Your First Resume: The Starter Guide

Why Your "No Experience" Doesn’t Mean "No Shot"

Don’t sweat it if your work history is looking a little bare. Employers know you’re just starting out! What they really want to see is what you can bring to the table—your skills, your drive, and your potential.

Step 1: Choose the Right Resume Structure

Skip the traditional "work experience first" layout. Instead, go for one of these beginner-friendly formats:

• Combination Resume: Mixes skills and experiences so you can highlight what you’re best at right up top.
• Functional Resume: Puts your skills and strengths front and center, moving less relevant experience to the bottom.

Pro tip: Free templates for both formats are available on sites like Novoresume and Canva.

Step 2: What to Put on Your Resume (When You Don’t Have Jobs to List)

Think beyond paid jobs! Here’s what counts:

• Academic Projects: Group assignments, capstone projects, presentations
• Volunteer Work: Community service, fundraisers, organizing events
• Extracurriculars: Clubs, sports teams, student government
• Internships (even unpaid): Shadowing or helping out counts!

Example:

PROJECT EXPERIENCE

Marketing Plan for Local Bakery (University Project)

- Coordinated a team of 4 to create a social media campaign, increasing engagement by 20%

Step 3: Showcase Your Transferable Skills

You’ve got skills employers want—even if you don’t realize it yet! Here are some entry-level favorites:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Problem-solving
• Organization
• Leadership
• Tech (Microsoft Office, Google Suite, etc.)

How to show them:

"Organized club meetings for 30+ students, managing schedules and coordinating guest speakers."

Step 4: Formatting 101 (Avoid Rookie Mistakes)

• Keep it to one page.
• Use clear, readable fonts (like Arial, Calibri, or Helvetica, size 10–12).
• Don’t use wacky colors or graphics. Keep it professional and clean.
• Double-check for typos (ask a friend to proofread!).

Step 5: Free Tools & Templates

• Novoresume: Sleek templates for beginners
• Canva: Customizable, modern designs
• Cultivated Culture: ATS-proof templates

FAQs: First-Time Resume Edition

Q: Can my resume be more than one page?

A: For your first resume, stick to one page—less is more!

Q: Should I include a photo?

A: Unless the job asks for it, skip the photo (especially in the US/Canada).

Q: I have no experience. What should I do?

A: Focus on projects, volunteer work, and skills. Everyone starts somewhere!

Key Takeaways

• You do have valuable experience—just look at your projects, volunteering, and activities.
• Use a combination or functional resume format to highlight your strengths.
• Keep it clean, error-free, and easy to read.
• Use free online tools to make your resume shine.

You’ve got this! Your first resume is just the first step toward your dream job.