give you the opportunity you want.

We’ll cover each section of your resume one by one, so you can build it one step at a time.

The Best Format for a High School No Experience Resume

Before you actually write your resume, you’ll need to choose the right layout! The format of your resume dictates what hiring managers will notice first when they see your job application. The right format will draw their attention to your best qualities, and draw it away from the areas where you know you aren’t as strong as you would like.

This is something to keep in mind when you choose your professionally-designed resume template from our selection. As you won’t have any previous work experience, you will benefit from choosing a format that will highlight your skills instead. That way, recruiters can see what you bring to the table, rather than what you don’t!

Remember, this is only your first resume – when you have more work experience behind you, you’ll be able to create a brand new resume for future job applications. After you’ve built up a stronger work history, you will benefit from choosing a resume format that balances your skills and qualifications with your work experience. When that time comes, our resume guides for a wide range of different industries will help you make the best and smartest choices!

• Applicant Tracking Systems

Some companies use an applicant tracking system (or ATS) to sort through the job applications they receive for each open position. ATS software filters resumes based on keywords (usually taken from the job description) to help weed out resumes that are generic, not qualified for the role, or otherwise unsuitable to progress to the interview stages. This is really useful for hiring managers – it allows them to speed up the hiring process, which saves them a lot of time.

But for candidates, it isn’t such good news! If your resume doesn’t get through the ATS software’s filtering system, it is likely to be rejected before a human gets to see it at all. That can be upsetting, especially if you’ve put a lot of time and effort into your resume.

You can boost your chances of getting through the ATS software by paying close attention to the requirements of the job description. Wherever possible, you should use the exact words used in the job description when describing your skills: for instance, if a job description asks for ‘high levels of personal organization,’ use that exact phrase when writing about your experience of balancing multiple AP classes at school. Treat the job description as your guide, and you can maximize your chances of success.

ATS software can sometimes get confused by complex resume formatting. But don’t panic – all of VisualCV’s resume templates are designed to make your resume easy for ATS software to read. That means you don’t have to worry about the software being confused by the format of your resume – you can focus on your resume’s content, instead.

How to Write a Summary for Your High School No Experience Resume

Most resumes open with a summary, which means it’s the first thing most recruiters will see when they pick up your resume. A summary is meant to give recruiters a short, clear description of your best qualities. The key to a good summary is keeping it brief – think about the three main reasons why you are qualified for the job you want, and write them down in three sentences or less.

It’s important to remember that your summary should be specific to the role you’re applying for. You can’t get away with reusing the same summary for multiple applications! Recruiters will notice, and it will affect your chances of getting hired.

Since you’re applying for your first ever job, you can’t talk about your past work experience in your summary. However, you can bring up your educational background, your skills, your best qualities, and any relevant non-work experience you have. Later in your career, you can use your summary to lay out your career journey so far, so recruiters can easily see where you’re coming from and what you bring.

• 3 High School No Experience Summary Examples:
• Junior year student at William McKinley High, achieving a 3.5 GPA. Student editor of the school magazine, with experience of teamwork and project management. A fast learner with a strong work ethic.
• Senior year high school student maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Active member of the school field hockey team, bringing my drive to succeed and my passion for teamwork to everything I do.
• Current student at West High School, maintaining a 3.6 GPA. Three years of volunteer experience at a local animal shelter. I deliver great customer service, compassion and care in all areas of my life.
• How Not to Write a High School No Experience Resume Summary

You might be tempted to use your summary as a second cover letter – a longer piece of writing telling the story of why you want the job you’re aiming for. In fact, this is the number one thing you shouldn’t do when writing your summary!

A summary needs to be clear and to-the-point, focused on what you can offer your employer. You need to keep it focused, professional, and short. If you want to talk more about yourself, you can do that in your cover letter instead – your resume simply doesn’t have the space to accommodate it.

We know that summaries can be tough to pin down. Some recruiters don’t think you need a summary at all – in fact, opinion is divided – so don’t feel too bad if you’re having a hard time! Leave it out for now, and think about coming back to it later on.

• For the past three years, I have worked as a volunteer at the Soft Paws Animal Shelter, cleaning the animals’ environments and providing enrichment activities. I believe this history of taking responsibility for my surroundings will give me a head start in the role of Part-Time Janitor, as I already know the best cleaning and sanitation techniques.

Do You Need a Resume Objective?

By now, you should be pretty clear on what a summary is – but what about your resume objective?

When you’re just starting out on your career journey, an objective is a great way to give hiring managers more information about your long-term plans. Your objective should be a one-sentence statement about where you want to work or what you want to do in the future. While it might sound obvious, you do need to make sure that your objective is relevant in some way to the role you’re applying for!

You won’t always need a resume objective. They’re much less useful when you already have an extensive work history, because your career so far can tell a hiring manager a lot about your long-term goals. But when you’re applying for a first job, most recruiters agree that an objective is a smart thing to include.

• High School No Experience Resume Objective Example:
• Current student at William McKinley High, hoping to build experience in the food service industry.

How to Describe Your Experience on Your High School No Experience Resume

We know you don’t have any previous experience of holding down a paid job – after all, this is your first ever resume! But you almost certainly have more relevant experience than you think you do. Here are just a few things you might be able to include in this section of your resume:

• High school clubs and extracurriculars
• Sporting activities
• Volunteering experience
• Work experience placements
• Relevant hobbies and achievements

As long as you can use the experience to show how it has prepared you for the role you want, you can include it! Try taking the time to list all of the skills you have used or learned during your non-work experience. Then you can include any experience where those skills match up with the skills listed on the job description.

Remember, you don’t have to add everything you’ve ever done to your resume! If you’ve participated in a lot of extracurriculars, be selective about which ones you include. On the flip side, if you don’t have much experience, don’t lie to pad it out – you will probably get caught, and it will throw up some serious red flags for any recruiter or hiring manager.

• Describe Your Experience Effectively

Each ‘item’ of experience on your resume should come with a bullet-pointed list of things you achieved while doing it. But as you’ll see in the example we’ve provided, it’s not always that straightforward! Every bullet point should prove that you have a skill or quality listed in the job description.

That’s why you should do your best to write about what you actually achieved – not just about the basics of what you did every day. Instead of ‘cleaned floors,’ try ‘maintained a clean and sanitary work environment in accordance with health and safety guidelines.’ Doesn’t that sound more professional?

Generally, hiring managers want to see evidence that you were able to succeed in your previous work. If you can show the results you achieved by completing each task, hiring managers will be more likely to believe that you can get those results again in a future job.

Do: Volunteer, Soft Paws Animal Shelter | 2019-21

• Provided a clean and sanitary environment for employees and animals by participating in a regular cleaning rota
• Delivered great customer service and well-researched advice to members of the public looking to rescue a pet
• Participated in a volunteer dog-walking and play rota, delivering enrichment and stimulation to animals in the shelter’s care
• How Not to Describe Your Experience

You should never write a simple list of the tasks you completed! Without any context, a basic list of responsibilities assigned to you won’t tell a hiring manager anything. They won’t have any reason to believe that you did a good job when you carried out those tasks, or that you might do them just as well in a new job.

The most important thing about writing a resume is showing hiring managers that you have the skills to succeed. Be explicit about those skills and how you have applied them in the past! You can’t afford to assume that they will make those connections without your input.

Don’t: Volunteer, Soft Paws Animal Shelter | 2019-21

• Cleaned work areas
• Greeted the public
• Walked dogs

How to List Skills on Your High School No Experience Resume

Your resume’s skills section is a list of your skills – specifically the ones that will help you in the role you’re applying for. You can refer to the job description to find out what those skills are! Most of the time, job descriptions include a list of qualities that applicants should have, so use that as a guide for this section.

