how do you write a personal statement for a cv with no experience

Resume Summary with No Experience: Examples for Students and Fresh Graduates

By Biron Clark

Published: December 18, 2023

Recent Grads | Resume/CV

Biron Clark

Writer & Career Coach

If you’re looking for how to write a summary for your resume with no work experience , you’ve come to the right place. I’m going to walk you through exactly what to do, and then we’ll look at resume summary examples for entry-level job seekers, students and fresh graduates. 

How to Write a Summary For Your Resume With No Experience:

First, a resume summary is different than an objective . And it’s much better. Putting an objective on your resume is outdated and unnecessary. Resume objectives are useless because they don’t share anything the hiring manager doesn’t already know (such as “my goal is to obtain a position in the ___ industry”). So what we’re doing here is better and will help your resume stand out from people who simply put an objective. Whereas, the resume summary gives a quick highlight reel of your qualifications, education, and more. If you’re not sure what a resume summary actually is, check out this article on 10 resume summary examples . And while it’s easier to figure out what to put if you’ve built up some work experience, you can still write an effective resume summary with no work experience whatsoever.

So in this article, I’m going to show you how. What should go into your summary when you don’t have any work experience? 

1. Put academic accomplishments and leadership

What did you study? Did you just graduate with a degree? Mention that. If you took a leadership role in your class projects, or clubs/groups at your school, you can mention that too. Leadership doesn’t need to be in a job to get the hiring manager’s attention! Taking a leadership role in a sports environment is impressive as well. You’re not going to mention specific accomplishments in your resume summary usually (you can do that later in your resume), but you can say things like “proven leadership” or “natural leader”, etc.

2. Put your interests and passions

Are you passionate about startups and technology? Great, put that. Want to make a difference in the world, and focus your career on social impact? Mention that. This can include the grades you received, but also leadership positions you led, and clubs/groups you participated in.

3. Put “hard” skills

If you’re proficient in any tools, technologies, etc… you can include that in your resume summary. Don’t list 20 things. That’s what your “Skills” section is for. But pick the three or four things that are most relevant for the job you’re applying for.

Coming up in this article, we’re going to look at two resume summary examples for people with no experience. .. and in the second example, you’ll see how this would look.

4. Include soft skills

Are you great at analytical thinking? Do you love working as a part of a team? Are you great at multi-tasking and handling a fast-paced team environment? While these shouldn’t be the main focus of your resume summary section, they can be worth mentioning. It’s especially good to include soft skills that you see mentioned in the job description.

For example, if you see they mention wanting someone who’s great at multi-tasking in a fast-paced environment, and you feel that describes you well, then your resume summary is the perfect place to include this.

5. Put statements that will grab the employer’s interest and make them want to ask you questions!

If you mention leadership they’ll want to ask you more about your leadership experiences. That’s a good thing. Remember, whatever you put, they’ll probably ask you about. So as you write your summary for your resume, try to think about what you want them to discuss with you, and what you want a chance to talk about. And try to “tailor” your resume to fit the companies you’re applying to. If you’re applying to large corporations don’t start your summary by saying “Startup enthusiast”.

3 Resume Summary Example for Students, Fresh Graduates and Entry-Level Job Seekers:

In this section, I’m going to share three examples of how to write a summary for your resume with no experience. You can use these resume summary examples as a student, entry-level job seeker, or any job search where you don’t have experience:

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #1: Economics Student

Enthusiastic, highly-motivated Economics student with proven leadership capabilities, who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges.

In this example above, you’re showing that you completed your Economics degree and have an interest in the subject, and you’re mentioning leadership and making the reader want to learn more about this. You’re also making yourself sound ambitious and motivated at the end, which is always a good thing (I’m referring to the part that says “who likes to take initiative and seek out new challenges). Notice the format too. This is how I recommend phrasing it. Don’t say “I am a ___”. Just start with the descriptive words.

This is a simple yet effective resume summary example for students OR recent graduates.

Resume Summary with No Experience – Example #2: Fresh Graduate in Computer Science

Computer Science graduate passionate about data engineering and machine learning. Highly-capable leader, having led multiple Senior class projects to completion. Proficient in a range of modern technologies including Python, Java and Scala.

This is another good example of a student or fresh graduate resume summary that still shows your skills and academic focus, even if you have no formal work experience.  In this entry-level resume summary example, you’re highlighting accomplishments and leadership as a student and you’re also showing that you’re passionate about your work. Saying you’re passionate about data engineering is much better than just saying, “Looking for a job in data engineering.” They’ll know you’re looking for jobs because you applied. Taking up space to say it is a bad use of this area of your resume, and is why I never recommend having a resume “Objective” section. The summary exists instead of an “Objective” and is much better.

The example above also included some great programming keywords (Python, Java, Scala) to help get past any automated application systems and grab the hiring manager’s attention very quickly when they first look at your resume. If you work with any tools or technologies that have names like these, you can include it in your entry-level resume summary if you’d like. Other examples of tools/technologies: Photoshop, MS Excel, etc.

If you decide not to include these on your resume summary, make sure to include them elsewhere such as your Education or Skills section .

Resume Summary Example with No Experience #3: Math Student Graduating Soon

4th year mathematics student passionate about statistics and data analysis. Proven project leader. Active member of Boston University’s Mathematics Club. Speaker at 2018 “New York Young Mathematicians Conference.”

This resume summary example for students shows how you can list accomplishments even if you’ve never formally worked before. Did you participate in any clubs at school? Have you led any class projects? These are impressive pieces you can add to your resume summary with no experience formally working. 

How to Write a Resume Summary For Students/Fresh Graduates – Quick Recap

• Skip buzzwords like “hard-working” and put real academic accomplishments instead, like projects you produced and tasks you led
• Include what you’re interested in and passionate about to show them why you are applying for this position
• Mention hard skills like “Java Programming” or “Excel,”  especially if they’re listed on the job description
• Include soft skills as well like, “excellent at multi-tasking”, especially if you saw these keywords anywhere on the job description
• Include statements in your resume summary that will catch the employer’s interest and make them want to talk with you and ask you more. Remember – the entire goal of your resume is to get invited to interview. So if you did anything unique like giving presentations, working in an internship , participating in a school club, etc., you can include this in your entry-level resume summary.

If you follow the tips above, you’ll have a great entry-level resume summary that will stand out and catch a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s attention so you can get more interviews.

After you write your entry-level resume summary, here are two more articles that may be helpful when job searching with no experience:

• The best times of year to job search
• How to create a great elevator pitch for job hunting

About the Author

Read more articles by Biron Clark

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This site was pretty helpful in guiding me throughout my school resume, would love other tips would do well.

This is a great guide. If only schools were actually interested in teaching children real life skills like this.

Hi, I am a student who has been finding it very difficult to make resumes due to the lack of working experience. I am currently trying to find a job while studying at the same time. I am in University completing a certificate and will soon be applying for a BA in Psychology and Criminolgy. However, I wish to apply for a part time job in the fashion industry. Can you please leave me some tips about what I can do to ensure that I can find a job without needing experience.

Your page has really helped, Thank you.

Hi, I’m a job seeker with 2 years experience working as a cart collector at grocery store and an Associate’s Degree in Computer Information Systems, is this a good professional summary?: “Reliable team member with a keen interest in information technology and other applications. Capable of handling multiple projects within deadlines. Eager to apply my professional and academic background as an Administrative Assistant at Bogdan Contracting.”

I’ve been job seeking since October 2018, I’m hoping I can start a career in tech support as soon as possible.

Hi Marcais,

I think it sounds pretty good. My least favorite part is the first word, though. “Reliable” sounds pretty average/boring. Sure, you show up, do your job, etc. That’s what I think when I hear “reliable”. But not much more.

I’d look for a better word to lead off with.

I would like to say thank you for making this article about writing a summary for a resume. For the past couple of months, I have been struggling to find someone who can help me with that because I don’t have a lot of experience in my field (i.e. engineering). I do have one question though. Is it appropriate to use first-person nouns in the summary section? I have seen people do that, but I find it quite odd.

Please let me know as soon as you can. Thank you.

Hi Frances,

I’d avoid saying, “I” if that’s what you’re asking.

Just say “Led team of 7 people to accomplish ___”

Just start without a pronoun.

Another example: “Highly-accomplished accounting professional who has ____”

Comments are closed.

How to Write a CV Personal Statement [+4 Real-life Examples]

Creating an effective CV takes time and close attention to detail. You've already included your jobs and experience , and now you want to allow the recruiter or hiring manager to understand the strategic value you can add.

This is when you need to utilize a personal statement at the top of your CV.

How to Write a CV Personal Statement [+4 Real-life Examples] 

What is a Personal Statement? 

A personal statement is a few brief and direct sentences at the top of your CV. The personal statement is also referred to as a career summary or personal mission statement.

This is used to grab the attention of the recruiter or hiring manager and summarizes essential experiences or training that you can bring to this position.

Why do I Need a Personal Statement?

A recruiter or hiring manager is tasked with sorting through an enormous amount of resumes every single day. A personal statement is a way to separate yourself from the other applicants.

This statement summarizes your experience and highlights your unique talents . The CV personal statement is meant to demonstrate why you are the perfect fit for the job. 

Even med students need a medical school personal statement , as it is what differentiates them from all the other students applying. Plus, it allows them to share their personal stories and objectives.

Where do I Start? 

Always begin by reading the job description carefully and thoroughly.

Your personal statement should be tailored to each job description, so it explicitly states the value you’ll bring to the position you are applying. A generic personal statement cannot do that. 

Once you have a solid handle on the job description, you can begin writing. It’s important to keep your personal statement brief, about 50-200 words will do.

Don’t forget that you have your whole cover letter to show some personality and include engaging content.

The personal statement should be a quick summary that highlights why you are the best person for the job. 

You’ll need to decide whether you are writing your personal statement in first- or third-person. This should follow how you've written the rest of your CV.

For example, if you've already written, “I grew and developed a team of 50 salespeople,” in your CV then you will want to keep your personal statement in first-person to match the prevailing style.

No matter what you choose, make sure that you keep it consistent throughout. Do not switch between first- and third-person as that will get confusing to the hiring manager.

Writing a personal statement for your CV in first-person does not mean you need to start every sentence with “I.”

There are ways to craft your personal statement to sound snappy, concise and personal, and here are a few examples to help inspire your personal statement. 

CV Personal Statement Examples

It doesn’t matter what chose as your desired career or how much experienc e you have, use these examples to drive the creation of your own personal statement.

You can take snippets from each or write something completely different. Always remember that your personal statement is a reflection of yourself and should align with your own personal goals and experience.

If these examples don’t fit your exact career, feel free to take some pointers and write yours from scratch. 

