sample resume for no experience college student

11+ Best Student Resume Templates (W/ Examples & Resources)

Writing an impressive resume as a student with no work experience can be a challenging task, often resulting in a generic document that fails to capture your full potential. 

This challenge intensifies in the face of a sea of applicants vying for the same role as you, making it all the more critical to stand out. 

Fortunately, we’re here to solve this problem! 

This article presents a selection of impactful student resume templates and examples that will help transform your raw skills and academic accomplishments into an impressive, attention-grabbing resume. 

Here’s what we’ll cover: 

12 Student Resume Templates

3 student resume examples, 5 other professional resources for students.

Let’s dive in!

#1. Creative Resume Template

The Creative resume template offers a visually appealing and unique design that can greatly benefit students. 

With a modern and innovative layout that leverages eye-catching colors, this template allows students to showcase their skills, experiences, and achievements all on one page. 

The template's artistic element can help you stand out from the crowd and make a memorable impression on potential employers by highlighting your creativity, attention to detail, and ability to think outside the box, all of which are valuable attributes in today's competitive job market.

#2. Basic Resume Template

This resume template comes with a straightforward and clean design that offers numerous benefits to students. 

For starters, it provides a professional and well-organized structure that lets you present your skills, education, and experiences in a concise and effective manner. Not to mention, by positioning the skills section at the top of the resume, this template emphasizes your skills over your work experience (which is something you’re likely lacking).

This template can help any student, regardless of their standing, create a professional-looking resume that showcases their abilities and increases their chances of securing interviews and job opportunities.

#3. Combined Resume Template

Just like the name implies, this template is a perfect blend of two resume formats , namely the functional and the reverse-chronological format . 

This Combined template can arm you with a versatile and effective way to present your skills and professional experiences, as well as any relevant optional sections like certifications and personal projects. 

In a nutshell, the Combined template gives you the flexibility to leverage both the popularity of the chronological format and the impact you can make by emphasizing your skills and abilities. 

So, if you’re not sure which resume format works best for you or if you’re on the fence about a particular template, this stylish and impactful design might just be the choice for you. 

#4. Minimalist Resume Template

Novorésumé's Minimalist resume template offers a sleek and simple design that comes highly recommended for students. 

True to its name, this template aims to highlight only essential elements through clean aesthetics. Specifically, it lets students present their strong points and most noteworthy achievements concisely, eliminating unnecessary clutter. 

With a stylish color palette of pink and gray and a design that puts skills and work experience side by side, there’s no way you can go wrong picking this student resume template. 

#5. Traditional Resume Template

This template’s classic and time-tested design is guaranteed to work wonders for students looking to work in all fields, but especially those aiming for more traditional industries like banking or finance. 

Following a structured design that highlights all key resume sections, such as the resume objective , education, work experience, and skills sections, this template lets you include all your relevant information without your resume spilling over to page two . 

#6. General Resume Template

The General resume template is meant to offer you a versatile and adaptable format to showcase your qualifications, including your awards, your foreign language skills , your education, and much more. 

The header’s blue color is meant to grab recruiters’ attention to two of the most important resume sections–the contact information and the resume summary sections. 

Once you have their attention, you can wow them with other relevant sections such as your skills, work experience, and anything else you deem important. 

Easily customizable and practical to skim through, this resume template can make your application look good even if you don’t put too much effort into it. 

#7. Modern Resume Template

The Modern resume template is a great choice for students who want their resume to look sleek and stylish, and yet professional. 

By incorporating modern elements like horizontal lines and bold blue color, this template is a great choice for practically every field you apply to. 

By using the Modern template, students can present themselves as forward-thinking and professional candidates, increasing their chances of standing out from the competition.

#8. IT Resume Template

If getting into IT is your dream, then this resume template is for you! 

The team at Novorésumé specifically designed the IT resume template to cater to the needs of students in the field. Using a clean and modern layout , this template offers a comprehensive structure that highlights your relevant technical skills, certifications, and education history. 

And, if you have any professional experience in IT, even if it’s through freelance work, internships , or personal projects, this template can surely help you highlight it through the reverse-chronological format - a favorite among recruiters.

#9. Simple Resume Template

Sometimes, a simple resume template can be just the way to let your personality and achievements shine through. 

