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First Resume No Experience

One of the most frustrating, and often frightening times is when trying to format a first resume with absolutely no experience in the field. In fact, it is even more difficult for the young person who is just entering the job market without any experience at all, work or life related. There are ways around that, and a great resume can be crafted with just a bit of ingenuity and some time spent in introspection. But first, it is necessary to understand how a resume is formatted in order to address any uncertainties as they come up.

Common Layout of a Chronological Resume

Most resumes in use today in the United States are known as chronological resumes. They are generally one page in length with the contact information listed first, then the objective statement followed by qualifications and skills. Next would come work history, or professional experience, and the resume would conclude with educational information. Some resumes have a section for community service activities which might be good to include if on a first resume no experience can be listed.

First Resume No Experience – Objective Statement

The objective statement tells the prospective employer what position the individual is seeking. Be as specific as possible in this area. For instance, an accounting student seeking a job as a receptionist might say something to the effect of “To obtain a position as a front desk receptionist in a busy accounting firm, answering phones and greeting clients while attending night classes in accounting.”

First Resume No Experience – Qualifications and Skills

A first resume would probably list qualifications and skills that may not be directly learned in school, and of course, they couldn’t have been learned on the job as this is the first job in the field. This is a time for introspection to find personality strengths that can be brought to a new job. In terms of that accounting student looking to work as a receptionist while studying for a degree, perhaps the qualifications could say, “highly personable, friendly and outgoing,” or “good with names and faces, working knowledge of MS Office, and energetic and outgoing.”

Professional Experience for a First Resume No Experience

This is another area that will take a little bit of extra thought. As it is a first resume with no experience, it doesn’t mean that this section needs to be omitted! Perhaps school functions could be listed as professional experience if those functions can be correlated to the job in question. Again, drawing on the example of the individual seeking a receptionist’s job might list “selling tickets at sports events,” or “working the library desk at school.” A little extra thought and some creativity can supply professional experience that you never thought you had!

Educational Requirements for a First Resume No Experience

Education on a resume always begins with the highest level of education and is worked backwards in reverse chronological order. A college student could list the college they currently attend, but where the dates of enrollment occur, it would be listed as the year of enrollment through to current year. This is usually documented like this, “2009 – present.” Immediately following would be the high school attended and the date of graduation. Any honors courses or special awards can be listed as well to make a first resume with no professional experience a little more appealing.

There really is no reason to be concerned when submitting a first resume when no actual work experience can be documented. A little creative flare and an ability to find skills you can bring to a new employer can compensate for any real lack of experience. There are first resume no experience samples online to help new job seekers learn to format an effective resume. It may take a little bit of extra brain power, but it can be done, and done well.