#1: Personal Statement Example for Recent Graduate CV

“As a recent graduate from university, with an honors degree in communications, I held several internships within leading organizations, including Bertelsmann. These internships enabled me to gain experience in the field and learn how to serve up valuable contributions in a fast-paced, professional environment.”

Explanation: This example should be customized to include the university you’ve graduated from and any relevant internships. A compelling personal statement always highlights relevant skills and experiences.

In this case, a recent graduate does not have extensive experience in the workforce, so soft skills like experiencing success in a fast-paced work environment and becoming a trusted team member become even more critical.

#2: Personal Statement Example for Returning to the Workforce CV

“A highly motivated and experienced office administrator, I am currently looking to resume my professional career after an extended hiatus to raise my family. Proficient in all Microsoft Office programs, I can lead meetings and work with clients to keep your office running smoothly and efficiently. After spending several years volunteering as an administrative worker for a local charity, I am committed to resuming my professional career on a full-time basis.”

Explanation: After time off from a career, it can be hard to break back into the market. This personal statement outlines the reason for the break, the relevant qualifications and what the applicant has been doing in between jobs.

Any volunteer experience becomes highly relevant when there is no concrete professional experience to draw upon, to demonstrate the use of those skills. 

#3: Personal Statement Example for a Career Change CV

“With over 15 years as a sales manager, I have extensive experience building high-functioning sales teams that consistently achieve budget numbers. In fact, my ability to grow talent led to a 20% increase in annual renewals across the board. Now, after 15 years, I am seeking new challenges to flex my marketing muscles in a fast-paced environment.” 

Explanation: When changing careers , it's essential to highlight skills that are transferable between industries.

In this case, leadership and team-building experience can apply to any industry. Homing in on concrete numbers and percentages increases credibility when applying for a position.

The applicant ends with the reason behind the desired career change. This part is not necessary but may be appealing to some hiring managers who are wondering what the impetus for the career change.

#4: Personal Statement Example for a Experienced Professional CV

“As a friendly, professional and highly trained educator, I am passionate about teaching and have an innate ability to understand student’s needs. Creating a safe and productive environment for optimal learning is my top priority. I’ve worked as a teacher for nearly 10 years in a variety of subjects and my experience and skill set make me the perfect fit for your team.”

Explanation: With more experience comes more skills and a better idea of strengths and weaknesses. Showcasing your passion for the industry is a great way to begin a personal statement, as it shows the hiring manager your dedication to the craft. 

A personal statement can be written in many different ways, but it is ultimately up to you to determine what skills you want to highlight for your chosen position.

You can follow these examples or take learnings from each to contribute towards your personal statement. 

If you understand the job you are applying for and know the unique skill set that you bring to the table, you will have a stellar personal statement for your CV that will get you across the table from the hiring manager in no time.  

Suggested Reading:

• How to Write a CV (Curriculum Vitae) in 2024 [31+ Examples]
• 43+ Resume Tips and Tricks to Land Your Next Job
• 150+ Must-Have Skills for Any Resume  [With Tips + Tricks]
• How to Answer “Tell Me About Yourself”

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CV personal statement examples

If you want to secure job interview, you need a strong personal statement at the top of your CV.

Your CV personal statement is a short paragraph which sits at the very top of your CV – and it’s aim is to summarise the benefits of hiring you and encourage employers to read your CV in full.

In this guide I have included 17 CV personal statement examples from a range of professions and experience levels, plus a detailed guide of how to write your own personal statement that will get you noticed by employers

CV templates 

17 CV personal statement examples

To start this guide, I have included 10 examples of good personal statements, to give you an idea of how a personal statement should look , and what should be included.

Note: personal statements are generally used by junior candidates – if you are experienced, check out our CV profile examples instead.

Graduate CV personal statement (no experience)

Although this  graduate has no paid work experience, they compensate for it by showcasing all of the skills and knowledge the have gained during their studies, and demonstrating how they apply their knowledge in academic and personal projects.

When you have little or no experience, it’s important to draw out transferable workplace skills from your studies and extracurricular work, to showcase them to employers.

Graduate CV personal statement (part time freelance experience)

This candidate has graduated with a degree in biochemistry but actually wants to start a career in digital marketing after providing some digital freelance services to fund their studies.

In this case, they haven’t made much mention of their studies because they aren’t relevant to the digital marketing agencies they are applying to. Instead they have focused their personal statement around their freelance work and passion for the digital field – although they still mention the fact they are degree educated to prove their academic success.

School leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate is 16 years old and has no work experience whatsoever, but they compensate for this by detailing their academic achievements that relate to the roles they are applying for (maths and literacy are important requirements in finance and accountancy roles).

They also add some info on their extracurricular activities and school work-placements, to strengthen this student CV further.

    Top tips for writing a CV personal statement

• Thoroughly research the jobs and companies you are planning to apply for to identify the type of candidate they are looking for – try to reflect that in your personal statement
• Don’t be afraid to brag a little – include some of your most impressive achievements from education, work or personal life
• Focus on describing the benefits an employer will get from hiring you. Will you help them to get more customers? Improve their workplace? Save them time and money?
• If you have no work experience, demonstrate transferable workplace skills from your education, projects, or even hobbies

School leaver CV personal statement (part time experience)

Although this person has only just left school, they have also undertaken some part-time work in a call centre alongside their studies.

To make the most of this experience, they have combined their academic achievements with their workplace exposure in this personal statement.

By highlighting their GCSE results, summer programme involvement, work experience and expressing their ambitions to progress within sales, this candidate really makes an appealing case for hiring them.

College leaver CV personal statement (no experience)

This candidate has left college with good grades, but does not yet have any work experience.

To compensate for the lack of workplace exposure, they have made their A level results prominent and highlighted skills and experience which would benefit the employers they are targeting.

Any recruiter reading this profile can quickly understand that this candidate has great academic achievements, a passion for IT and finance and the ability to transfer their skills into an office environment.

College student CV personal statement (freelance experience)

As this student has picked up a small amount of freelance writing work during their studies, they have made sure to brag about it in their personal statement.

They give details on their relevant A level studies to show the skills they are learning, and boost this further by highlighting the fact that they have been applying these skills in a real-life work setting by providing freelance services.

They also include key action verbs that recruiters will be looking for , such as creative writing, working to deadlines, and producing copy.

Academic CV personal statement

Aside from junior candidates, the only other people who might use a personal statement, are academic professionals; as their CV’s tend to be more longer and detailed than other professions.

This candidate provides a high level overview of their field of study, length of experience, and the roles they have held within universities.

School leaver CV personal statement with and sports experience

Although this person has no work experience, they are still able to show employers the value of hiring them by selling their other achievements and explaining how they could benefit an organisation.

They expand on their sports club involvement to demonstrate their teamwork, leadership skills, communication and motivation, which are all important traits in the workplace, and will be looked upon favourably by recruiters and hiring managers.

They also draw upon their future plans to study business studies and take a part time job, to further prove their ambition and dedication.

History graduate CV personal statement

This history graduate proves their aptitude for both academic achievement and workplace aptitude by showcasing valuable skills from their degree and voluntary work.

They do this by breaking down the key requirements for each and showing how their skills could be beneficial for future employers, such as listening, communication, and crisis management.

They also describe how their ability to balance studies alongside voluntary work has not only boosted their knowledge and skills, but also given excellent time management and organisational skills – which are vital assets to any employer.

Law graduate CV personal statement

This legal graduate makes the most from their work university work placements by using it to bulk out the contents of their CV personal statement.

They include their degree to show they have the necessary qualifications for legal roles, which is crucial, but more importantly, they showcase how they applied their legal skills within a real-life work setting.

They give a brief overview of the types of legal professionals they have been working alongside and the type of work they have been carrying out – this is all it takes to get the attention of recruiters and show employers they have what it takes to fulfil roles in the legal sector.

Medical student CV personal statement

This medical student proves their fit for the role by showcasing the key skills they have gained from their studies and their work experience placements.

In just these few sentences, they are able to highlight the vast amount of experience they have across different disciplines in the industry, something which is particularly important in the medical sector.

As they have not graduated yet and are still studying, they have provided proof of their most recent grades. This can give the recruiter some indication as to the type of grade they could be graduating with in the near future.

Masters student CV personal statement

This masters student has started by specifying their area of study, in this case, accounting, and given details about the specific areas of finance they are most interested in. This can hint towards their career goals and passions.

They have then carefully listed some of the key areas of accounting and finance that they are proficient in. For example, business finance, advanced corporate finance and statistics.

They have also outlined some of the transferable skills needed for accounting roles that employers will be looking out for, such as communication, attention to detail and analytical skills.

Finance student CV personal statement

As this finance student has recently undertaken some relevant work experience, they’ve made sure to shout about this in their personal profile.

But more than this, they have included a list of some of the important finance skills they gained as a result of this work experience – for example, financial reporting, processing invoices and month-end reconciliations.

Plus, through power words and phrases such as ‘prevent loss’ and ‘ improve upon accuracy and efficiency’, they have also showcased how they can apply these skills in a workplace setting to benefit the potential employer.

Internship  CV personal statement

This digital marketing professional has started their personal profile by outlining their most relevant qualifications and work experience, most notably their freelance role as a content manager.

They have also provided examples of some of the key marketing skills that potential employers might be looking for, including very detailed examples of the platforms and tools they are proficient in – for example, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.

They have then closed their statement by giving a detailed description of the type of role or opportunity they are looking for. In this case, an in-house position in a marketing company.

Graduate career changer personal statement

Switching careers as a graduate can be tough. Especially when it comes to writing a personal statement that will attract employers in your new chosen field.

This candidate is looking to move from history teaching into journalism, so they have created a statement which briefly mentions their current workplace, but mainly focuses on highlighting transferable skills which are relevant to journalism. They achieve this by discussing the writing skills they use in their current role, and mentioning their hobby of writing – including some publications they have been featured in for extra brownie points.

Business management graduate personal statement

This business management proves their ability to work within a junior business management position by swiftly highlighting their impressive degree (to ensure it is not missed) and summarising some of the real-life experience they have gained in management during their university placements and volunteering. They do not let their lack of paid work experience, stop them demonstrating their valuable skills.

PhD graduate

PhD graduate roles attract a lot of competition, so it’s important that your CV contains a personal statement that will quickly impress and attract recruiters.

This candidate provides a short-but-comprehensive overview of their academic achievements, whilst demonstrating their exceptional level of knowledge in research, languages and publication writing.

By highlighting a number of skills and abilities that are in high-demand in the academic workplace, this CV is very likely to get noticed and land interviews.

How to write a personal statement for your CV

Now that you’ve seen what a personal statement should look like and the type of content it should contain, follow this detailed guide to one for your own CV – and start racking those interviews up.

Guide contents

What is a CV personal statement?