It will help to know the difference between ‘hard skills’ and ‘soft skills.’ Hard skills are the practical skills you’ll use in your role – like the use of particular tools or equipment, or the ability to use a certain software package. If you don’t have all the hard skills necessary for the role you want, don’t give up – you can let hiring managers know, either in your cover letter or as part of your skills section, that you’re keen to learn on the job.

Meanwhile, you definitely have some relevant soft skills already! We’ll cover those in more detail in the next section.

For general information about skills on your resume, check out our resume skills guide here!

Important Soft Skills for Your High School No Experience Resume

Soft skills are the skills you rely on in every aspect of your professional life. Skills like communication, organization and attention to detail are vital in almost every line of work, and will help you navigate a new job more easily. When you don’t have any past work experience, a good list of soft skills can show an employer that you have the tools to succeed.

Whatever the nature of the job you’re applying for, certain soft skills are always useful. Here are some of the most important soft skills to include on your high school no experience resume!

• Communication

Can you share information clearly and appropriately in person, in writing, and over the phone? Communication is absolutely critical in most jobs. Being able to communicate well will bolster your customer service skills, as well as your ability to work effectively as part of a team.

• Organization

You might get away with disorganization in high school, but the world of work is a lot less forgiving. You’ll need to be able to balance your various obligations, show up on time, and look put-together. If you can show that you’re an organized person, you’ll stand a better chance of landing almost any job!

• Willingness to Learn

For high school students looking for their first job, this one is vital – you’re likely to need more on-the-job training than more experienced candidates, after all. Being willing to absorb and adapt to new information is an important skill that will stand you in good stead with hiring managers!

There are very few jobs that will let you work independently of a larger team. Having a job means getting on effectively with people from all backgrounds, regardless of whether or not you actually like them. Teamwork also means taking on your fair share of responsibilities in partnership with the rest of your team.

Final Thoughts

Writing your first resume can be an intimidating prospect, especially when you’re young and inexperienced. But we’ve given you all the tools you will need to write a well-constructed resume, regardless of your experience level. Remember, it’s not about what you don’t have – it’s about how you present what you do have!

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• Guide to Writing a Great...

Guide to Writing a Great Resume with No Work Experience

16 min read · Updated on February 13, 2024

No work experience? No problem.

The ol' catch-22: you need a job to get experience, but you need experience to get a job. Either way, you need a resume, and what you don't need is to panic. 

Just because you don't have skills that are relevant to the job, or experience in a traditional work setting, doesn't mean you can't craft a convincing first job resume. Whether you're a high school or college student, you may be wondering: how do you write a resume with no work experience? Well, we'll tell you with these expert tips.

1. Choose the best format for a resume with no experience

There are a few dominant resume templates in use today:

Chronological

Hybrid - a blend of the chronological and functional formats

A  chronological resume format  lists a candidate's work experience in reverse-chronological order and a functional resume format focuses on highlighting the candidate's hard and soft skills and achievements, rather than work experience. While the functional and hybrid resume formats can be attractive options for job seekers with little relevant experience, most employers and hiring managers prefer a chronological format.

Aside from hiring managers preferring it, it's best to use a reverse chronological resume for two additional reasons:

It's the most used format in the US, making it easy for hiring managers to review and find the information they're seeking

It's the most liked by employers' applicant tracking systems, or ATS. If an ATS can't read your resume properly, it might not get into the hands of a human reader - even if you're the perfect candidate for the job

The primary sections of a reverse chronological resume are:

The heading (with your contact information)

Resume summary

Work experience (which will be substituted with other sections when you have no work experience)

Education 

2. Incorporate your contact information 

Now that you've chosen the best format for a resume with no experience, it's time to complete each section. The first section of your resume is the header section. This is the section that includes your name and contact information. In this section, you'll provide:

Phone number

Email address

Location and zip code

LinkedIn  or professional website URL (optional)

Your name should sit above your contact information in a larger font size than the rest of the information included in the header. You also want to ensure you use a professional sounding email address. Using something like “[email protected]” or “[email protected]” will likely come across as unprofessional and won't gain you any points for the “yes” pile. A good choice is to use your name (or a combination of your initials and surname), instead. 

Here's an example of how to list your contact information at the top of your resume:

Joseph Smith

555.555.5555 | [email protected] | WV 26250 | linkedin.com/in/jsmith28

3. Include a strong summary statement

The next section of your resume, your Resume Summary, will fall just below your contact information. Your resume summary is not to be mistaken for a resume objective. 

Resume objective statements , where you state exactly what career goals you wish to achieve, have mostly fallen out of fashion. This is largely because you want to focus on what you can do for the employer, not what the employer can do for you. A resume summary statement, on the other hand, sums up who you are professionally at the top of the page in two to five sentences and serves as the first impression you give a hiring manager to entice them to keep reading. 

For a resume with no experience, your resume summary can still pack a punch. Include some of the key skills you have relevant to the job, while emphasizing your major and any type of experience that speaks to your ability to succeed.

Here's an example of a resume summary for a recent grad with a human resources degree:

Human resources graduate with diverse knowledge base in employee relations, benefits design, employment law, and policy design. Avid learner with solid written and verbal communication skills and a strong desire to support all levels within an organization for improved employee morale and productive collaboration. 

4. Substitute the Work Experience section with other types of experience

Writing a resume with no experience can feel like a daunting task. Fortunately, recruiters and hiring managers are seeking candidates that have a robust background, regardless of experience level. Here are some sections you can substitute in lieu of a Work Experience section:

Internships

Graduate assistantships, extracurricular activities.

Volunteer Work

Hobbies and Interests

When you include these additional types of experiences on a resume, you can include them as a standalone section or create a “Relevant Experience” section. Depending on the type of experience you're including, you might find it's best to use a section heading that aligns with the type of experience (“Internships” for internships, “Volunteer Work,” for volunteer work, and so on). 

Landing paid or unpaid college internships  are one of the best weapons you have against "experience required." Not only do they give you some real-world work experience, they also allow you to network and make connections that can put you in a job later. When applying for a job without experience, be sure to list any internships you've completed. 

If you haven't had an internship, consider applying for one as a step before an entry-level job.

Here's an example of how to include an internship on your resume:

Finance Intern

New York Secretary of State Office, New York, NY

Jan 2021 - May 2021

Reconciled budget sheets for quarterly processing

Supported accounting team in year end tax return audits 

Analyzed 15 budget reports over a two-month period to ensure accurate data reporting 

Similar to internships, a graduate assistantship secured during school is also a great way to gain valuable experience to include on a resume. Graduate assistantships are paid opportunities provided to graduate students. They typically involve part-time teaching or research within their field of study. 

Here's an example of how to include an assistantship on your resume:

HR Graduate Assistant

West Virginia University School of Business and Economics, Morgantown, WV

August 2020 - May 2021

Reviewed 100 collective bargaining agreements to identify and document similarities and inconsistencies throughout

Worked with academic Professors to develop research guidelines for future assistants

Volunteer work

When surveyed, the majority of employers say that they take  volunteer experience listed on your resume , such as being a soup kitchen volunteer, into consideration alongside paid work experience. So any volunteer work that highlights your talents or a new skill should be put on your well-prepared resume. 

