How to Write a Resume With No Experience (With Examples)

What employers look for in a first resume

Nobody hiring for an entry-level role expects a list of previous employers. They are checking for three things: that you can communicate clearly, that you finish what you start, and that you have some skill or knowledge related to the job.

Your task is to show evidence of those three things using what you already have. Most students have more than they think. A group thesis is project work. Being org treasurer is handling money. Selling online on weekends is sales and customer service.

Use this section order

A first resume puts education near the top, because it is your most recent and most relevant qualification.

1. Contact details
2. Summary or objective (two to three lines)
3. Education
4. Experience: OJT, internship, projects, organizations, volunteer work
5. Skills
6. Certifications, trainings and awards (if any)

Stick to a simple reverse-chronological layout, with the most recent item first in each section. For the full walkthrough of each part, see how to write a resume.

Write a summary that says what you can do

Skip the line about seeking a challenging position. Say what you studied, what you are good at, and what kind of role you want.

Make the most of your education section

List your degree or strand, school, city and graduation date. If you have not graduated, write the expected month and year. Then add details that show ability:

• Latin honors, Dean's List, scholarships
• GWA, if it is strong and the job post asks for it
• Thesis or capstone title, in one line
• Three to five relevant subjects, if they match the job
• Board exam or licensure result, if you have one

Turn OJT, projects and orgs into experience

Name this section "Experience" or "Relevant Experience", not "Work Experience", so you can include unpaid work honestly. Give each entry a title, the organization, dates and two to four bullets.

Write bullets with the same pattern used for paid jobs: action verb + what you did + result or scale.

Other things that count: freelance or commissioned work, a small online shop, tutoring, church or barangay volunteer work, competitions, and personal projects such as a portfolio website or a YouTube channel you edit yourself.

Stuck on what to write? For each activity, answer three questions: What did I actually do? How many or how often? What changed because I did it? Your answers are your bullets.

List skills you can prove

Avoid a long list of traits like hardworking, flexible and fast learner. Anyone can type those. List skills an interviewer could test, and make sure each one is backed by something elsewhere on the page.

• Tools: MS Excel, Google Sheets, Canva, CapCut, basic HTML and CSS
• Job skills: Data encoding, cash handling, customer service, social media posting
• Languages: English, Filipino, plus any regional or foreign language
• Other: Typing speed in words per minute, a driver's license, if the job needs it

See our resume skills list for more ideas by job type, and the fresh graduate resume example for a full page you can model yours on.

What to leave out

• Elementary school, and high school too once you have a college degree, unless you earned honors worth showing.
• Age, birthday, civil status, religion, height and weight, unless the employer asks.
• Every seminar you ever attended. Keep the two or three that relate to the job.
• Hobbies that say nothing about how you work.
• A second page. One page is enough at this stage.

Before you send it

Pair your resume with a short cover letter that explains why you want this particular job. It matters more when you have no experience, because it is where your interest and effort show. Our guide on how to write a cover letter has a simple structure to follow.

First-time applicants are also usually asked for documents such as government IDs and clearances. Check the list of first job requirements in the Philippines so you can prepare them while you apply.