Cv personal statement or cv profile, personal statement format, what to include in a cv personal statement.

• Personal statement mistakes

How to write persuasively

A personal statement is a short paragraph at the top of your CV which gives employers an overview of your education, skills and experience

It’s purpose is to capture the attention of busy recruiters and hiring managers when your CV is first opened – encouraging them to read the rest of it.

You achieve this by writing a tailored summary of yourself that explains your suitability for the roles you are applying for at a very high level, and matches your target job descriptions .

One question candidates often ask me is , “what is the difference between a personal statement and a CV profile?”

To be honest, they are almost the same – they are both introductory paragraphs that sit at the top of your CV… but there are 2 main differences

A personal statement tends to be used more by junior candidates (graduates, school leavers etc.) and is relatively long and detailed.

A CV profile tends to be favoured by more experienced candidates , and is shorter in length than a personal statement.

Note: If you are an experienced candidate, you may want to switch over to my CV profile writing guide , or example CV profiles page.

To ensure you grab recruiters’ attention with your personal statement, lay it out in the following way.

Positioning

You need to ensure that your personal statement sits at the very top of your CV, and all of it should be totally visible to readers, without the need to scroll down the page.

Do this by reducing the top page margin and minimising the space taken up by your contact details.

This will ensure that your whole personal statement can be seen, as soon as your CV is opened.

We have a Word CV template which can help you to get this right.

Size/length

Your personal statement needs to contain enough detail to provide an introduction to your skills and knowledge, but not so much detail that it bores readers.

To strike the right balance, anything between 8-15 lines of text is perfect – and sentences should be sharp and to-the-point.

As with the whole of your CV or resume , your personal statement should be written in a simple clean font at around size 10-12 to ensure that it can be read easily by all recruiters and employers.

Keep the text colour simple , ensuring that it contrasts the background (black on white is best) and break it into 2 or even 3 paragraphs for a pleasant reading experience.

It should also be written in a punchy persuasive tone, to help you sell yourself and increase your chances of landing interviews , I cover how to do this in detail further down the guide.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional CV templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Once you have the style and format of your personal statement perfected, you need to fill it with compelling content that tells recruiters that your CV is worth reading.

Here’s what needs to go into your personal statement…

Before you start writing your personal statement, it’s crucial that you research your target roles to find out exactly what your new potential employers are looking for in a candidate.

Run a search for your target jobs on one of the major job websites , look through plenty of adverts and make a list of the candidate requirements that frequently appear.

This research will show you exactly what to include in your personal statement in order to impress the recruiters who will be reading it.

Education and qualifications are an important aspect of your personal statement, especially if you are a junior candidate.

You should highlight your highest and most relevant qualifications, whether that is a degree, A levels or GCSEs. You could potentially go into some more detail around modules, papers etc. if they are relevant to the roles you are applying for.

It’s important that you discuss the experience you have gained in your personal statement, to give readers an idea of the work you are comfortable undertaking.

This can of course be direct employed work experience, but it doesn’t have to be.

You can also include:

• School/college Uni work placements
• Voluntary work
• Personal projects
• Hobbies/interests

As with all aspects of your CV , the content should be tailored to match the requirements of your target roles.

Whilst discussing your experience, you should touch upon skills used, industries worked in, types of companies worked for, and people you have worked with.

Where possible, try to show the impact your actions have made. E.g . A customer service agent helps to make sales for their employer.

Any industry-specific knowledge you have that will be useful to your new potential employers should be made prominent within your personal statement.

For example

• Knowledge of financial regulations will be important for accountancy roles
• Knowledge of IT operating systems will be important for IT roles
• Knowledge of the national curriculum will be important for teachers

You should also include some information about the types of roles you are applying for, and why you are doing so. Try to show your interest and passion for the field you are hoping to enter, because employers want to hire people who have genuine motivation and drive in their work.

This is especially true if you don’t have much work experience, as you need something else to compensate for it.

CV personal statement mistakes

The things that you omit from your personal statement can be just as important as the things you include.

Try to keep the following out of your personal statement..

Irrelevant info

Any information that doesn’t fall into the requirements of your target roles can be cut out of your personal statement. For example, if you were a professional athlete 6 years ago, that’s great – but it won’t be relevant if you’re applying to advertising internships, so leave it out.

Generic clichés

If you are describing yourself as a “ dynamic team player with high levels of motivation and enthusiasm” you aren’t doing yourself any favours.

These cliché terms are vastly overused and don’t provide readers with any factual details about you – so keep them to a minimum.

Stick to solid facts like education, skills , experience, achievements and knowledge.

If you really want to ensure that your personal statement makes a big impact, you need to write in a persuasive manner.

So, how do you so this?

Well, you need to brag a little – but not too much

It’s about selling yourself and appearing confident, without overstepping the mark and appearing arrogant.

For example, instead of writing.

“Marketing graduate with an interest in entering the digital field”

Be creative and excite the reader by livening the sentence up like this,

“Marketing graduate with highest exam results in class and a passion for embarking on a long and successful career within digital”

The second sentence is a much more interesting, makes the candidate appear more confident, throws in some achievements, and shows off a wider range of writing skills.

Quick tip: A poorly written CV will fail to impress recruiters and employers. Use our quick-and-easy CV Builder to create a winning CV in minutes with professional templates and pre-written content for every industry.

Your own personal statement will be totally unique to yourself, but by using the above guidelines you will be able to create one which shows recruiters everything they need.

Remember to keep the length between 10-20 lines and only include the most relevant information for your target roles.

You can also check our school leaver CV example , our best CV templates , or our library of example CVs from all industries.

Good luck with the job hunt!

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CV Personal Statement:  Examples and Actionable Tips

Fact: recruiters spend only 6 seconds reviewing each CV. So poorly organized CVs inevitably get discarded. 

Having an effective CV layout is the first step to attracting their attention. And the second step is topping that CV with a compelling personal statement (also known as a personal profile, personal summary, or executive summary).

What is a Personal Statement in a CV? 

A personal statement for a CV is a short and compelling paragraph that summarizes why you’re the most qualified person for the offered role. It tells the reader who you are and what valuable qualifications you will be bringing to their company.

NB : Opening statement, personal profile, personal summary, or executive summary are the other common names for a personal statement. 

Many believe that the work experience section is the most important element of a CV. Yet, it is your personal statement that can end up making or breaking the success of your job application. 

Because it provides the reader with a quick answer to one question they have on their mind: Are you qualified for the job or not? 

Remember: You’ll be directly competing with numerous other applicants with similar skills and work experiences. A compelling CV statement sets you apart by giving the reader a condensed snapshot of who you are as a person. 

Do I Need To Include a Personal Statement On My CV?

The short answer is YES! A personal statement entices the reader to read your entire CV by giving them a preview of your most valuable skills. It also helps you differentiate from other candidates by explaining your background, motivation, and personal character traits concisely. 

In essence, a personal statement helps you express why you are the right choice for the job in one condensed paragraph.

Where Should a Personal Statement Go in a CV?

A personal statement goes into the header area of your CV. Include it right under your name and contact details as a separate, highlighted area. A good personal statement is about 3-4 sentences long and occupies not more than 1/4th of the page. 

Alternatively, you can design a two-column CV and allocate the upper sidebar area for your personal statement. As a recent survey found, 77% of recruiters prefer two-column CVs to single-column ones.

Sample personal statement placement on a CV template

What Do You Write in a CV Personal Statement?

A compelling personal statement summarizes your professional and educational background; highlights the main skills and accomplishments. It can also express your career objectives and/or interest in the particular industry or subject if you’re a current student or recent graduate.  

Personal Statement Examples for CV 

To give you an idea of how to write your statement, let’s look at some examples.

Remember: You need to write a unique personal statement for your CV. Simply copying and using these examples may not be the best move because the sample CV statements won’t reflect your unique experiences and personality. 

Good CV Personal Statement Examples

Employers want to see experts. Therefore, your personal statement must speak directly to your most marketable skills. 

You should never come off sounding desperate or diminish your worth (even if you have been recently laid off ). Use a confident tone with first-person implied and strong verbs to describe your core competencies and other benefits you can bring to the workplace. 

General Jobseeker Personal Statement Example

Highly motivated, fully trained engineer with 15 years of experience in the telecoms industry. Worked with XYZ Telecoms Ltd, Cool Mobile Carrier, and Acme Telco as a field engineer and project team leader. Successfully managed large commercial telecom infrastructure installations. Currently unemployed due to the relocation of the company. Open to new opportunities in NOC. 

Personal Statement CV Example For an Administration Position 

Adaptable and resourceful facilities manager with experience in supporting enterprise-sized organizations in real estate, pharmaceuticals, and manufacturing industries. Strong organizational skillset: Six Sigma, standardized method of procedure (MOP) policies implementation. Was responsible for facilities operations on 2.4 million square feet in a 20-building chemical manufacturing campus, serviced by a 20+ people team of building engineers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and cleaners.

Accountant Personal Statement CV Examples

Below are two samples for a senior and a junior accountant. 

Chartered Accountant 

ACCA-certified accountant for mid-market and enterprise-sized companies. Conducted due diligence and tax audits for FTSE 500 companies. Commenced for a 100% accuracy track record in financial reporting, as well as fast turnaround on complex analytical reviews. Provide on-demand advisory on trust setup, company incorporation, and tax deferrals. 

Account Assistant 

Detail-oriented, certified accounting assistant with experience in payroll administration. Familiar with Gusto, Xero, and Intuit software. Effectively process payroll, benefits, taxes, and social contributions for over 1500 employees per month. Possess a strong foundation in employee classification,  tax reporting, and financial management. 

CV Personal Statement Examples for Students

Whether you’re applying for an internship or looking for a part-time job , a compelling personal is a must-have for a student CV. 

Since your work experience history may be a bit “thin”, you need to persuade the employer via other means — your transferable skills, academic interests, and personal traits. A personal CV allows you to spotlight all of these. 

Remember that you are bringing your energy, dedication, enthusiasm, and willingness to learn to the table. As you will not have any employment history, you need to make sure to get your personality and your soft skills over in your statement.

CV Statement for a Student Looking for a Full-Time Summer Job 

Junior copywriter, enrolled in a BA Writing Program at the University of Manchester (graduation date: fall 2025). Alumni of the 2022 Copywriting Bootcamp program from Matters Agency. Well-versed in target audience analysis, brand positioning, and editorial campaign planning. Writing clips for eCommerce and SaaS brands are available in my portfolio.  

CV Statement for an Internship 

Second-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Leeds, seeking to apply theoretical knowledge in safety system design. Proficient in AutoCAD and completed a series of blueprints for fire and water safety systems as part of my coursework. Fast learner, self-starter, and team player, I’m excited to contribute my technical expertise to a dynamic engineering team.