You'll list volunteer work in a similar way to how you would list internships and actual work experience:

Animal Transport Volunteer

Friends for Life Animal Shelter, Philippi, VA

April 2022 - Present 

Working with local shelters to transport animals to and from shelters and foster homes

Assisting in cleaning kennels and common areas to support sanitation efforts

Spearheading animal supply drive, collecting $10K worth of supplies

Though it might not seem like it at first, extracurricular activities can add a lot of value to your resume in lieu of work experience, if you can relate them to the job you're applying to. For example, if you were an officer for a club during college or a captain of a sports team, these roles speak to leadership ability. 

In general, these types of activities show you have the ability to collaborate with others. It also shows you have the ability to keep up with school work while being involved in other areas outside of school, which speaks to time management and organizational skills. 

Here are some of the top extracurricular activities to include on a resume with no experience, as well of some of the skills they help to highlight:

Artistic endeavors: speaks to creativity, problem solving, perseverance, ability to learn 

Sports: speaks to teamwork, collaboration, hard work, problem solving, conflict resolution

Club leadership roles: speaks to leadership, organization, perseverance, time management

General club membership: speaks to time management, community involvement, prioritizing

Student government: speaks to leadership, public speaking, time management, problem solving, organization

Here's an example of how to list extracurricular activities on a resume with no experience:

Student Council Vice PresidentBelington High SchoolAugust 2020 - May 2021

Spearheaded clothing drive to support the homeless in the state of Virginia

Wrote and delivered 3 speeches to the student body focused on student wellbeing, fundraising events, and life beyond high school

Special Projects

If you completed job-related projects during high school or college, they can be a valuable addition to your resume. Personal projects are also game for a resume with no experience, if they're relevant to the job. 

Here's how you might list a personal project on your resume:

Social Media Campaign

Sparkle and Shine Fundraising Event

February 2022 - Mar 2024

Created social media campaign to support fundraising efforts for local children's shelter, supporting education in underprivileged youth

Increased followers by 25% in two months

Generated leads that converted to $3,000 in donations

Here's how you might list school projects on your resume:

Beaumont University

Masters in Counseling and Development

Career counseling planning design for women with chronic fatigue syndrome

Group counseling proposal for friends and family members of those who have mental health challenges

Behavioral health program design to work with males ages 18 to 30 with adverse childhood experiences

Hobbies and interests

It's more common today than ever before to include hobbies and interests on a resume - they help to provide insights into who you are as a person, to enhance your resume story. Hobbies and interests require soft and hard skills, many of which are required to succeed on the job, and they can especially be useful to fill in gaps when you lack work experience.  

For additional information on how to list hobbies and interests on your resume with no experience, refer to “ How to List Hobbies and Interests on a Resume (With Examples) .”

An award can signal to an employer to take note, since they're a distinction that speaks to your skills, abilities, and accomplishments. Adding an Awards section is an excellent way to showcase your ability to succeed in lieu of work experience. 

When you list an award, include the award and issuing institution. For example:

2023 Science Olympiad Award recipient, Science Olympiad Foundation

Certifications

Acquiring certifications provides an excellent opportunity to add value and fill in gaps in terms of skills and work experience. There are a lot of opportunities to secure certifications for free through sites like LinkedIn Learning, Udemy, and  Grow with Google . Certifications not only highlight your skills but also show that you're focused on personal and professional development, which employers appreciate in candidates.  

You can list certifications in a standalone Certifications list or with your Education section. For more information on how to best include certifications on a resume with no experience, refer to “ How to List Certifications on a Resume (with examples) .” 

5. Include your education 

When you have work experience, it's common to include your Education section after your Work Experience section. However, on a resume with no experience, many opt to list and emphasize their education after the resume summary. This is largely due to the fact that your education is what's most relevant to employers when you're straight out of school. 

Also, in lieu of a Work Experience section, especially if you're running thin on any of the relevant experience options listed above, you can expand and focus on the  education section on your resume  to highlight the marketable skills you've developed. What can you do well that this job requires? What will be useful to the hiring company? What have you done in school and what have you studied that has prepared you for assuming this job?

This is generally a little easier if you're a college graduate with specialized education, but even a high school graduate can talk about their electives and relevant coursework, why they wanted to take them, and what they learned from the class. It's also acceptable to include any awards, scholarships, honors, or any student clubs and committees you participated in. For example, if you were on the Dean's list, include it. 

Many also wonder if they should include their GPA on their resume. The short answer is yes, if it's 3.5 or higher. This level of achievement highlights your potential and the hard work you're willing to put in for success. 

Here's the order to list items in your Education section, with items 5 to 8 being optional:

Degree issued

Issuing institution

City and state of institution 

Graduation date (or expected graduation date, if in progress)

Relevant coursework

Student committees

Here's how your education might look laid out on your resume:

Bachelors of Science - Psychology (3.5 GPA, magna cum laude)Maryland State University

Relevant coursework: human growth and development, assessment, treatment planning, abnormal behavior

6. Emphasize your skills

Even when you don't have actual work experience, you have definitely acquired skills to support you on the job, which can set you apart from the competition. Be sure to highlight both hard and soft skills on your resume. You can do this by including a Skills section near the end, or by adding a Core Competencies section just below your Resume Summary. 

You also might be wondering what the difference is between hard and soft skills. Hard skills are technical skills that are measurable and learned. Softs skills are tangible skills that are difficult to measure. 

Examples of valuable hard skills on a resume include:

Mathematics

Computer skills

Data analysis

Project management

Social media

Language skills

Here are some common soft skills employers seek in their employees:

Communication

Problem solving

Organization

Interpersonal skills

Time management

Working well under stress

7. Add a cover letter

Even if one isn't required, it's generally a good idea to send a short cover letter along with your resume. Cover letters are where your personality comes out and you can use them to make the case for why you're the perfect candidate for this job. 

A standout cover letter can convince an employer to bring you in for an interview, even if your resume itself doesn't have all the things they'd like to see. Your cover letter provides you with the opportunity to show a bit of personality and express why you're interested in the job, as well. Be sure your cover letter uses the same font and style as your resume, for consistency. 

Elements you should never include on a resume

While there are many elements you should consider adding to your resume, career experts say there are a few things you should never include because they waste space, don't tell the employer anything relevant, or could damage your personal brand. This list includes, but is not limited to: 

Employment references

Writing samples

Photos  of yourself

Do not add this information to your resume unless an employer or recruiter asks you to provide it. 

Additional tips for a resume with no work experience 

As you develop your resume with no experience, here are a few more tips to consider. 

Take stock of your achievements and activities

Make a list of absolutely everything you've done that might be useful on a resume. From this list, you'll then need to narrow down what to actually include on your resume. Different things might be relevant to different jobs you apply for, so keep a full list and pick the most relevant things from it to include on your resume when you send it out. This will help you to identify which sections to include in lieu of work experience.

Pay attention to technical details

When editing your resume, make sure there are no punctuation, grammatical, spelling, or other errors that will make your resume look unprofessional. Then, have a friend or family member read it again to catch any mistakes you might have missed — you can't afford a typo or missing word as a candidate with no prior work experience. Also, be sure to vary your language and use action verbs throughout your resume to keep your reader engaged.

Keywords, keywords, keywords!

Most employers use some form of  applicant tracking system (ATS) to scan and sort resumes . This may seem unfair, but it's the reality of modern-day hiring. To combat this, you'll want to come up with, and include, a list of keywords in your resume when applying for any job. The best place to  find these keywords  is in the job post itself, or in ads for similar jobs. One caveat: don't use meaningless "buzzwords," such as "go-getter," "team player," and “detail-oriented." Unfortunately, sometimes these buzzwords are the only keywords listed in the ad. If that's the case, you'll need to sneak them in alongside your detailed accomplishments and academic achievements.