This is exactly what the Simple resume template does for students. 

With a straightforward and reader-friendly structure that strays away from extravagant design elements and flashy colors, this template aims to let your achievements do the talking. 

So, if your professional journey is already rich in accomplishments or if you’re one of those people who think simplicity is always the right choice, then you just found your match. 

#10. Functional Resume Template

Just like the format it’s named after, the Functional resume template lets you highlight your skills and qualifications upfront, which is perfect if you don’t have enough work experience to list.

What makes this template even more impactful is the minty color that grabs recruiters’ attention, the perfectly aligned sections, and the way it leverages symbols to show your proficiency in say, foreign languages or technical skills . 

#11. Skill-Based Resume Template

The Skill-Based resume template does just what the name implies - it provides students with a valuable format that emphasizes their key skills and competencies. 

This template allows students to highlight their relevant abilities and qualifications, regardless of their work experience . By organizing their resume based on skills rather than professional achievements, students can effectively showcase their strengths and demonstrate their suitability for a particular role. 

This resume template lets you focus on your most marketable skills, making it easier for potential employers to quickly identify your strengths and match them with job requirements.

#12. College Resume Template

Are you a college student looking to land your first gig? Then the College resume template is just what you need. 

Specifically designed to cater to the unique needs of college students, this template offers a comprehensive structure that lets you highlight your academic achievements, extracurricular activities , internships, and relevant coursework.

The College resume template lets you effectively showcase your education, skills, and experiences in a concise manner and contemporary style. The resume’s design is tailored to the specific needs of college students, increasing your chances of impressing potential employers and securing your next entry-level position!

#1. High-School Student Resume

#2. College Freshman Resume

#3. Internship Resume 

Picking the right template for your resume is just a small first step toward landing your first gig. 

There are several other things you’ll need to do during your job hunt , such as networking with the right people, applying for the right positions for you, and continuously honing your skills. 

Here are some resources that are guaranteed to come in handy: 

• Professional Networking | What Is It & Why It Matters . Networking is an excellent way to lay solid career foundations and make professional connections you can even use down the line. This article outlines all the benefits of professional networking and gives you 9 essential tips to get it right.
• 30+ Jobs for Teenagers (Where & How to Look) . These jobs are perfect for students of all ages, from high school freshmen to college seniors, so start digging.
• 101 Essential Skills to Put on a Resume . Without a solid work experience section, your skills section is the most important part of your resume. Do it justice by going through the most essential skills every resume should have in 2024.
• How to List Computer Skills on a Resume . Nowadays, 92% of jobs require digital skills , according to the National Skills Coalition. Since students and younger professionals are more likely to be well-versed in digital skills, it’s good to know how to list such skills in your resume. Learn how with our article!
• How to Write a Cover Letter in 2024 . Cover letters are still an essential part of job applications, so you shouldn’t submit one without attaching a cover letter. If you think writing a cover letter is even harder than creating a resume, though, head over to our dedicated article to become a cover letter pro.

Conclusion 

By now, you should have realized how important it is to find the right student resume template if you want to land your dream job. 

We hope our list meets your preferences and can help you on your career path as effectively as possible! 

For more resources and career advice, make sure to visit our blog ! 

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How To Build A Resume With No Experience As A College Student

Learn how to write a resume that will score you your first job out of college even with no prior work experience..

Building an all-encompassing resume is easier said than done especially if you don’t have prior work experience. It’s often assume having limited job experience hurts your chances of landing a job.

But this is untrue, and really, it simply comes down to having a well formatted resume that showcases relevant experiences and skills you have learned throughout college.

And quite frankly, regardless if you have work experience or not, you need to start somewhere if you want to successfully transition from college to adulthood.

Then once you gain your first job experience out of college, you’ll be able to start working your way to more professional and higher earning jobs .

In this blog post we are going to discuss how to create your first resume as a college student with no work experience.

The tips in this blog post will hopefully help you score a job after college or your first internship experience. So without further ado, let’s get started!

*This post may contain affiliate links. Purchasing a product or service through an affiliate will earn me a small commission at no additional cost to you. Please read our Disclaimer Policy for more information about the use of affiliate links on this site.

How to format your resume for your first job out college

When it comes to creating a winning resume, format matters.