CV Statement for a Student Looking for a Part-Time Job 

Junior front-end developer (React, Angular JS), seeking a part-time programming position in the Great London area. Current availability is 10-15 hours per week, preferably with hybrid work arrangements. Solid understanding of design systems and UX/UI best practices. Past work experience in finance and eCommerce sectors. 

CV Personal Statement Examples for 16-Year-Olds

Joining the workforce straight after high school makes sense if you want to take a gap year or pursue trade education later on. The wrinkle, however, is that most employers may be wary of your age and lack of experience.

The goal of a personal statement is to dispel those doubts by showing that you’re a serious, mature, and hard-working candidate, eager to learn and hone your craft. 

Personal Statement for a Barista Position 

Genuine coffee lover and frequent guest at Maddie’s Cafe, I would love to join the barista team. As a former head of the prom planning committee, I understand the importance of good teamwork, efficient planning, and following instructions. My main objectives are to learn more about beverage prep and deliver exceptional experiences to customers. 

CV Personal Statement Examples For A Graduate

Your personal statement should focus on your main educational attainments and experiences. If you are applying before you have had your degree results, it is fine to give a projected grade. You can also mention any specific modules you have studied that are relevant to the job on offer and how much you enjoyed working on them.

Remember: Your goal is to explain why you’re interested in this role and what you could bring to the table. 

Graduate Personal Statement Example

Business administration graduate with a 1:1 honors degree from XYZ University. Interested in an entry-level merchandising position within your Commercial Sales Department to expand my knowledge in retail merchandising, procurement, and inventory management. Looking to apply my analytical and data modeling skills for merchandising strategy optimization. 

Personal Statement for High School Graduate 

Energetic and enthusiastic high school graduate (June 2023) with top A-levels grades in English, Maths, and French. Seeking an entry-level role in sales, where I can make use of and develop my language skills. My long-term career goal is to further my language qualifications and position myself as a European sales manager living and working overseas for a global company.

Personal Statement Examples for CV With No Experience

Lack of experience in a particular role or industry should never discourage you from applying. Although you may not tick all the criteria boxes, you still have transferable skills and unique work experiences to showcase.

Moreover, ongoing talent shortages are prompting employees to reconsider their hiring criteria, plus invest more in new hire training and upskilling. Four in five companies now struggle to fill in open vacancies, which is the highest number in the past 17 years. 

So take your chances and apply even if you don’t have sufficient work experience. 

Personal Statement Example with No Relevant Work Experience 

Former front-desk hotel employee, looking for an opportunity to leverage strong service orientation and organizational skills in new roles (Customer Success or Customer Support). Familiarity with appointment booking software, digital chat apps, and CRM software. With my strong commitment to personal growth and my adaptable nature, I believe I could be a valuable asset to customer-centric teams.  

Personal Statement Example with No Industry Experience 

Self-starter with a BA degree in Communication and experience in corporate event management seeking a transition to music festival management. Experienced in organizing off-site events for 100+ people (including location scouting and travel coordination). I thrive in fast-paced environments and am eager to build a strong network of new partners. 

Discover even more personal statements from our collection of CV examples . 

CV Personal Statement For A Career Change

Career change is a big decision, but it can lead to a more fulfilling professional life. Besides, you’re not completely starting anew. Many of the hard and soft skills are quite universal. There is any number of different jobs that need the same set of skills that you have developed, so always try to lead with these and use real-life examples of your experience.

Career Change Personal Statement Example:

Working for the past 10 years as a regional sales manager has allowed me to develop keen skills in building strong working relationships and lucrative networks. Communication skills I developed during my time at my current employer enabled me to win vital contract wins that increased sales revenue by 20% over three years. I am now ready to take on a new challenge and want to work in the charity sector so that I can use my skills to give something back for the direct benefit of others.

How To Write A Strong Personal Statement for a CV 

An effective personal statement summarizes your skills and experience in a relevant way i.e., it indicates how you can be of help to the employer. 

In short, a compelling CV personal statement: 

• Lists your most marketable skills and qualifications 
• Highlights your industry knowledge and work experiences 
• Mirrors some of the key phrases, used in the job description 

And here’s how to write a personal statement that makes a mark.

1. Review the Job Description Once Again 

As you go through the role description, pay attention to the words, used by the employer, to describe the candidate’s requirements, duties, and personality. Keep those in the back of your head. 

These are the keywords you’d want to use all around your CV — in the personal statement, work experience, education, and skills areas. 

2. Do a Mental Tally of Your Skills 

Try to remember the times in your previous work roles when you accomplished notable objectives, went above and beyond expectations , or otherwise did better than your peers.  

Note down everything that springs to mind including your years of experience in a similar role, challenges you took on and the positive results achieved, new projects you kick-started – anything that has close relevance to this new position.

3. Make a Draft Personal Statement 

Write down a sample personal statement. Don’t worry about the length – just put as many details as you’d like on paper. Once you’re done, revisit the job description. See how your personal statement compares to the description. Does it paint a picture of someone who would fit the role? 

4. Edit for Clarity and Briefity 

A good CV personal statement shouldn’t be longer than 3-4 sentences. Take a critical look at your draft version and condense it to the bare essentials: 2-3 main skills, a major accomplishment, and a note on your motivation and/or personal traits. 

Other things that don’t belong in your personal statement are:

• Explanation of employment gaps or present unemployment status 
• Information about hobbies or personal interest 
• Any mention of references or recommendations 
• Irrelevant skills or work experiences 

Want to stand out even more? Add a persuasive opening statement that highlights your strengths as a candidate. 

A compelling personal statement can be the key between your CV making the ‘yes’ pile or the reject bin. Take some time to get your statement right and always write a new one for each job you apply for by mirroring the employer’s language. 

Finally, to give your CV a polishing touch, try out one of our fancy, but free CV templates , coming in multiple styles: professional, modern, simple, and creative!

Elena runs content operations at Freesumes since 2017. She works closely with copywriters, designers, and invited career experts to ensure that all content meets our highest editorial standards. Up to date, she wrote over 200 career-related pieces around resume writing, career advice... more

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CV Personal Statement Examples and Tips

Your personal statement is the first thing a recruiter or hiring manager will read when flicking through what will usually be a huge pile of CVs. With so much competition, you need a personal statement that grabs their attention for all the right reasons. But how do you write one? Here’s our guide along with a couple of personal statement examples for inspiration.

What is a personal statement?

A personal statement is a concise paragraph that sits at the top of your CV just below your name and contact details and tells the reader why you would be a fantastic asset for their company. It should include a summary of your most relevant skills and experience and give the recruiter an insight into your ambitions and character.

Your personal statement should explain:

• Who you are
• Your suitability for the role and the value you can add
• Your career goals

Conveying all that information in just a few sentences is certainly not easy, but with research suggesting that recruiters spend an average of just six seconds reviewing each CV before deciding whether the applicant is a good fit, you must get it right.

How to write a winning personal statement for your CV

No one has your specific skills and experience, so your personal statement must be unique. However, there are some universal tips you can follow.

• Length, formatting and tone of voice

Probably the biggest challenge you’ll face when writing a personal statement for your CV is keeping it between 50 and 150 words, or around four or five lines of text. It should be clean and concise, formatted consistently and written in the same font and point size as the rest of your CV.

Personal statements can be written in the first (“I am a marine biologist”) or third-person (“Marine biologist looking for”), but whatever voice you choose, keep it consistent throughout your CV.

Recruiters read so much hyperbole and waffle that being honest and understated will help you stand out. This is not The Apprentice, so buzzwords, empty promises and meaningless metaphors should be avoided at all costs.

• Back up your claims

Cliches like ‘hard worker’ or ‘experienced’ are just empty words that recruiters see hundreds of times a day. Instead, establish your credentials with relevant vocational qualifications or professional memberships you have and quantify the level of experience you have. For example, “I am a RICS qualified surveyor with eight years’ experience working for a property development company”.

• Include statistics from your career

Including specific data or statistics in your personal statement will immediately make it stand out from the hundreds of others recruiters read every day. Metrics of success are far more memorable than simply listing your achievements. For example, “I introduced a new lead qualification tool that increased sales by 15 percent”.

• Remove pronouns in the third person

The personal statement on your CV is the one place where it’s okay to talk about yourself in the third person. However, using pronouns, for example, “he is a conscientious worker with 12 years of experience...” is a step too far. Instead, drop the pronouns, so that would become “A conscientious worker with 12 years of experience…”

Personal statement examples

Here are a few examples of personal statements to keep you on the right track and hopefully provide a little inspiration.

Written in the first person by a graduate looking for their first professional role.

I am a recent graduate with a first-class degree in economics, specialising in econometrics and international trade. I have commercial experience in the finance sector courtesy of an internship with a UK corporation, where I developed the technical data engineering skills you are looking for. I have a proven ability to meet deadlines and produce consistently high-quality work, as evidenced by my degree, and would relish the chance to develop my skills within your organisation.

Written in the third person by an experienced purchasing manager looking to climb the ladder.

Purchasing manager with 12 years of experience who wants to progress to a more senior role within the aviation industry. Has developed strong and lasting relationships during previous managerial positions in the sector and wants to put this strong network to good use to add value to your business.

Time to get hired

Writing a winning personal statement that you’re happy with and that summarises your skills and experience effectively in just a few lines will take time. However, using these tips and examples as a guide and editing your personal statement for every role is an important piece of the puzzle.

To hear Guardian Jobs reader Elia’s story and how her Personal Career Management programme helped land her ideal job watch the video .

Personal Career Management can offer you a  free review to assess your needs and to see which programme is right for you.

To book call Personal Career Management on 01753 888 995 or fill in the contact form .

Personal Career Management are Career Management Partners for the Guardian and are a specialist career coaching and outplacement company.

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How to Write a CV With No Experience: The Format

How to write a cv with no experience for your very first job, how to write a cv without experience example, key things to remember when writing a cv with no experience, frequently asked questions, final thoughts, how to write a cv with no experience – 2024 guide + examples.

Updated November 29, 2023

When you’re writing a CV for the first time and have little or no work experience, you need to write more about your relevant soft and hard skills – to draw out why you would be a good hire. The sections that cover your education, skills and hobbies need to be data-driven and descriptive, linking your abilities to the role that you are applying for.

A CV is basically a summary of yourself that sells you to an employer. During a job application, you might be requested to send a CV with a covering letter that expresses your interest in the specific role.

To write these, you might have to get creative with how you market your skills and knowledge if you don’t yet have much work experience. This article will help you do that.

You might not have work experience if you’re a school leaver or fresh graduate, but you do have a wealth of experience in working with teams (sports, for example) or time-management (juggling your academics with extracurriculars) and even attention to detail (science experiments, maybe.)