Customize your resume for each job you apply to

The last and most important thing to remember when creating a good resume is to  customize it for every job to which you apply . Different job postings are going to have different keywords, different job duties listed, and so on. Appealing to each individual employer's needs and job requirements is the best strategy for getting your application noticed and hopefully landing your first job.

Relevant experience goes beyond work experience

At the end of the day, the only perfect resume is the one that gets you the interview. Regardless of whether you have work experience or not, it's still possible to stand out by highlighting other types of experience that relate to the role. 

Even once you're comfortably employed, be prepared to tweak and update your resume to get noticed with each job application you submit. In the meantime, use any type of relevant experience to help you shine and land an interview. Sooner or later, you'll land that job - and gain that much-coveted relevant work experience.

Tackling this kind of resume isn't easy. If you've recently graduated or are in an entry-level job search, a  professional resume writer  can prepare you for success.

This blog was originally written by Riya Sand and has been updated by Ronda Suder. 

Recommended reading:

5 Things You Should Always Include on Your Resume

Should You Include Social Media on Your Resume?

How to Be a Great Candidate Even If You're Under-Qualified for the Job

Related Articles:

How to Maximize Your Resume Action Words to Wow the Employer

Is Your Resume Inspirational? If Not, Here's How to Fix It

7 Ways You Try Too Hard in Job Applications

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High School Resume - How-To Guide for 2024 [11+ Samples]

Whether you’re preparing your college application, applying for an internship, or looking for a part-time job, you’ll notice that every single place is asking for your resume. 

You sit down, work on your resume for an hour, trying to come up with what you can include.

And all you end up with is the name of the high school you’re attending.

“What gives?” you wonder.

“What else can I add to my resume, when I have zero work experience?”

That’s a more than valid concern and it’s exactly what we’re going to discuss in this article! 

We’re going to tell you exactly what to write so that your resume is as convincing as any other (even with zero work experience). 

• What to include in a high school resume
• 4 Free high school templates you can use
• A real-life high school resume example
• FAQ on high school resumes

Let’s start with the question you’ve been repeatedly asking yourself:

What to Include in My High School Resume?

At the end of the day, resumes are about showing an employer that you are the right person for the job. 

You want to show you’re a competent, passionate, and responsible individual, with the right skills to get the job done.

Well, work experience isn’t the only way to convince recruiters of that. 

Instead, you can focus on the following sections:

• #1. Contact Information - This is where you write down your personal and contact information (no surprise there) like first and last name, phone number, e-mail address, or links to other profiles.
• #2. Resume Objective - In 3-4 sentences, you should be able to describe your career goals and aspirations as well as list your skills.
• #3. Education - As you probably guessed, this is where you list your education history and relevant certifications.
• #4. Extracurricular Activities - These include participation in high school clubs, competitive events, and volunteer work.
• #5. Projects & Gigs - You can mention relevant projects you have participated in, as well as any internships.
• #6. Work Experience (optional) - If you don’t have any work experience, you can mention apprenticeships or volunteer work instead.
• #7. Languages - Language skills are always a plus for your application.
• #8. Hobbies & Interests - These offer some insight into your personality and can show that you’re passionate and interested in the industry.

As you can see, there’s a lot that can go into your resume to make up for the missing work experience. 

Now, we’ll dive into each of these sections in detail and teach you how to do each of them right!

So, let’s start with:

#1. Contact Information

The contact information isn’t too hard to pull off.

Here’s what you need to include here:

• First and Last Name
• Phone Number
• Email Address

Make sure to use a professional email address , something like: [email protected]. Using your middle school [email protected] account will not leave the right impression. 

#2. Resume Objective

A resume objective is a 3-4 sentence statement of your skills, achievements, and career goals . 

Think of it as a short summary of why you’re applying for this specific position and why you’d be a good candidate for it.

You should try your best to link this summary to the role you are applying for. 

For example, if you’re applying for a position as a sales associate, you should make a point of your good social skills, proficiency in math, and teamwork skills.

Let’s have a look at a concrete example of a resume objective for this case:

Hard-working, responsible high school student looking to contribute a positive and collaborative attitude in the retail field. Math-oriented individual with good attention to detail.

#3. Education

In a typical resume, this comes after the work experience section. 

For a high school resume, though, you’d want to do it the other way around, since you want to put more focus on your academic achievements.

This section will most probably consist of only one entry: your high school education. 

Here’s how you can format your education section:

• Name of the Degree
• Name of the Institution
• Years Attended
• GPA (if above 3.5)
• Honors (if applicable)
• Relevant Courses

High School Diploma (Honor Roll)

AB High School

09/2015 - 06/2019

• Relevant courses: AP Calculus, Statistics, Leadership

#4. Extracurricular Activities

Now, this section could be one of your biggest selling points. 

Even if you have a not-so-special GPA, extracurriculars can turn your resume around. These activities are typically school-related, like participation in clubs or student societies. 

Involvement in such, especially in leadership positions like club president or team captain, shows you are sociable and active in your pursuits. 

When listing your extracurricular activities, you should format each entry like this:

Student Body Treasurer

Student Government, AB High School

• Managed the student council’s funds and expenses, kept financial records, and worked with the president and vice president to create budgets and allot funds for clubs and events.
• Participated in organizing student activities like dances, spirit weeks, community service, and fundraising movements and assemblies.

#5. Projects & Gigs

Here you can mention (or even link to) any independent projects you’ve worked on - something you’ve done on the side, unrelated to academics. 

This could be a personal project, small business or startup, side-gig, blog, etc.

Such activities add a lot of value to your resume. They show you’re a self-starter and that’s a quality that’s very much appreciated in any role and industry.

Neighborhood Book Club 

2019 - Present

• Founded a local book club, initially for my friends, and later for all the teenagers of my neighborhood.
• Prepared a monthly book calendar for the club, combining trending, relevant, and classic books.
• Organized weekly meetings to discuss the progress on the books and our thoughts upon finishing them.

#6. Work Experience (Optional)

If you have some work experience, awesome! Here’s how you’d format it on your high school resume:

• Company Name
• Dates Employed
• Achievements & Responsibilities

Sandwich Artist

Joe’s Sandwich Emporium

06/2020 - 09/2020

• Prepared several types of sandwiches for customers.
• Promoted new products on the menu directly to customers.
• Worked with the cash register.
• Interacted with dozens of customers on a daily basis.

If you don’t have any work experience, though, worry not! You can always replace it with another “Other” section.

Volunteer work, for example, is another great addition to your resume. If you also have any informal work experiences like babysitting or dog walking, you should include them in the section. 

Even if you didn’t get a paycheck out of that work, such experiences show you are skilled and reliable. 

For example, an entry for volunteering experience can look like this:

Educational Team Member

Save the Children

2018 - Present

• Assisted in giving weekly art history and drawing lessons to children at the local orphanage
• Helped organize visits at local museums and art galleries

#7. Language skills

Are you bilingual or can speak another language apart from your native one?

Make sure to mention it on your high school resume!

Wherever you might be applying, you can rest assured that they’re going to appreciate your language skills.

Even if you’re applying for a job in the service or retail industry, proficiency in an extra language or two is going to give you an advantage over other applicants, especially if you write your CEFR level , and can back up the claim in conversation.

Who knows when some foreign customers will come in and your knowledge will come in handy!

With that scenario in mind:

Be mindful not to exaggerate your skills, as lying on your resume can only get you in trouble.

#8. Hobbies & Interests

It might feel like you’re just filling up some space, but actually, the hobbies and interests you list on a resume can be significant, especially if you don’t have a lot of extracurriculars or work experience.

