How To Write A Resume With Little or No Work Experience - Resume Template, by Professor Heather Austin on YouTube. 7 min 19 s.
- Video length
- 7 min 19 s
- Time to do it
- 45 minutes
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 9
What you need
Steps
Read the job ad and list the skills and keywords it repeats. You will mirror that language in your resume so it passes applicant tracking software.
Open a simple one-page template with clear headings. Keep the layout plain: no tables, columns, graphics or photos that confuse resume scanners.
Write a short summary at the top. State who you are, what you studied or trained in, and the role you want, in two or three lines.
Put education and training near the top. List your degree or diploma, school name, dates, relevant courses and any strong grades.
Add a selected achievements section. Pick three or four class projects, awards or part-time gigs and describe what you did and the result.
Include volunteer experience. List the organisation, dates and duties, and highlight skills that match the job ad.
Add a special skills section. List software, tools, languages and soft skills you can actually demonstrate, using the ad's wording.
List professional memberships and language competencies if you have them. Name the organisation and your level, such as conversational Spanish.
Proofread, keep it to one page, and export as a PDF. Name the file with your full name and the job title before you send it.
Tips and common mistakes
Skip a long work history section if you have none, and let education, projects and volunteering carry the page.
Use numbers where you can, like 'raised $500' or 'tutored 12 students', to make achievements concrete.
Keep the design clean because many employers scan resumes in about six seconds and software reads them first.
Tailor the summary and skills list to each job ad instead of sending one generic resume everywhere.
Questions
What if I have no paid work at all?
Fill the page with education, coursework, projects, volunteering, clubs and skills. Employers accept this for entry-level and first jobs.
Should I include a photo or graphics?
Usually no. Plain text with standard headings is easier for applicant tracking software to read and looks more professional.
How long should the resume be?
One page is enough when you have little experience. Cut older school details before you add a second page.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
