What to Put on a Resume When You Have No Experience

No work experience does not mean no resume. Here's exactly what to include to build a strong resume that gets you your first job or internship.

Everyone starts somewhere.

The frustrating catch-22 of job searching is that you need experience to get experience. But that is not entirely true. You have more to put on a resume than you think.

Here is exactly what to include when you are just starting out.

Start With a Strong Summary

At the top of your resume, write a 2 to 3 sentence summary that positions you for the role you want.

You do not need years of experience to write a good summary. You need clarity about what you bring and what you are looking for.

Example for a recent graduate: "Recent Marketing graduate from the University of Toronto with hands-on experience in social media management and content creation through internships and student projects. Strong analytical skills with proficiency in Google Analytics and Canva. Eager to bring fresh ideas and a strong work ethic to a growing marketing team."

Notice it does not apologize for being new. It leads with what you have.

Education

For someone with no work experience, education moves to the top of the resume or just below the summary.

Include:

• Institution name and location
• Degree and field of study
• Graduation year or expected graduation date
• GPA if it is 3.5 or above
• Relevant coursework — list 4 to 6 courses directly relevant to the job
• Academic achievements, dean's list, scholarships, honors

Your education is your most substantial credential right now. Give it the space it deserves.

Internships and Co-ops

If you have had any internships, co-ops or work placements — even short ones — these go under a Work Experience section.

Treat them exactly like a full time job. Use bullet points. Show what you did and what the outcome was.

Even a 2 month internship where you helped with social media scheduling is worth including if it is relevant. Do not undersell it.

Volunteer Work

Volunteer experience counts as experience. Full stop.

If you volunteered regularly, held a responsibility, or contributed to something meaningful — put it on your resume.

This is especially true if the volunteer work is relevant to the role. Someone who volunteered as a social media manager for a nonprofit has social media management experience. That is not a small thing.

School Projects and Coursework

This is the most underused section on student resumes.

If you completed a significant project for a class — a business plan, a marketing campaign, a research paper, a software build, a design project — it can go on your resume.

Format it like work experience:

• Project name and class it was for
• What you built or created
• What skills you used
• What the outcome was

Example: "Marketing Strategy Project — Consumer Behavior Course Developed a full go-to-market strategy for a fictional CPG product including competitive analysis, target audience research and a 3 channel media plan. Presented to a panel of 4 professors and received distinction."

That is real work. Put it on the resume.

Extracurricular Activities and Leadership

Were you part of a student club? Did you hold an executive position? Did you organize events, manage a team, handle finances?

These experiences demonstrate exactly the skills employers are looking for — initiative, leadership, organization, communication, teamwork.

Include the organization name, your role, and 2 to 3 bullet points showing what you did and the impact it had.

Skills

List your technical and practical skills clearly.

For most entry level roles this includes:

• Software and tools — Microsoft Office, Google Suite, specific platforms relevant to your field
• Technical skills — coding languages, design tools, data tools
• Languages — any languages you speak and your proficiency level
• Certifications — Google Analytics, HubSpot, LinkedIn Learning, any industry certifications

Even if you learned these skills in class rather than on the job, they are real and they are relevant.

Part Time and Casual Work

Retail. Food service. Babysitting. Tutoring. Freelance work.

These might not seem impressive but they demonstrate reliability, work ethic and real world skills. Customer service, cash handling, conflict resolution, time management — these are transferable to almost any role.

Include them. Brief bullet points. Focus on any responsibility or achievement you can quantify.

What to Leave Off

• Do not include a photo
• Do not include your high school if you are in or have completed post-secondary
• Do not include hobbies unless they are directly relevant
• Do not include references on the resume — "references available upon request" is outdated and wastes space
• Do not pad it with filler just to fill space — a clean one page resume beats a padded two page resume every time

The Honest Truth About Entry Level Hiring

Employers hiring for entry level roles know you do not have years of experience. That is why the role is entry level.

What they are actually evaluating is:

• Can this person learn?
• Do they show initiative and effort?
• Are they genuinely interested in this field?
• Will they fit in with the team?

Your resume needs to answer those questions. Not with experience you do not have — but with the real things you have done, the skills you have built, and the genuine interest you bring.

That is enough to get started.