You need something to hint as to who you are as a person and employee, and listing hobbies and interests will do that for you. 

They also show that you are an engaged individual and well-rounded applicant. 

However, you should be selective with what you mention here. 

Listing 6+ hobbies will end up having the opposite effect - it will look like you’re just throwing in some random words, hoping some of them will be impressive. 

A good strategy is to look for hints on the job ad i.e. if they are looking for a team player, mentioning a team sport as one of your hobbies is a great idea. 

Keep in mind, though, that you should also avoid hobbies that don’t add to your profile as a candidate.

E.g.: your gaming hobby doesn't make you a better candidate for the role of a sales manager.

4 Free High School Resume Templates

So we’re all done with theory at this point. 

There’s one thing left for you to do: sit down and start preparing your resume. 

To help you with that, we’ve gathered 4 free resume templates , perfect for a high school resume. 

All you have to do is pick the ones you like best & get started with your resume!

#1. Simple Resume Template

This versatile template works for all kinds of applicants - from those with plenty to those with zero work experience. 

The neutral colors emphasize information over flashiness and the structure is easy to follow.

#2. Professional Resume Template

This next template is an all-time favorite of ours. 

Unlike the first template, the Professional one is formatted into two columns. It’s simple, yet stands out with its blue accent color (which you can change into any color you like). 

#3. Modern Resume Template

The Modern template adds something more to the traditional resume look. There is a faded design in the background and some of the sections are boxed by large brackets.

It’s a template that stands out without being too loud or wild. 

#4. Creative Resume Template

If you’re applying for a position in a creative field (marketing, design, etc.), this is the template for you. 

It uses accent colors and has a bold header that makes a statement. 

High School Resume Example

As important as picking the right template is, the content of the resume is what’s going to seal the deal. 

Here’s one example of a high school student resume, so you can get a clearer idea of what it should look like!

High School Resume FAQ

If you still have some questions regarding your high school resume, check out the FAQ and our answers below:

1. How can I write a high school resume with no work experience?

As a high school student, it’s more than normal for you to have no work experience. This shouldn’t scare you. 

There’s a lot of activities you can add to your resume that can substitute work experience.

Extracurricular activities, like participation in school clubs, projects, and gigs, are a great indicator of your skills and personality. Any informal work experiences should also be mentioned.

As long as you are showing the recruiter that you are capable of doing the job, your resume will be just fine without a work experience section.

2. How long should a high school resume be?

When it comes to high school resumes, the answer is undebatable: one page. 

A 2018 eye-tracking study showed that recruiters spend about 7 seconds skimming a resume before deciding whether to discard it or not. 

A 2-page resume will be simply excessive. 

Heck, even if you’re a professional with 10 years of work experience, we’d still recommend sticking to 1 page.

For more on resume length best practices, check out our article.

3. What’s the best way to make a high school resume?

An important and time-consuming part of making a resume is getting the formatting right. 

This means meticulously editing a Word or Google doc in order to get the right typeface, font size , line spacing, margins, etc.

What we’re getting at here is, if you’re making your resume manually, it can take you hours…

And then you make a tiny change on your layout, and your resume starts spilling into the second page!

Want to save time and effort?

Just use a resume builder ! The formatting is done for you, and all YOU have to do is fill in the resume!

Key Takeaways

That pretty much covers all you need to know about writing a high school no-experience resume . 

Quite simple and doable, right?

Finally, here’s a recap of what you should keep in mind when writing your high school resume:

• Instead of work experience, talk about extracurriculars like school clubs, personal projects, or gigs.
• Use sections like education, hobbies & interests, and languages to emphasize your skills and give an idea of your personality.
• Grab the recruiter’s attention with a concise resume objective that clearly highlights your top skills and career goals.
• Keep your resume at a maximum of 1 page.

And finally, good luck with your job search!

Related Resume Examples

• No Experience Resume
• Internship Resume
• College Resume
• Research Assistant Resume
• Students and Graduates Resume
• Teacher Resume

Suggested readings:

• The Complete Guide to Remote Work [W/ Tips & Tricks]
• 101+ Achievements to List On Your Resume [In 2024]
• The Ultimate Guide to Job Hunt - Land Your Next Job in 2024

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How to Write a High School Student Resume with No Work Experience

Writing your resume for the first time can be a daunting experience – especially if you’ve never held a job before. But if you’re trying to get your first job or internship, where do you start? Resist the urge to make something up or spin your babysitting experience into a buzzy description of your experience as a “small animal behaviorist and personal chef.” You can be honest about your background and still present yourself as an ideal candidate.

Although many entry-level jobs will ask you to complete an application, having a resume available will give you something to offer them proactively, either in person or online. Here are some of the main sections of a resume and how to complete them.

If you need more help even after reading our guide, consider our resume writing services designed to give your job application a competitive edge.

Contact information

If you are currently attending school, employers expect that your top priority will be your education, so make sure to put it at the top. You will want to list your school and your expected graduation date. For example:

“George Washington High School, Newark, NJ. Anticipated graduation date: June 2022”

Skills & Competencies

Since you don’t have a lot of experience to rely on, lead with any skills or qualities that will make you a good employee. If you are stuck, ask your friends and family members about how they would describe you and then tweak it a little. Your best friend may think you’re “laid-back,” but in resume terminology, that would be better phrased as “patient.” If your mom thinks you’re hilarious, you can refer to yourself as “outgoing and customer service-focused.”

Most entry-level jobs won’t require you to have a lot of hard or soft skills , but it never hurts to reference some technical competencies, such as “Proficient in Mac OS and Windows.” Unless you are applying for an internship that requires it, do not list that you are skilled on any social media platforms – most bosses will see this as a red flag that you are going to spend your entire time Snapchatting when they need you at the register.

Accomplishments/Experience

Okay, here’s the hard part – how do you list your experience or accomplishments when you don’t have any that relate to paying work? Before you skip this section entirely, really think about what you have done that could show a prospective boss that you would be a good employee. Have you done any babysitting, pet-sitting, car-washing, lawn-mowing at home or around the neighborhood? Do you participate in any after-school clubs or sports? As a student and entry-level employee, all of this counts. It demonstrates a level of responsibility, which will make your future boss feel more confident that they won’t have to explain some basic concepts to you, like showing up on time or calling if you are sick and can’t show up.

As long as your resume is still under one-page, you should feel free to add three people that a potential boss can contact to ask about you. These should not be family members but could be neighbors, family friends, or teachers. If you play sports, maybe ask your coach. Generally, you want someone who can speak to the fact that you are a responsible person. List the reference’s full name, phone number, email, and their relationship to you.

Before you list anyone as a reference available upon request , make sure to get their permission. Let them know what types of jobs you are looking for as well, so they can anticipate the questions they may get – and they may give you a lead on someplace that is hiring. It’s always a nice gesture, now and in the future, to let your references know when you are interviewing for a position and they may get a call or email. Also, let them know when you get the job and thank them for speaking to the hiring manager on your behalf.

A word about fonts

You’ve probably heard this before, but a resume is not a place to use creative fonts. The best fonts will be ones that are popular and easily skimmable. You can use a bigger font for headings, but most of your resume should be in a 10- to 12-point font and fit neatly onto one page.

Good luck writing your first resume. It can be difficult to get started, but it can act as a blueprint for future resumes as you get your first job and start racking up professional experience.

Our most recommended resume resources

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First Resume With No Work Experience Example

What to include on a resume when you don't have work experience

Writing Your First Resume

What to include in your resume.

• Tips Preparing Your First Resume

Resume Template and Example

More resume examples and templates.

