CV with no experience - how to write your first CV
Having no work experience for your first job is completely normal - and recruiters know it. Your job isn't to pretend you have five years of experience, but to show that you have the right skills, attitude, and the ability to learn quickly. A well-written CV with no experience can stand out more than an average CV that has a job history.
What to put instead of work experience
If you don't have a job yet, you have more than you think. Use:
- Studies and school - your course, key subjects, thesis, grades (if they're good).
- Internships and placements - even short ones, if they're related to the field.
- Projects - university, personal, open source, a portfolio.
- Volunteering and clubs - they show initiative and teamwork.
- Part-time jobs - they teach responsibility, customer service and punctuality.
- Courses and certificates - online or in person, they prove specific skills.
Writing a CV with no experience, step by step
1. Lead with a summary and skills
Since the experience section is short, put a strong summary and a skills section near the top. Say who you are and what you're looking for: "Computer science student looking for a first role as a junior developer. I know Python and JavaScript and have built my own web projects."
2. Describe projects like experience
You can describe a university or personal project exactly like a job: what you did, which tools you used, and the result. "Designed a task-management app in React - from idea to deployment" sounds concrete and credible.
3. Back up soft skills with proof
Instead of writing "I'm communicative", show it: "gave class presentations and coordinated a 4-person project team." Soft skills work when they're backed by a specific situation.
4. Tailor the CV to the ad
Read the ad and use the same keywords that genuinely apply to you. That makes your CV easier to match in an ATS, which many employers use to store and search applications before a recruiter reads them.
Example section in a first CV
Project: Online store (coursework)
- Built the front-end in React and connected it to an API
- Worked in a team of 3; owned the cart and checkout
- Graded 5.0; code available in my portfolio
What to avoid
- An empty experience section. Replace it with projects, placements or volunteering.
- Generic claims with no proof. Back up every trait with an example.
- An overly long CV. One page is plenty to start.
- Sending one CV everywhere. Tailor it to each ad.
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