The key is to write out everything you’ve ever done that might impress a future employer. You can start by mind-mapping or brainstorming with a friend or family member.

Then you need to nail the formatting, which is where this article comes in handy. It gives tips and examples as well as frequently asked questions to help you on your application journey.

Typically CVs fall into two categories, skills-based or experience-based. In this article, the focus is on the former – since the aim is to assist those without much experience.

You don’t want to send the same CV to everyone. You might have a basic or core CV that you then tweak for a specific job application, making sure you’re matching the skills you talk about to the actual job description.

How to write a CV with no experience is not impossible, but you want to make sure it looks as strong as possible. Getting formatting right is important when you’re looking for your first job and you’re looking to stand out amongst others.

There is always competition, but it’s hardest for graduates when there are a lot of other people in the same boat, looking for their first jobs.

There are certain items a CV should have. These are:

• Contact details
• Personal statement
• Core skills
• Education/certifications
• Experience (for example, volunteer or club experiences you might have)

There are optional extra sections you can add such as:

• Language skills/IT skills
• Hobbies and interests

Step 1 . Contact Details

This section is very simple – just add your name (usually centred in bold and a bigger font), along with a phone number and your email address.

Keep your email address sounding professional – for example, ' [email protected] ' is better than ' [email protected] '.

Bear in mind that your voicemail greeting should be equally neutral and simple. You don’t need to add your physical address, ethnicity or date of birth on your CV.

Step 2 . Personal Statement

This is a stylistic addition to CVs that works like a taster for a recruiter who is in a rush and might not read the whole CV.

It’s a two-to-five sentence summary that gives a flavour of who you are and your biggest achievements.

It helps to think of these almost as bullet points, and you can start most sentences with a verb.

You can write this last after you’ve done the rest of your CV and look at it like a frame for what follows.

For example:

Hardworking self-starter looking for roles in marketing to grow and develop my career. Worked on my college newspaper and raised circulation by 15% over two years by incorporating local advertisers. Excited to bring my attention to detail and communication skills to a bigger opportunity.

Step 3 . Core Skills

Think about what you learned at school or university that can be applied to a workplace. Can you write Powerpoints or give presentations?

That always impresses an employer.

You can also talk about general soft skills, like organisational ability or networking. How to write a CV with little experience requires you to use lateral thinking and draw upon all your extracurriculars.

If you attend workshops at your careers centre, that shows you’re proactive and engaged. Make sure you get used to adding to your core CV every couple months so you don’t forget anything new you’ve done or learned through day-to-day activities.

You can then use this as a master document to work from when you have a specific job application you’re making.

You want your CV to be memorable, so try and add something that sounds unique or different.

For example, if you did a sponsored skydive for a homelessness charity, you can use it to show that you are socially aware and able to empathise with those in different circumstances. It could even show interpersonal skills because getting sponsorship requires persuading people.

Step 4 . Education/Certifications

Your education should be written in reverse chronological order, so the more recent exams and results are displayed first.

Ideally, you want to enter your grades here but that is optional. Be sure to add dates, and you can add the names of the institutions too, if you like.

How to write a CV with little experience requires you to try and expand the education section more and make it sound as impressive as possible.

You might be surprised at what else you can put in this section. Exam results certainly, but also things like a driving licence or first aid count. You might have a lifeguarding or musical/drama qualification you can also add.

Any kind of training also counts – for example, you might have attended a workshop on gender sensitivity. Be sure to highlight what skills they have helped you develop.

For example, you could organise the section as follows:

Ten GCSEs (2022) including Triple Science (indicating an analytical mind) Merit Award (2021) in National Maths Challenge (showing logic skills) Grade 8 currently – Speech and Drama (public speaking and communications).

Step 5 . Experience

How to write a CV with no job experience is not impossible. But if you are still nervous about how to write this section, you can get professional help.

Remember, even if you weren’t paid for a role you did, it doesn’t mean you didn’t gain important business skills from it.

You can enter your volunteer roles in your CV as you would have done a paying job – specify how long you volunteered, significant tasks and the soft and hard skills you developed.

Worked in an Oxfam shop all through 2022 and learnt how to operate the checkout software, the ways to handle inventory and strong customer service skills.

Step 6 . Language Skills/IT Skills

These days, language skills are impressive and IT abilities are necessary for almost every role.

How to write a good CV with no work experience means you want to lean into these more transferable skills you might have.

Don’t be afraid to spell it out, for example:

Self-taught fluent Spanish speaker. Used Duolingo during the pandemic to achieve a 500-day streak and travelled to Spain alone (showing determination and resilience) Adept with all software packages , including statistical analysis (SPSS) Social media savvy: able to edit and produce marketing videos for various organisations

If you have a portfolio online or a particularly impressive social media following (and it’s work-appropriate), don’t be afraid to share one or two links here.

If you’re serious, you may also have a LinkedIn profile and you can also add that to your CV.

Obviously keeping your LinkedIn profile up to date and looking active with relevant shares and follows (making sure it matches the key info in your CV too) is important.

If you are sharing your LinkedIn URL, leave out the first part, so it simply reads like this: 'linkedin.com/in/NinaPatel', for example.

Step 7 . Hobbies and Interests

There is a difference between hobbies and interests: hobbies are activities you actually engage in on a regular basis, while interests are the curiosity to learn more about a topic.

So a hobby could be football (remember to talk about transferable skills like teamwork or focus), while an interest could be learning about animal taxidermy (you can link it to attention to detail or another useful trait like scientific curiosity).

There can be a lot of hobbies and interests you might want to include, but remember you are tailoring to a specific job advert.

Prioritise the items you enter in this section – for example, if you are applying for tutoring roles, employers will be keener to hear that you volunteer at the children’s library above the fact that you ran the school’s fashion show.

Other Formatting Notes

Be aware of the optimal length of a CV (no more than two pages but ideally one), the use of bullet points (they help readability) and using right font size (at least 11 for body text and above for headings).

You might also be wondering if you need to include a photo. In the UK there is no norm for including photos unless you’re applying for a job where your appearance is relevant – for example, acting or modelling.

Some big employers will often automise their CV sifting so be aware of that and use relevant keywords as much as possible.

Remember it’s not just full-time paid roles that go on your CV. How to write a CV with no job experience requires a little finesse but is doable.

Young candidates or those going through a career change should also considering adding any:

Part-time roles with relevant/transferable skills – Even if your role is working as a babysitter, there are skills like communications and delegation that you can talk about.

Internships – Ideally you have done some kind of placement through school or college, but it’s never too late to ask around local companies and offer to do some free work experience for them. Being proactive like this is a marketable trait in itself and looks great on your CV. How to write internship experience in a CV is simple — you can just break down what you did and what you learned.

Relevant voluntary work – If you visit people at a care home or if you look after a sibling it still counts as experience. You can talk about how you’re learning to manage multi-tasking or how you are building on your emotional intelligence as relevant soft skills.

Here is a sample that shows how to write experience in a CV when you have minimal working roles.

In this case, you would bulk up the sections on skills and hobbies/interests, drawing out how they were helpful in developing you as a person.

Alex Smith 4567 Adventure Road Innovation City, Tech 54321 (123) 456-7890 [email protected] Objective As a recent Information Technology graduate, I am eager to apply my technical knowledge and problem-solving skills in an entry-level IT role. I am keen on contributing to a team that values innovation and continuous learning. Education Bachelor of Science in Information Technology Tech University, Innovation City August 2019 – May 2023 Graduated with a 3.8 GPA. Relevant Coursework: Software Development, Network Security, Database Management, Web Design. Senior Project: Developed a web-based inventory management system for small businesses. Diploma in Computer Science Future Leaders High School, Cyber Town August 2015 – May 2019 Specialized in computer programming and digital technologies. Led the coding club, organizing weekly coding challenges and workshops. Core Skills Programming Proficiency: Skilled in Python, Java, and HTML/CSS. Analytical Thinking: Capable of analyzing complex problems and developing effective solutions. Teamwork and Collaboration: Experienced in working on group projects, contributing technical expertise and coordinating efforts. Quick Learner: Rapidly adapt to new technologies and programming languages. Experience Peer Tutor, Tech University September 2021 – May 2023 Tutored students in basic programming and web development, enhancing teaching and communication skills. Developed resource materials and practice exercises, showcasing organizational skills. Volunteer, Community Tech Help June 2020 – August 2022 Assisted community members with basic computer setup and troubleshooting, demonstrating technical knowledge and patience. Conducted workshops on internet safety and digital literacy for seniors. Hobbies/Interests Robotics: Build and program robots as a hobby; participated in several amateur robotics competitions. Gaming: Active in online gaming communities, developing strategic thinking and team coordination. Mountain Biking: Enjoy off-road biking, demonstrating physical fitness and a love for outdoor challenges. Other Skills Cybersecurity Fundamentals: Completed an online course in cybersecurity, gaining basic knowledge in network security and data protection. Communication: Effective communicator, capable of explaining complex technical concepts in easy-to-understand terms. Multitasking: Adept at managing multiple tasks simultaneously without compromising quality. References available upon request.

When you are looking for your first job and don’t have much experience, getting the basics right is really important.

Top tips for how to write experience in a CV are as follows:

Research the role and company – The importance of tailoring your CV can’t be overstated. Use similar skills/language as seen in the job posting for success. You can paraphrase, too, if you are referencing the same trait several times – for example, use ‘hardworking’ instead of ‘dedicated’ so that there’s not too much repetition.

Highlight your skills – Focus more on both of your hard and soft skills when you don’t have a lot of job experience.

Showcase your education – When you have no experience, your education can be a big boost – don’t forget about the different coursework/projects/extracurricular activities you’ve done either.

Proofread your CV – Always ensure it is free of errors and mistakes and get a second pair of eyes to help you. Your careers teachers at school are a good place to start. You can also ask their opinions on how to write a CV when you have no experience.

How do I write a simple CV with no experience?

Showcase your education – it can be a big boost. Highlight the different coursework/projects/extracurricular activities you’ve done too.

Be aware of the optimal length of a CV (no more than two pages), use bullet points and the right font size (at least 11 for body text and above for headings).

How do I write a CV for my first job?

Write more about your relevant soft and hard skills to draw out why you’d be a good hire. Make the education, skills and hobbies section data-driven and descriptive, linking your abilities to the role.

Research the role and company, and use similar skills/language as seen in the job posting.

How can I write a CV that highlights my volunteering roles?

Even if you weren’t paid for a role, it doesn’t mean you didn’t gain important business skills from it.

Enter your volunteer roles in your CV as you would have done a paying job – specify how long you volunteered, significant tasks and the soft and hard skills you developed.

How do I write a student CV?

Think about what you learned at school or university that can be applied to a workplace. Did you write Powerpoints or give presentations? You can also talk about general soft skills, like organisational ability or networking.