YinYang / E+ / Getty Images

Writing your first-ever resume can be a challenge. How do you sell yourself to an employer when you’re a student who doesn’t have any experience in your targeted field?

When writing your first resume with no formal work experience, it's appropriate to include casual jobs like babysitting, pet sitting, lawn mowing, and shoveling snow. You can also include volunteering, internships, and school and community activities.

All experience counts, and the best way you present yourself, your skills, and your assets to a hiring manager is to provide them with a strong resume that showcases your own unique talents.

Here's how to write your first resume, what to include, how to show employers the skills you have, a sample resume to review, and a template you can use to get started writing your resume.

To get started, review information on the  different parts of a resume  and what is included in each element. It's a good idea to review high school resume examples to get an idea of what is appropriate. Even if you've never held a formal job, you still have important life experience that's applicable to the job search.

Don't forget to look at volunteer work, civic groups, and youth organizations (for example, the Scouts or 4-H). The skills you have developed doing these things have given you valuable experience that will impress employers.

The bottom line is that you actually have a lot more experience than you think you have.

Writing your first resume  can seem intimidating, but if you take it step-by-step, you will be able to put together a document that will highlight your abilities and show the hiring manager that you’re worth calling for an interview.

Start by mining your life experience and academic achievements to show that you'll be an asset to the company, despite the fact that you don't have any related job titles to show off at this stage in your career.

For your first resume, take the soft skills (also known as “people skills”) you have and show how they translate into success where you choose to apply them. Include volunteer experience, school achievements, sports, clubs, and organizations you belong to.

Scan the job descriptions for the positions to which you're applying. Look for keywords that indicate what the hiring manager values in a candidate.

For example, the job listing might say, "Successful candidate will be a self-starter who delivers on time and on budget." In that case, despite the fact that you don't have relevant work experience in the same field, you can get the hiring manager's attention by being sure to include (and emphasize) projects that you've successfully led, such as high school clubs in which you held a leadership role that required you to manage both your time and the team's money.

Other “ people skills ” that employers often seek in entry-level job applicants include traits like dependability, good communication and organizational skills, a solid work ethic, and teamwork.

If you start with the job listings instead of with the blank page, the hiring manager's keywords will guide you, and help you focus on which of your academic or after-school experiences have prepared you for this first step in your career.

Once you've compiled a list of what you need in your resume, it should include:

• Contact information
• Experience (casual work, volunteering, clubs, youth organizations, teams)
• Skills (related to the job)
• Awards and Achievements (academic and extracurricular)

Tips Preparing Your​​ First Resume

• Don't lie.  No matter how tempting it might be to stretch the truth, lying on your resume is always a bad idea. You might make it through this round of interviews and even get the job, but you won't be able to deliver on the promises your resume offered. Plus, you'll probably be caught—and fired.
• Don't pad.  You don't need to include the line "references upon request," or personal information beyond your contact information, or a bunch of unrelated hobbies. In fact, there's a lot of  stuff you don't need to put on your resume , even when it's your first one.
• Proofread.  Nothing is less persuasive than a resume full of typos and inconsistencies. Have a trusted friend or family member  proofread your resume  before you submit it.

Download the resume template  (compatible with Google Docs and Word Online) to use as a starting point for your own resume.  

Resume Example (Text Version)

Michelle Washington 18 Sunnyside Boulevard Arlington, NY 16543 mwashington@email.com 111.123.1234

EDUCATION Arlington High School, Arlington, NY CLASS OF 2022 (3.9 GPA)

Pet Sitter — Arlington, NY JUNE 2020 - PRESENT

Established and run successful pet sitting business including dog walking, feeding, and yard care. Responsible for obtaining clients, scheduling and attending visits, organizing visits, and maintaining client relationships.

Soup Kitchen Volunteer — Arlington, NY SEPTEMBER 2020 - PRESENT

Act as weekend/holiday volunteer manager at local soup kitchen, scheduling volunteer time slots, managing intake of donated food, and assisting with preparation and distribution of meals on Sundays and holidays including, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter.

Child Care Provider — Arlington, NY JUNE 2018 – JUNE 2020

Provided child care for several families after school, on weekends, and during school vacations.

SKILLS                                                  

Customer service Hospitality Microsoft Office Google Drive

AWARDS & ACHIEVEMENTS

National Honor Society Honor Roll President of high school Volunteer Club MVP, Arlington Varsity softball team

Here are more examples that you can use to get ideas for your own resume:

• Entry-Level Resume Example
• High School Student Resume Example
• High School Student Resume Template

CareerOneStop. " Get Work Experience ."

CareerOneStop. " Resumes ."

Impressive Resume with No Work Experience (for Students)

By Status.net Editorial Team on November 8, 2023 — 8 minutes to read

• Key Components of a Professional Resume Part 1
• Resume Formatting Tips and Tricks Part 2
• Example Resume for High School Students Part 3
• Example Resume for College Students Part 4
• Tailoring Your Resume Part 5

Part 1 Key Components of a Professional Resume

Contact details.

Start your resume by providing your full name, phone number, and email address. This ensures potential employers can easily contact you. A professional email address (for example, [email protected] ) is recommended. Keep your address and other personal details out of your resume.

Career Objective

As someone with no work experience, your career objective should focus on your abilities and motivation to succeed in the position you’re applying for. State your goal and highlight relevant skills you possess. Be genuine about your enthusiasm and commitment to work hard and learn.

Here, you’ll showcase your transferable skills, demonstrating how they’re applicable even without formal work experience. Group your skills into categories (such as communication, technical, and project management) and provide examples of how you acquired and applied those skills in school, extracurricular activities, or personal projects.

Education Details

Outline your educational background, including the school name, degree or diploma obtained, and graduation date. If your GPA is impressive, consider listing it. Describe relevant coursework, projects, and achievements that demonstrate your competence and abilities related to the job you’re applying for.

Volunteer Work

Showcase any volunteer work you’ve done, describing your role, the organization, and the dates when you volunteered. Focus on the tasks you performed and the skills you gained during this time. Volunteering demonstrates your willingness to learn, commitment, and eagerness to contribute to a cause.

Certifications and Training

Lastly, list any relevant certifications, training, or workshops you’ve attended. These demonstrate your dedication to continuous learning and professional development. Public speaking workshops, leadership programs, or certificates in technical skills, for example, can be valuable additions to your resume.

Related: How to Email a Resume to an Employer (Examples)

Part 2 Resume Formatting Tips and Tricks

The importance of consistency.

Consistency is key when formatting your resume. Choose one font and stick with it throughout the entire document. Make sure your headings, subheadings, and body text are all the same size and style. This will give your resume a polished and professional look.

Making Use of Bullet Points

Bullet points are a great way to break up your text and highlight important information. When listing your skills, education, or other relevant information, consider using bullet points to make the content easier to digest. Not only do they help add structure to your resume, but they also draw the reader’s attention to essential details.

Including Action Verbs

Start each bullet point or description in your resume with a strong action verb. This will show potential employers that you are proactive and capable of achieving results. Examples of powerful action verbs include “managed,” “created,” “implemented,” and “optimized.” Using these types of verbs will give your resume a more dynamic and engaging feel.

Limiting Resume to One Page

Keep your resume concise and limit it to one page. This ensures all your relevant information can be easily scanned by hiring managers. Be selective about the information you include, focusing on your most significant achievements and skills that relate to the position you’re applying for. A well-organized, one-page resume is often more impactful than a long, detailed document.

Resume with No Work Experience: Templates and Examples

When creating your resume with no work experience, templates can save you time and help you focus on showcasing your strengths.

