Writing A Resume When You Don’t Have Much Work Experience

The job market can be a daunting place and when you’re attempting to write a resume without work experience, it seems almost impossible to believe that you have any chance of getting a job. There seems to be a vicious circle in place: Employers only want to hire staff with previous experience but without gaining this experience, how are you supposed to ever learn? As a result, the starter resume could well be the most difficult one to write. However, it is possible to create a winning resume even if you have no previous work experience. Below are some tips that will help you avoid being an unemployment statistic.

Setting Up
As this may be your first resume, it’s important to follow all the basic rules. Follow the standardized format which can be found on dozens of sites online. Use plain white paper and keep it relatively short. If you have no prior work experience, it may be possible to have a single page resume with all the relevant information included. Add your phone number and email address. Note: Employers frown upon silly email addresses so if yours is something like hotstuff18@hotmail.com, you need to change it. Using some form of your name is the best idea.

Content
Begin with your ‘Objective Statement’ which is essentially your opening paragraph. This should involve a description of your best personality traits and explain how they make you ideal for the job. Ensure that you tailor this information to suit the job you are applying for.

You may also want to detail your leadership abilities. Quickly list a couple of occasions when you showed leadership skills or were in charge of programs. Don’t be afraid to include school related activities or volunteer work. Although you don’t have paid work experience, it doesn’t mean that you have never worked. Showing an employer that you have skills which can easily be translated to the workplace could be enough to get you the job.

The next step is to include course work at school which is relevant to the job being applied for. Again, try and show that high achievement in these areas makes you an ideal candidate. If possible, get a reference letter from a teacher involved in one of the courses mentioned.

Skills
Although you may never have worked in an office environment before, it doesn’t mean that you lack office skills. Write down the level of proficiency you have with office equipment and procedures. Emphasize special skills such as the ability to type quickly and accurately or knowledge of complex switchboards.

Adding your educational qualifications is especially important when you create a resume without work experience. List your highest/most recent qualification first. Even if you didn’t gain a college degree, list the name of the college you attended and the qualifications you did receive such as a diploma or certification.

Having no work experience doesn’t have to be an impediment to getting a job. Simply ensure that all relevant unpaid work you have completed is mentioned and your skill-set is tailored to meet the needs of the job being advertised. There are numerous companies willing to take a chance on young talent so enhance your chances of being hired with a first class resume.

Jason Kay is a blogger for JobGoRound, a resume service and career advice website.