If you attend workshops at your careers centre, that shows you’re proactive and engaged.

What makes a good CV for students?

You might not have work experience, but you may have a wealth of experience in working with teams, time-management and even attention to detail.

Write out everything you’ve ever done that might impress a future employer. Then you need to pick what is a good fit for the specific job.

What is a CV for college students?

Focus on academics and the skills you’ve developed through them as well as useful extracurriculars.

Consider adding part-time roles with relevant/transferable skills – even if your role is working as a babysitter, there are skills like communications and delegation that you can talk about.

Relevant voluntary work also helps.

How do I write a CV for a fresher?

Think about all aspects of your educational background – as well as the traits or interests that make you a strong match for the job.

Write the educational section in reverse chronological, and add in any kind of training. Be sure to highlight what skills you developed.

How to write a CV without experience can seem daunting. You want to make a great first impression, so getting the CV right and focusing on hard and soft skills will help.

Make sure you have thought about all aspects of your educational background – as well as the traits or interests that make you a strong match for the job.

How to write work experience in a CV is a skill, especially when you don’t have a lot to focus on. With a bit of time and practise, you’ll be able to create a great CV showing transferable skills to help begin your dream career.

Choose PurpleCV and get:

• Access to your own specialist writer
• Unlimited revisions for 12 months
• Average 2-day turnaround (specialist CV 5 days)
• No templates are used on any of our CVs

You might also be interested in these other Psychometric Success articles:

Or explore the Application Advice / CVs sections.

Craft A Standout CV with No Work Experience: Examples & Tips

9 minutes to read

• 01. How to Write A CV With No Experience
• 02. CV Examples For Students With No Experience
• 03. CV Format without Experience: What to Include
• 04. References
• 05. CV Format and Layout
• 06. Tailoring Your CV to the Job
• 07. Proofread and Edit

Looking for jobs with no qualifications? This article will help you learn how to write a CV without experience. It is still possible to get a role without some experience – you have to start somewhere, right? Many employers will be willing to consider people without qualifications if they can prove their work ethic and skills.

It can be tricky writing a CV when you don’t have any professional work experience to include. There are several sections you can focus on instead to help you stand out and land your first job.

Highlight relevant skills and use examples like CV work experience, no qualification jobs, and no experience CV. Discover tips for writing a CV with no experience, including CV examples for students in the UK. Creating a compelling document highlighting your skills, education, and other relevant experiences is still possible, as we explore.

How to Write A CV With No Experience

Here's a step-by-step guide to help you to create a top CV. Remember these tips when you are looking to create a CV with no experience.

• Start with a solid personal statement or objective: Begin your CV with a summary of your career goals, skills, and what you hope to achieve. Highlight your enthusiasm, motivation, and willingness to learn.
• Emphasise your education: Since you lack work experience, focus on your educational background. Include the institution's name, degree or qualification earned, dates of study, and any relevant coursework or projects. Highlight any achievements or honours you received.
• Showcase relevant skills: Identify and highlight skills applicable to your target job or industry. These can be soft skills (e.g., communication, teamwork, problem-solving) or technical skills (e.g., proficiency in specific software or programming languages). Provide examples of using these skills in your education or other activities.
• Highlight extracurricular activities: Include any extracurricular activities, clubs, or organizations you were involved in during your education. Focus on leadership roles, teamwork experiences, or projects demonstrating your skills and abilities.
• Volunteer or internship experience: If you have volunteered or completed any internships, include them in a separate section. Highlight the tasks you performed, skills you gained, and any accomplishments during these experiences.
• Include relevant coursework: If you've taken any courses relevant to the job you're applying for, list them separately. Mention specific projects or assignments that showcase your skills and knowledge in those areas.
• Highlight personal projects: If you've undertaken any personal projects, such as building a website, creating artwork, or developing an app, include them in a dedicated section. Briefly describe the project, your role, and any outcomes or achievements.

• Showcase certifications and training: If you have obtained any certifications or completed training programs, list them along with the issuing institution, dates, and any notable achievements.
• Tailor your CV to the job: Analyse the job description and identify the skills and qualities the employer seeks. Customise your CV by aligning your qualifications and experiences with those requirements.
• Format and layout: Keep the CV clean, well-organised, and easily read. Use clear headings, bullet points, and a professional font. Keep the document concise, ideally within one or two pages.
• Proofread and edit: Before finishing your CV, thoroughly proofread it to correct any spelling or grammatical errors. Make sure the information is accurate and up to date.
• Use a CV template or sample: To get started, search for CV templates or samples online designed for individuals with limited work experience. These templates can provide a structure and guide you through the process

CV Examples For Students With No Experience

Remember, even without work experience, you can still highlight your skills , education , and other rele vant experiences to showcase your potential to prospective employers.

Find part-time , easy jobs near you that don't require a CV. Overcome the lack of experience by showcasing previous skills and work experience in your CV. Explore opportunities like unqualified teaching assistant jobs or unqualified nursery assistant jobs.

Here are a couple of examples of student CVs that you can take as inspiration for layout, format, and elements to include:

University Student CV Example

Sixth Form Student CV Example

CV Format without Experience: What to Include

Now that you've seen several sample CVs, let's look in detail at how to format your CV and what to include. Firstly, you should work out the structure from a practical standpoint. Where is information included?

Usually, you should include contact details at the top , underneath your name. Then, the personal statement, work experience if you have it to offer, and other aspects like education, personal skills, and possibly references.

In terms of the actual information to include, and the sections of the CV, we recommend considering the following. Most people use the following structure when creating a CV for a role if they don't have relevant work experience to put at the top of the CV:

Personal Statement CV

The first section of any CV should be a personal statement tailored to the role you’re applying for. Suppose you’re applying for a job as a receptionist. In that case, your personal statement should be completely different to if you were applying for a role as a sales assistant in your local supermarket. Ensure you edit this section each time before sending your CV out.

With a personal statement, you want to answer any introduction questions a recruiter may have: Who are you? What do you offer to our company? What are you aiming for in your career?

Here are some do's and don'ts to remember while writing a personal statement.

As the job you’re applying for will be your first or one of your first, focus on your skill set rather than your limited work history. Showcase what you know and what you can bring to the company , especially modern skills that young people may more commonly possess.

Try to go into detail as much as possible when listing relevant skills. For example, if you list IT skills, name the programs you’re good at.

As well as specific qualifications and hard skills, it’s also good to include soft skills such as confidence in public speaking, a positive attitude and time-keeping skills. Giving examples of times when you’ve used these skills can help back up the points you’re trying to get across.

You should include all your education achievements from GCSEs onwards . Giving an overview of the subjects you took and your grades is a good idea.

Employers respect high grades and hard work.

If you’re still awaiting the results, including the mock exams you’ve sat or your expected results . Make sure you list your results in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent events at the top of the section.

Image by Rubén Rodriguez

Hobbies & Interests

On CVs, a hobbies section is always optional. However, if you haven’t any work experience to include, then listing your hobbies and interests can be a great way to get your skills and personality across.

Make sure any hobbies you list are not too generic. Hanging with friends or watching Netflix isn’t going to impress the recruiter. Completing a sailing course or becoming a black belt in karate shows you have the determination and a get-up-and-go attitude and a level of dedication.

A good question to ask yourself when writing this section is: "Will adding this information help me get the job? "

Employment History

We're exploring the top tips when making a resume for students with no experienc e, so, if you have no employment experience, you can always skip this section.

However, if you’ve done some work experience at school or participated in a volunteering project , this can also be included, even if it was only for a few days. It shows that you have a willingness to work and some experience at least. Here are some examples of things you could add to this section with minimal work experience:

• tutoring experience
• internships
• working in schools or as a teaching assistant
• volunteer experience
• student ambassador
• student council member
• peer mentor
• event organiser
• work experience placement/experience days
• library assistant
• sports team captain or coach

Once you've done a brainstorm on all the different types of relevant experience you could add to your CV, check out this helpful podcast for useful tips for writing a CV from scratch:

If you have no work experience, your school teacher or a family friend is an excellent reference option. Some employers will ask for references directly in the job advert. However, if this isn’t specified, then it’s perfectly fine to state that they are available upon request.

CV Format and Layout

A well-organised and visually appealing CV can leave a positive impression on employers. Consider the following formatting tips:

• Use clear and concise headings for each section (e.g., "Education," "Skills," "Volunteer Experience," etc.).
• Use bullet points to list your achievements, responsibilities, and skills. This makes it easier to read and scan.
• Choose a professional font that is professional and easy to read, such as Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman.
• Maintain consistency in formatting, spacing, and indentation throughout the CV.
• Keep the document clean and uncluttered . Avoid excessive use of fancy fonts, colours, or graphics unless you're applying for a creative field where visual elements are expected.

Tailoring Your CV to the Job

To make your CV stand out, it's important to customise it for each job you apply to. Carefully review the job description and identify the key skills, qualifications, and experiences the employer seeks. Then, highlight the relevant skills and experiences that align with those requirements. Use similar language and keywords from the job description to make it easier for employers to recognise your suitability for the role.

If you still have trouble creating a personal statement for CV with no experience, look at this list of 5 questions you must ask when writing your personal statement.

Proofread and Edit

Before submitting your CV, proofread and edit it for any errors or inconsistencies. Here are some steps you can follow:

• Read the entire CV, focusing on grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Pay attention to details such as verb tenses and subject-verb agreement.
• Use grammar and spell-checking tools to catch any obvious mistakes.
• Review the content for clarity and coherence. Ensure that the information is presented in a logical and easy-to-follow manner.
• Consider also asking a friend, family member, or mentor to review your CV. Fresh eyes can often catch errors or provide valuable feedback.

Our how to write a cv with no qualifications examples should help you to provide something that still looks professional.

By tailoring your CV to a specific job, paying attention to formatting and layout, and thoroughly proofreading it, you can increase your chances of making a positive impression on potential employers. Remember to showcase your enthusiasm, willingness to learn, and any transferable skills you possess, as these qualities can make up for the lack of work experience.

Get started on your journey today and improve your CV, even without a history in the workplace.

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!

Ben is a writer from the UK with a passion for all things relating to learning and tuition, especially music, arts, entertainment, and sports.

Frequently asked questions

📃 what to include on a cv without work experience.

If you have no experience in a workplace, that doesn’t mean you can’t have a great CV! Include your education, as well as other personal achievements and things you are involved in within the community, such as clubs you are involved in. Any positions of responsibility you’ve held can be useful, too.

🕵🏻‍♂️ Where to find CV examples for students with no experience

Fortunately, we have provided an example above, or there are plenty of others available out there for people who want to see what others have done. If your school has a careers department, you can also ask them, they may have CV examples for students.