Part 3 Example Resume for High School Students

[Your Name] [Contact Information]

Objective : Motivated high school student aiming to apply strong work ethic and teamwork abilities to a part-time retail position.

Education : [High School Name], [City, State] (Expected) Graduation Date: [Month, Year] GPA: [Number]

Skills: – Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) – Detail-oriented and organized – Bilingual (English and Spanish)

Experience:

Volunteer, [Local Organization], [City, State], [Duration] – Assisted with organizing and executing community events – Collaborated with other volunteers to improve team efficiency

Participated in the [School Club/Project], [High School Name] – Contributed to successful projects and events – Enhanced leadership and teamwork abilities

Activities:

– [High School Club], Member – [Sport], Varsity team – [Volunteer Organization], Regular participant

Objective: Motivated high school student seeking a part-time [position] role at [Company Name] where I can apply my strong work ethic and dedication to learning new skills.

• Expected graduation: [Month Year]
• GPA: [X.XX/4.0]
• Excellent written and verbal communication
• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite
• Strong problem-solving skills
• Able to work independently or in a team

Activities & Honors:

• [Student Club/Organization], [Position/Role], [Year]-[Year]
• [Community Service/Volunteer Experience], [Organization], [Hours/Date Range]

Remember to fill in your information and customize the template for the job you’re applying for. This example puts emphasis on education and focuses on the skills and activities that showcase your abilities as a high school student with no work experience.

Part 4 Example Resume for College Students

Objective : Driven college student with strong analytical skills seeking a data analysis internship to apply coursework and gain hands-on experience.

Education : [University Name], [City, State] (Expected) Graduation Date: [Month, Year] Degree : [Bachelor’s or Associate’s] in [Major] GPA: [Number] Relevant Coursework: [List relevant courses]

– Proficient in Python, R, and SQL – Strong problem-solving and critical thinking abilities – Excellent written and verbal communication – Familiarity with basic statistical concepts

Experience :

Research Assistant, [University Name], [City, State], [Semester, Year] – Collaborated with a faculty member on a research project – Gathered, organized, and analyzed data using statistical software

Title: [Project name] – Developed a [project description] using [tools or programming languages] – Presented findings at [relevant event or conference]

Extracurricular Activities:

– [University Club], Member – [Volunteer Organization], Regular participant

Objective: Driven college student pursuing a [Major] degree at [University Name] seeking an internship in the [Industry] field to expand my knowledge and gain real-world experience.

• [Major], Expected graduation: [Month Year]

Relevant Coursework:

• Proficient in [Programming Language/Software]
• Strong research and analytical abilities
• Effective time management skills

Projects & Volunteer Work:

• Brief description of the project and your role.
• [Volunteer Opportunity], [Organization], [Hours/Date Range]

Make sure to customize this template, focusing on skills and experiences relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Part 5 Tailoring Your Resume

• When applying for a specific job, be sure to demonstrate how your strengths, abilities, and past experiences, even if they are not directly related to the job, can benefit the company. Read the job description and requirements thoroughly; carefully study which skills, keywords, or requirements stand out. Then, make sure to integrate them into your resume.
• For example, suppose the job description emphasizes good communication skills. In that case, you can mention any relevant experience that contributes to your communication skills, such as group projects, being part of a club, or participating in volunteer work where you had to interact with others. Don’t forget to highlight interpersonal skills like teamwork and leadership, as they are often essential in every workplace.
• When it comes to organizing your resume, consider using functional or combination formats, as these tend to place more emphasis on your skills rather than work experience. At the top of your resume, include a strong objective statement or a summary that highlights your career aspirations and the applicable abilities you possess. Use this statement to communicate your enthusiasm and dedication to potential employers.
• Using action verbs or phrases can also help bring your resume to life. As you describe your skills, achievements, or educational experiences, consider using words like “achieved,” “managed,” “created,” or “implemented.” These verbs convey a sense of accomplishment and initiative, which will surely impress your potential employer.
• Lastly, don’t be afraid to showcase your accomplishments outside of traditional work settings. Include any accomplishments that demonstrate your resourcefulness and skills, such as completed projects, awards, or certifications. Make sure to highlight any volunteer work or internships, as these can showcase your dedication and willingness to learn in real-world situations.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i create an impressive resume without work experience.

To create an impressive resume without work experience, focus on your relevant skills, education, projects, volunteer activities, and personal interests. You can also emphasize your achievements in these areas, showing how they make you a good candidate. Use a clean and professional template that highlights your strengths and keeps the reader engaged.

What should I include in my first resume as a college or high school student?

As a college or high school student, your first resume should include the following sections:

• Contact Information: Include your full name, phone number, email address, and mailing address.
• Resume Objective: Write a brief statement about your goals and the value you can bring to a potential employer.
• Education: List your most recent educational experiences and degrees, and any relevant coursework.
• Skills: List relevant hard and soft skills you possess, such as computer programming, public speaking, or leadership.
• Experience: Include any unpaid experiences like internships, volunteer work, or school projects.
• Extracurricular Activities: Mention clubs, sports, or organizations you participate in and any leadership roles you’ve held.

What skills and achievements can I highlight on my resume without any job history?

To highlight skills and achievements without job history, consider the following:

• Academic achievements: Include high GPA, academic awards, or being on the honor roll.
• Volunteer work: List any relevant community service and the impact you had.
• Projects: Mention school or personal projects that demonstrate your skills and abilities.
• Certifications: Add any certifications you’ve earned, such as first aid, coding, or foreign languages.
• Skills: Showcase both hard and soft skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for

What are some tips for writing a resume summary when I don’t have any work experience?

When writing a resume summary without work experience, focus on your skills, education, and other experiences that highlight your strengths and potential to excel in the position. Emphasize your professional attributes like dedication, adaptability, or problem-solving abilities. Tailor your summary to the specific job you’re applying for, incorporating keywords from the job posting. Keep it concise (2-3 sentences) and focused on what you can offer to the employer.

• How to Write a Resume With No Experience (Examples)
• List of 21 Important Technical Skills (with Examples)
• Technical Skills Examples for Resume
• Resume Summary: Smart Examples
• Communication Skills: Performance Review Examples (Rating 1 - 5)
• Can a Resume Be 2 Pages? Common Practices

Kinda Frugal

16 Smart Steps to Get a Job With No Experience

Posted: February 4, 2024 | Last updated: February 4, 2024

If you are fresh out of school and have not worked, you might wonder how to get a job without experience. The situation may become direr when you realize that many job ads specify that previous professional experience is required or would be considered a significant advantage.

However, don’t lose hope just yet. Getting a job with no experience is easier than you think. Sure, previous work experience is an advantage. But it is just one of many factors and qualities a job candidate must have. Here are the steps to help overcome a lack of previous work experience.

1. Research the Positions You Want to Apply For

It is crucial to understand exactly what job you are applying for. If you have a friend or a friend of a friend who works in the same field or does the same job, ask them to meet over coffee. Ask about their primary responsibilities and what skills are required to do what they do.

If speaking to somebody is not an option, a few simple Internet searches might suffice. Google “what qualifications are necessary to become a [profession]” or “what skills are necessary to work as a [profession],” and you will get a basic understanding of that particular job.

2. Obtain the Right Set of Skills

The next logical step is to obtain the critical skills necessary to do the job you want to apply for. Perhaps you have already obtained them through your education and interests.

3. Apply for a Professional Course

You can apply to a professional course if you lack specific skills and knowledge. For example, if you’d like to pursue a career in Search Engine Optimization, you can apply for a Google Certification Course. There are a variety of opportunities for classes both in person and online. Remember to check your Alum or local community college for additional resources. 

