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CV with no experience: how to fill it when you are starting out

A CV with no experience is not an empty CV: it puts something else forward. Placements, summer jobs, projects, volunteering, education: here is what to keep, in what order, and how to word it.

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What a recruiter looks for in a beginner

Faced with a candidate who has no track record, a recruiter is not looking for seniority: they are looking for signs of reliability. Have you kept a commitment, worked with others, learned quickly, seen something through? Almost everything you have done can show it, as long as you describe it precisely.

What you can put in place of experience

In what order to place them

  1. Name, target job title and personal statement.
  2. Education first, as long as it is your strongest recent asset.
  3. Placements and jobs, most recent first.
  4. Projects and volunteering, if they support the job you are after.
  5. Skills and languages.

One page is enough: see CV length: one or two pages.

Describing a small experience precisely

The trap is listing general duties. Show what you actually did, with an order of magnitude when you know it.

BeforeSummer job in a restaurant: serving, welcoming customers, teamwork.
AfterWaitress for the season (July – August): served around 40 covers a night on the terrace, took orders on a tablet, trained a colleague who joined mid-season.Illustrative example: use your own figures, or an honest order of magnitude.

To find your figures, see how to quantify your achievements.

Writing the summary when you are starting out

Three ideas are enough: what you study or studied, what you can already do, the job you are looking for. An example of 41 words:

ExampleSecond-year Business Administration student. During an eight-week placement at an accountancy practice I learned to keep simple accounts and to chase late-paying clients. Methodical and at ease with spreadsheets, I am looking for an apprenticeship in business administration starting in September.

Check the length of yours in the free checker: between 40 and 100 words.

Mistakes to avoid