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Writing a personal statement for your CV

CV personal statements are like the sales pitch of your CV, but not everyone thinks they're useful. Discover if they're really necessary, how to write a CV personal profile and templates for inspiration

What is a CV personal statement?

A CV personal statement is a concise paragraph or summary, which details what you can bring to a job or company. It's also known as an opening statement, personal profile, personal summary or executive summary.

Sitting at the top of your CV, it's your opportunity to sell yourself to employers and to highlight the relevant skills and experience you possess.

While effectively and succinctly convincing recruiters that you're a good fit for the role, a personal statement gives you the chance to show off your strengths and share your career goals.

'The focus of your CV statement should be to target your offer to employers - why should they hire you and how are you different to other graduates? Therefore, making your personal statement as unique as possible is crucial to ensure you stand out from the crowd,' explains Alex Proctor, careers consultant at the University of Bradford.

Do I need a personal summary on my CV?

Traditionally, almost all CV types include a personal statement but there is some debate about whether you actually need to include one.

Some recruiters and careers advisers believe that personal profiles are one of the most important parts of a CV, as they provide an easily accessible overview of a candidate's ability, while others feel that personal statements are a waste of valuable space and time.

The latter belief is often the case with graduate CVs, as some employers feel that those just stepping onto the career ladder don't necessarily have enough knowledge or experience to warrant a personal statement. Because of this, a graduate's personal profile runs the risk of being bland and generic and stating things that should be a given, such as, 'I'm hardworking and organised,' which is why some recruiters believe that they are best suited to more senior CVs.

So while your CV doesn't need a personal statement, employers spend only seconds looking at application documents. With this in mind, a CV personal statement gives you an invaluable opportunity to make your application stand out as quickly as possible.

Alex believes 'that a CV personal statement is a good idea, because employers often have so many CVs to read through and the personal statement, if clear and concise, can elevate your chances of getting through to the next stage of the recruitment process.'

If you'd like to include a personal statement on your CV it might be best, as a graduate, to focus on your educational background and the career path you'd like to embrace. If you have relevant experiences use these to make your personal statement unique. 'If you haven’t got much work experience, focus on what experience you can extract from your degree,' advises Alex. 'If you have taken part in various projects demonstrate what your role was. Alternatively, if you have written a dissertation, showcase your topic and what skills you have developed from this experience. Employers will value your individuality even if you haven't had masses of practical work experience.'

If you're struggling to give it context and get it right, make an appointment with your university's careers or employability service and ask an adviser to help you hone your writing. 

What should I include in my CV personal profile?

In terms of length, a CV personal profile should be no longer than 150 words. 'It should be short, impactful and aligned effectively with the CV content,' explains David Ainscough, careers consultant team lead and deputy director at the University of Cambridge.

'A personal CV profile should include details of your educational background, evidence of work experience, as well as your career aspirations. You ideally need to ensure you are telling the reader what you can offer skill-wise and don't be afraid to also share any accomplishments,' adds Alex.  

If you're struggling with what to write, break your personal statement down into three parts. Focus on:

• who you are
• what you can offer
• your career aims.

Start by introducing yourself. For example, 'A recent graduate with a 2:1 in English literature from the Hillview University' or a 'Highly-skilled physiotherapist with five years’ experience…'

Next, detail what you can offer the company. Ask yourself why you're suited to the role and cover any relevant skills or experience. If you lack practical work experience instead draw attention to your academic achievements, such as contributing to university publications, which developed written communication, attention to detail and teamworking skills. Or how you applied skills learned on your physical therapy degree during your time as a physio assistant for university sport teams.

Conclude your personal statement by highlighting your career goals. For example, 'I am looking to start my career in the exciting world of publishing and to develop the skills learned through my university studies and internships.'

It's up to you how you present this information; there is no hard and fast rule. However, personal statements are generally displayed as a single paragraph, without a title or subheading. You'll need to keep it consistent with the rest of your CV formatting, meaning that the font size and type will need to be the same throughout your document.

Also, consider the voice and tense you'd like to use. Personal statements can be written in either the first or third person, but you'll need to maintain this voice throughout - don't switch between the two.

Take a look at  how to write a CV .

How can I make it stand out to employers?

• 'Remember that first impressions count so make sure you're giving the recruiter a comfortable reading experience. Layout and clarity are crucial,' says David.
• Tailor your CV personal statement (and CV in general) to each application.
• Be honest. Untruths are easy to uncover and lying on your CV is a criminal offence.
• Provide evidence of skills and experience but remember to keep it brief. For example, 'experienced event manager, who led a team to organise a charity ball for 150 people, raising £5,000 - a 20% increase on previous years.'
• Use the job description to help form your CV personal profile.
• Stick to the word limit.
• Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. The personal summary sits at the top of your CV so any errors will be immediately apparent.
• 'Keep it fresh. It needs to be reviewed in each application you make so consider something new to say each time,' adds David.
• Read it aloud once you've finished writing to make sure it flows.
• Copy and paste from your  cover letter or from online CV personal statement examples. Your personal summary needs to be unique and personal to you.
• Include unnecessary personal information such as your age, marital status etc.
• Use clichés, slang or jargon.
• Use bland, empty statements like 'I work well independently and as part of a team'. This tells employers absolutely nothing about what you’re capable of.
• Overuse buzzwords.
• Include quotes from previous employers.
• Ramble. Recruiters don't have time to read through waffle, so get to the point.

Think about the connotations of the words you use - 'currently studying' implies things might change, 'trying' implies failure, 'might' or 'maybe' sounds like you're not sure. The words you use have power so choose them carefully. You want to sound confident, positive and enthusiastic.

Find out more about the  top 7 CV mistakes .

CV personal statement examples

To help you get started take a look at the following CV personal profile examples.

As a recent graduate from the University of Townville, with a 2:1 honours degree in marketing, I have undertaken internships at industry-leading agencies such as Beyond Imagination and Noah Freemans. These placements have allowed me to develop sector knowledge and gain hands on experience, as well as expand transferable skills such as commercial awareness, communication and negotiation and analytical skills. My career aim is to gain a role which allows me to further my expertise and take on increased responsibility at a market-leading digital marketing agency.

I am a highly motivated 2:1 forensic science graduate from Groveshire University, looking to secure a graduate position that enables me to use and develop my analytical, attention to detail and communication skills. I have gained relevant experience in both scientific and hospital laboratories, which allowed me to build on my problem solving, concentration and team working skills. My career goal is to assume a role that enables me to analyse and interpret forensic data and to eventually move into crime scene investigation.

Remember; avoid copying and pasting ready-made examples. Instead use them as a guide to craft your own, tailored CV personal statement. Take a look at our  example CVs .

Find out more

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• Get more advice on CVs and cover letters .

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• CV and Cover Letter
• No experience? Craft a great...

No experience? Craft a great CV and get hired fast

8 min read · Updated on April 17, 2024

Struggling to write a CV when you have no work experience? Here's what you need to know

The job search can feel like an uphill battle when you don't have any work experience yet. How are you supposed to write a CV when you don't have anything to write about? Well, having no experience for your CV shouldn't stop you from applying for – and successfully landing – your first job. 

How to write a CV with no work experience

Truth is, the candidate with the most experience doesn't always get the job. Recruiters are looking for more than just those work hours, so it's important to use your CV to showcase who you are and why you are a great fit for the role. If you're looking for answers about how to write a no experience CV, here are tips to help you get started:

1. Lead with your skill set

First things first, make sure your CV is tailored to the job you're applying for . This is important. 

If you have no experience, your CV must focus on your soft and hard skills, rather than the experience you don't have. Here's what you should do: 

• Scan the job posting and pull out all of the relevant skills and qualifications the recruiter is looking for. This could include things like attention to detail, customer service experience, or good time management. 
• Include hard and soft skills  in your skills section. You want to show the hiring manager that you're a well-rounded candidate by including relevant skills that you may have learned and acquired in school, volunteer groups, or outside any formal place of work.
• Pepper each section with skills. You can include them in your personal statement as well as your CV's dedicated skills section, for example. 

Your goal with a no experience CV is to make sure that the recruiter can see that this is not a generic CV. You want to send the message that you possess the skills relevant to the job posting. While that can be a tall order, leading with your skill set is the smartest move here. You may even want to use a functional CV format to emphasise them.

2. Perfect your personal statement

Your personal statement is the first thing a recruiter will read on your CV, so it needs to be good. Spend time writing three to five lines about yourself, your skills, and what makes you the perfect candidate for the role. Check out our expert-backed advice to get this section right:

• Keep it short and concise. It shouldn't be a story but a snapshot of what makes you a great employee. Don't overcompensate by writing too much detail here.
• Be formal and persuasive. This is the only freeform section. You may have no work experience, but your CV can still show off your charming personality.
• Use action verbs . Include a selection of action verbs in your personal statement. These will catch the reader's attention when reviewing your no experience CV. 

If you're lacking work experience, you can allow your personal statement to do much of the heavy lifting. Be clear about what you are bringing to the table. 

3. Think outside the job

Treat your extra-curricular activities and volunteer work like jobs. Evidence shows that employers are willing to take voluntary experience into account when considering a candidate for a position. Use everything that you have in your arsenal.

Spend time mentally sifting through the last 10 years and think about the times you may have volunteered at a company, conducted charity work, completed mandatory work experience or relevant coursework in high school or at a university – anything that will look good on a CV. It may not have been paid work, but you certainly would have gained some valuable skills doing it. 

The takeaway is simple: whatever experience you happen to have is likely to be valuable to the hiring manager.

4. Leverage your transferable skills

91% of talent professionals agree that soft skills, also called transferable skills , are increasingly becoming more important in the workplace. 

The truth is that most candidates will have these transferable skills. Whether acquired in university, volunteer work, another job or industry, these skills, such as communication, leadership, organisation, and customer service, can be used in any job and remain relevant across the board. 

If you're a candidate with little to no relevant work experience, it's important that you recognise these transferable skills and highlight them in your CV. Take the time to consider what transferable skills you have and how they overlap with the role. It may be worth returning to the original job advert and looking at the skills listed there.

5. Add a cover letter for context

There isn't always room on a CV to go into detail about why you're the best candidate for the job, and this can be problematic if you're lacking in work experience. You need to be able to show the recruiter who you are and what makes you right for the job. Submitting a cover letter with all the essentials alongside your CV is a great way to do this. 

Your cover letter is your chance to showcase your personality and highlight the relevant skills you possess to succeed in the specific role. Remember to keep it professional and concise, and lead with a great opener. Here are some of the things that you may want to include in your cover letter: 

• The reason you want this job. Why is this job important to you? What career plans do you have in the future? What do you already know about the sector and vacancy?
• Your enthusiasm . Choose the right, appropriate words that will express your genuine enthusiasm for the role. 
• Education . Spend some time talking about the education and training that you have under your belt. Where possible, relate this back to the job you're applying for. 
• Explanations . While you don't want to over-explain your position, it may be helpful to fill in the gaps. Detail why you have any career gaps and what lessons you have learned. 