4. Consider Volunteering

You could become a volunteer to get job experience. Volunteering is another wonderful way to obtain certain professional and soft skills. The only downside is that you won’t be getting paid. But if you can afford it, you will definitely obtain valuable and relevant experience.

5. Obtain Experience Through Freelancing

If you have the necessary skills to do the job, you could perhaps do some freelancing for a few months before you apply for a full-time job. Freelancing can enrich your portfolio of projects you have worked on, which is proof of professional experience.

6. Update Your Social Media Profiles

Producing relevant content can help you center your social profiles around your professional interests. This will allow you to list your profiles as relevant features in your resume.

7. Apply for an Internship Position

You could apply for an internship or entry-level position to find a job fast without experience. By design, these types of employment are two major pathways through which job candidates obtain work experience. If you are still in college or university, check if an internship program is available for students. 

8. Find a Seasonal Job

Seasonal jobs often have lower skill and qualification entry requirements. Besides, some pay pretty definitely. So check if there are local job ads for available seasonal positions and apply for something you envision doing for a season.

9. Get References

Listing references in your resume could be an advantage when applying for jobs with no experience. You can ask one of your college professors or a staff member of the organization for which you volunteered to give you a reference. And here are some tips on what to do in case your references do not respond.

10. Network Your Way to Full-Time Employment

LinkedIn offers you access to countless recruiters and hiring managers. Revamp your profile to best reflect what you are capable of as a professional, and start following the companies you’d like to work for.

11. Become Familiar With the Companies You Want to Work For

To get an entry-level job without experience, you better open the websites of the companies you’d like to work for and find out their mission, vision, and goals.

Find out their values and company culture . Consider how you fit in that narrative and what you can bring to the table. If you are particularly interested in working in an office, check out our extensive guide on how to get an office job.

12. Craft an Outstanding Resume

The key to applying for a job without experience in that field is to craft an outstanding resume that subtly and exquisitely communicates that you are perfect for the position. In other words, you must show that you are “hungry” for the job and passionate about what you will do.

13. Emphasize Your Skills

To get a job with no experience in that field, you have to highlight both your relevant professional and soft skills. The ability to do the job you are supposed to do is just as important as having experience in the field.

14. Customize Each Application

To stand out when applying for various jobs, you might want to take your time and customize each application to best match the positions you are applying for.

This might entail changing the order of your professional and soft skills (listing the most relevant first) and modifying your resume statement. You could even approach some companies directly by sending them job application emails.

15. Apply for as Many Jobs as You Can

Remember that you are competing with thousands of other candidates. That is why it is recommended that you play the numbers game – the more jobs you apply to, the more likely recruiters will contact you.

16. Prepare for Your Job Interviews

After applying for various jobs, eventually, you will be contacted by recruiters. This means that you will soon be going to job interviews, so you better take the time to prepare and make sure to arrive on time.

12 Assertive Ways to Respond When Your Boss Ignores You

One of the more concerning realizations you could make at work is that your boss ignores you. They don’t respond to your emails or DMs or have time to talk to you in person. So, why is your boss ignoring you all of a sudden? Could it be that they are angry at you for some reason? Do they no longer value you as a professional and an employee? Or are they simply too busy to respond to you? But one crucial thing to remember is that every situation is unique, so the resolution to your situation might come from one or several of the steps outlined below. Whatever the reason for their lack of attentiveness, we have twelve tips to help you determine the best course of action to restore the lines of communication.

15 Jobs Employers Are Actively Seeking Candidates For

Finding capable people to fill open roles is a persistent problem for many businesses. Talent shortages and challenges in recruiting occur when the demand for competent experts in a sector exceeds the supply of such individuals. In an online forum, people identify these jobs that have become almost impossible to fill.

Complete Guide to Contacting Recruiters on LinkedIn

With hundreds of millions of users worldwide, LinkedIn is a vast network with potential professional connections, making it an invaluable resource for job seekers and companies. However, crafting a compelling message can sometimes feel daunting, especially if you have little experience.

In this article, we’ll explore the art of messaging recruiters on LinkedIn, providing you with expert tips and strategies to maximize your impact and increase your chances of getting hired.

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Facility for Rare Isotope Beams

At michigan state university, frib professorial assistant earns goldwater scholarship.

Aaron Philip, a professorial assistant at FRIB, has earned a  Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship , becoming Michigan State University’s fifty-fifth Goldwater Scholar.

The Goldwater Foundation seeks sophomores and juniors committed to a research career in STEM fields with the potential for significant future contribution in their chosen field. The award provides $7,500 per year in funding for 51 students for undergraduate tuition and living expenses.

For the 2024 Goldwater Scholarship competition, 1,353 undergraduates were nominated by 446 institutions. Philip was among 438 scholars selected. The funding for the award is a collaboration between the U.S. Congress and the Department of Defense’s National Defense Education Program.

Philip is a second-year Michigan State University student from Los Alamos, New Mexico studying Physics and Advanced Mathematics in the College of Natural Science. He is also a member of the Honors College.

“I am honored and humbled to join the ranks of Spartan Goldwater Scholars. I share this recognition with my professors, research mentors, fellow students, and family who have all supported me and cultivated my passion to pursue a career in physics research,” Philip said. “Specifically, I would like to thank my research mentors over the past few years for their guidance, encouragement, and mentorship: Drs. Pablo Giuliani, Kyle Godbey, Witek Nazarewicz, Odelia Schwartz, Jianliang Qian, and Benjamin Nebgen.”

Philip is passionate about pursuing a career in research addressing micro-scale physics problems using analytic approaches, high performance computing, and AI. He has contributed to diverse research projects through his roles as a professorial assistant at FRIB, a Discovering America researcher with MSU’s Math Department, a student intern at the Theoretical Division of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and as a Computer Science Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) student at the University of Miami.

“Aaron joined our nuclear theory research group at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams at Michigan State University in August 2022 as an undergraduate research assistant. An incoming first-year undergraduate student, he came extremely well prepared to directly work in forefront research and quickly managed to get acquainted with the necessary tools and background knowledge,” Kyle Godbey, a research assistant professor at FRIB, and Witold Nazarewicz, John A. Hannah Distinguished Professor of Physics and chief scientist at FRIB, said.

“During the course of his work, Aaron was able to reach a level of mastery of theoretical and computational methods on par with the current experts in the field. We consider ourselves to be incredibly lucky to have Aaron as a member of our research group and we have no doubt that he will go on to have a successful research career,” Godbey and Nazarewicz said.

“Aaron’s research at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams has been exemplary, and his mentorship activities embody the values of care and support that empower excellence at the MSU Honors College. We congratulate Aaron on being named a Goldwater Scholar,” Long said.

Philip has written two papers and presented at various conferences, including MSU’s Mathematics and Data Science Conferences, the University of Miami’s Computer Science REU Poster Presentation, and a LANL Lab Directed Research and Development Review. He also serves as a student tutor through the Mathematics Learning Center and at East Lansing High School.

“Congratulations to Aaron on this esteemed achievement,” said FRIB Laboratory Director Thomas Glasmacher. “Being named a Goldwater Scholar is a testament to Aaron’s dedication and outstanding efforts. We are so proud he is furthering his research pursuits at FRIB and honored to be part of his journey as he prepares to become a leader in our field.”

Read the original article on the  MSUToday website .

Michigan State University operates the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams as a user facility for the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science (DOE-SC), supporting the mission of the DOE-SC Office of Nuclear Physics.