When you're writing a no experience CV, you don't have much space to make your case. That's why including a cover letter is always the way to go. This simple move could make all of the difference when it comes to whether a hiring manager decides to take your CV forward. 

6. Use the right keywords

The recruiter (or their applicant tracking system ) will be scanning your CV for keywords. Usually found in the job posting, these are the specific skills and qualifications relevant to the advertised role. 

It's important to mention these keywords in your CV (assuming you have the right skills), otherwise your CV has little to no chance of passing the ATS. Here's how to do that: 

• Look at the job posting . If the job advert highlights leadership experience as an essential skill, then make sure your CV includes the keywords “leadership experience.”
• Choose your words wisely . Streamline your CV so that you speak the same language as the recruiter. Incorporate the same terminology and tone that they use into your CV.
• Avoid using synonyms . You might think that you're being smart by using synonyms. However, if you want to get past the ATS software, you may need to use the exact same keywords. Often enough, this software is looking for an exact match. 

You don't want to fall at the first hurdle. That's why it's so important to make sure that your no experience CV includes the right keywords for the job. Take the time to review your CV for keywords before you submit it.

7. Showcase your personality

Enthusiasm counts for more than you may think. If you can show your personality and your enthusiasm for a role in your CV, you're already in a stronger position than most candidates. When working on your no experience CV, allow your character to shine through.

You may not have the exact experience the recruiter is looking for, but if you can create a CV that stands out and oozes with personality, you just might get that phone call you've been waiting for. 

Recruiters look for more than just the right work experience related to the job. They're also looking for the right personality to fit with the company culture. Keep this in mind when you're working on your next batch of applications. 

Get hired even with no experience

When it comes to your CV, it's important to think beyond just professional work history. Look at the potential skills, accomplishments, and personal traits that may be desirable to an employer for a particular role. Remember, even with no experience, you can create a CV that works. After all, there's a lot more to you than dates on a piece of paper; it's your job to make sure that the recruiter sees that.

Are you trying to write a CV with no work experience? Submit it for a free CV review today and we'll tell you where you stand.

This article has been originally written by Rikki Wimmer and has been updated by Charlotte Grainger.

Recommended reading:

How to make a CV for your first job

The best skills to include in your CV (with examples)

How to List Self-Employment and Freelance Experience on a CV

Related Articles:

Writing a 16-year-old's CV: tips & examples

How to leverage ChatGPT for your job search in 2024

Breaking the taboo: discussing salary expectations with your employer

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How To Write A Killer CV When You Have No Experience

We’ve got top tips to help you nail your CV even without any experience. 

If you’re heading out into the world of work after you graduate, you might find writing a CV a little daunting. A recent Student Beans survey showed that 30% of you don’t feel confident applying for jobs. So it’s understandable. Especially when writing your first CV means you probably don’t have much work experience to include. But don’t stress. The point of a CV is to show your potential employer how much you can add to the company. While experience can help, it’s not always a deal breaker. 

From showcasing your achievements, discussing your hobbies and making sure your personal statement is a shining beacon of your brilliance, we’ve got all the tips to help you make sure your CV is fantastic, plus advice from Student Beans’ Head of Talent for boosting your CV. With, or without experience. 

In this article:

What do I need to include on my CV?

What about a skills-based cv.

• What to write on a personal profile

Top tips on writing a CV with no experience

There’s a few elements that make up a CV structure that you should include, including: 

• Contact details

Personal profile

• Experience*

*We know, we know, you don’t HAVE the experience. But bear with us. 

What contact details should I put on my CV?

Your contact details should be the first thing a recruiter or employer sees when they pick up your CV. So keep them brief and at the very top of your CV. Make sure you include:

• Phone number
• Email address

You don’t need to complicate it with any other information, and more commonly, employers would rather have as little information about you personally as possible, so they can remain unbiased. 

As long as you have a current email address and your phone number, then any potential employer can contact you about an interview. 

Your personal profile is exactly what it sounds like; it’s a snapshot of who you are, why you’re applying for this position and what makes you a good candidate for the role. They can be a little tricky to write so we’ve got you covered with tips later on in this article . 

Making your personal profile stand-out is really key, especially if you don’t have as much experience, as it’s the only part of your CV that you can really highlight how well you’d be suited to the role. 

If you haven’t got any experience, then making education a key area of your CV is a great way to stand out. 

You can use this space to highlight the best parts of your degree, including any relevant or high scoring assignments or exams. Pulling out transferable skills can be a breeze when it comes to education. Applying for an analyst job with an English degree? Think about all the times you had to analyse 19th century texts to understand the deeper meaning. It’s all relevant. 

Wizard with Excel? Presentation pro? Think about the areas you already have skills in, and make a point of showcasing these. Potential employers will love to see that you’re proactive in advancing your skills and can start to use them from the off-set in a role. 

Top tip: look at the job description and responsibilities you’re applying for. Does it pinpoint any skills you might need to do the job well? 

So we know that you’re here because you might not have experience and need help with your CV. But experience doesn’t just equal employment. Experience can include:

• Part-time work
• Volunteering
• Work experience
• Clubs/hobbies/interests

You want to be able to show how any life experience can be used for those valuable transferable skills. Highlighting key responsibilities and any achievements will show how these could apply to employment.

Another option to explore if you don’t have a lot of experience, is to structure your CV a little differently, and make skills the priority. After your education section, you list your skills and why they’re suitable for the role you’re applying for. 

This could look like:

Effective communicator

• Learned how to speak to a range of different customers in my part-time job
• Gained confidence public speaking during my rugby awards ceremony
• Worked in groups for university assignments, often taking a lead role in presenting

What to write on a personal profile on a CV?

Personal profiles are something of an artform. They are there to sum you up as a person and why you, as a person, are so well suited to the job role with the skills you have. All in a paragraph or two. So no pressure, right? 

Nailing your personal profile is a great way to capture the attention of any potential employers or recruiters, as it’s one of the first things they’ll read on your CV anyway. So take your time to make it the best it can be. You should:

• Include industry or job-specific words to describe yourself. If the role requires a lot of public speaking, describing yourself as confident and articulate is a good way to show how you could do the role effectively. We’re here to help if you’re not sure what you’re going to do with your degree .
• Avoid cliche or jargon – it’s easy to call yourself hardworking, but if you don’t show HOW you’re hardworking then it’s meaningless, and employers will see right through it
• Keep it short and sweet. You’ll go into detail further on in your CV so don’t write an essay for your personal profile. 

Now you’ve got an idea of what to include on your CV, it’s time to get writing. But we’ve got some top tips for writing your CV if you have limited experience, so no need to panic. Get ready to get employed. 

Highlight your transferable skills with hobbies and interests

You’d be so surprised how many skills you develop through organised clubs or even your interests. These are called your transferable skills, and they’re crucial to having a fantastic CV . Student Beans’ Head of Talent, Shannon O’Dowd says, “look at the job description to see where you have transferable skills that can match up to the role. This includes shouting about your proudest achievements too”. If you’re the captain of a sports team, you’ve already got leadership skills down. Love to vlog your life in your spare time? Think of all the social media knowledge you have already! If you travelled during your gap year, you’ve already shown that you love to learn new things and have an open mind. 

Reorganise your CV

You don’t need to follow a standard structure of how you think a CV should look, especially if you’re lacking in the experience department. Shannon says, “adding flair to your CV can really help it stand out, especially in creative roles, so let your personality shine through your application”.

Make your CV work for you and highlight the areas that you’re proud of. So this could mean adding your hobbies to the top of your CV, really working on your personal profile and shouting about your fantastic education achievements. 

Make sure your personal statement shines

If you don’t have much experience to show on your CV, attaching a personal statement means you can show off all of your achievements in a way that reflects you in the best possible light. Shannon says “bring your personality to your personal statement, employers read hundreds of these so your tone and style can have a big impact on whether your statement makes a lasting impression”.

Aim for no more than one page, as you want the potential employer to stay engaged with your words. Use your personal statement to elaborate on your CV especially with how your education, hobbies and skills help make you a great candidate for the role you’re applying for. Shannon adds, “and don’t forget to check your spelling and grammar! It seems simple and obvious but it’s so often overlooked!”

Think about trying to gain more experience

If you’re finding it really hard to pull out any kind of experience you can use, then why not try and build on your experience before applying for jobs? 

Volunteer work is a great way to build on your experience and shows willingness to step out of your comfort zone too. Charity jobs, animal shelters, food banks all rely on volunteers to help them out. Even music festivals can be a great way to get some experience if you apply to be a steward, although these can be competitive! 

Delve right into the best student discounts to find your perfect interview outfit . 

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How to write a cv for someone who has no experience and only a high school degree

I'm 22 years old I've never had a job I've worked for a month but don't think I can put it down as a reference , all I have is my high school degree. I need to apply for a job and I don't really know where to begin and what exactly it should contain

How To Write A CV For A Job With No Experience In Kenya

“I have been struggling with how to write a CV for a job with no experience in Kenya . What should I include if I don’t have the relevant work experience to showcase in my CV?” This is an email that I received from one of our audiences.

Drafting an effective CV when entering the Kenyan job market can be challenging when you don’t know how to position yourself as the right candidate.

The good news is that you can create a job-winning CV using the right approach and highlighting your unique strengths.

In this article, I will highlight the tips on how to write a CV for a job with no experience in Kenya.

1. Start With A Compelling Career Profile

A strong career profile that highlights your background, skills, and career goals will grab the reader’s attention.

When you lack substantial work experience, a career profile helps you to make a first impression by highlighting who you are as a professional, your expertise, and your value proposition.

2. Highlight Transferable Skills

One of the strategies for writing a successful CV without prior work experience in Kenya is to focus on transferable skills, such as problem-solving, communication, or organizational skills.

Highlighting these transferable skills demonstrates to the potential employer that despite not having the experience, you have the ability to contribute to the company’s success.

3. Highlight Your Education

When looking for jobs but lack experience in Kenya, highlight your educational background, and the short courses you have undertaken to showcase that you are committed to professional development, your knowledge, and potential.

Start with your highest qualification, the institution, the qualification, and the dates.

4. Highlight Your Impact and Tangible Outcomes

Instead of listing your responsibilities, quantify your achievements and how your contributions made a meaningful difference in your previous experience.

By demonstrating your impact, you communicate the value you could bring to a potential employer, which makes you stand out in a competitive job market.

Your CV is a marketing document to help you highlight your qualifications, skills, and what makes you stand out.  

Understanding how to craft a compelling CV with a limited work history in Kenya can help you highlight your strengths and position yourself as the ideal candidate.

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