In fact, having an unorganized, unprofessional resume can send your resume right into the trash can before anyone can even read it.

According to HR Drive, job recruiters only look at resumes for an average of 7.4 seconds.

That means you need to format your resume in a way that grabs and holds the attention of job recruiters and hiring managers for an extended amount of time.

So what does this exactly mean in regard to resume formatting?

Simply put, you need to create a winning resume that is:

• To the point
• Highlights your relevant experience(s) in relation to the job you are applying for

In this section we will go into detail about:

• How long your resume should be
• What color(s) and font(s) you should use on your resume
• The general format your resume should follow
• Software options for creating and formatting your resume

How long should a resume be for a college student?

Yes, that’s right–you have one page to make an impression to job recruiters and hiring managers and, hopefully, move forward in the hiring process.

If you have no prior work experience, the one page limit may even be a relief to you.

Even more so, having a one-page limit can help you showcase your most relevant experience and skills related to the job you are applying for instead of adding unnecessary fluffy that may hinder your job prospects.

What color(s) and font(s) should you use on your student resume?

The use and preference of which color(s) you should use on your resume is up for debate .

Some hiring professionals would say only use a black text on a white background, but others would say that it is ok to add some color.

However, it really depends on the job you are applying for and the nature of the workplace.

If you’re applying for a job as a graphic designer, using color on your resume would be more appropriate versus applying for a job as a secretary at a law firm.

In regard to font(s) , it’s simple: use an easy-to-read, clean font like:

• Times New Roman

Also, be sure to use that font consistently throughout your resume (aka no mixing and matching fonts).

Personally, I always stick to black text on a white background with Times New Roman font for all of my resumes (and cover letters).

The general format you should use

Resume creation doesn’t have to be complicated.

Written below is a format you can use for your resume that will keep your resume organized and make it easier for hiring recruiters to find the information they need.

General Format

• Mailing address
• Email address
• Phone number
• Overview or objective statement
• General experience (volunteering/school-related tasks)
• Achievements
• Job-related skills

Notice how this format does not include a section for work experience. As mentioned previously, it is possible to create a complete resume without job experience.

Instead, you can utilize the format to your advantage by fully fleshing out the relevant experience(s) that sheds light on your potential as a candidate for the job.

When you format your resume the right way, you’ll get noticed by recruiters and they will call you in for interviews.

Don’t let the fact that you don’t work experience prevent you from applying to jobs or make you feel you are less qualified. Instead, just make sure to spice things up and add as much value to your resume as possible.

What software can I use to create and format my resume?

Luckily there are plenty of options for creating your resume that are free and easy to use.

The most accessible one being Google Docs .

However, if you aren’t as tech savvy you can use an online resume builder like Resume.com (I personally have used this one).

I personally like using online resume builders because I don’t have to format the resume at all. Instead, all I have to do is focus on writing the text and making sure I have good grammar and punctuation.

The resume builder does the “heavy lifting” for me aka formatting and aesthetics. Plus, I can get the finalized resume as a PDF or Word Document, which is perfect for submitting on Indeed, Monster, or any other job listing website.

Need a physical guide that covers the ins and outs of resume building for college students? This book is my absolute favorite. And although it was written for college students majoring in psychology, the information can be applied to any college student seeking employment after college graduation.

Example resume with no experience

Before going into a few tips and tricks for resume building, below is a resume example for a college student who has no work or internship experience.

Instead, this imaginary student, we’ll call her Jessica Doe, is focusing on highlighting her volunteer and club experience to get her a job as a secondary education teacher.

7 tips for building a good resume with no work experience as a college student

How can you make your resume stand out when you have no work experience?

Here are 7 tips that will help you use your non-work experience to your advantage on your resume.

1. Include a complete summary statement

This is often termed as the “overview” or “objective statement” and it plays a critical role in defining the rest of your resume.

This statement should provide insight into what you are aiming for as a budding professional, your skillset, and what you are going to bring to the position you are applying for.

It should only be a sentence or two breaking down what you are going to provide to the employer.

However, remember, the average employer is not looking to learn more about your aspirations. These details don’t matter to them as much as you think!

Instead, they just want to know why you are a good candidate for the particular job listing. This is what you want to make clear in the overview or summary statement.

Here is a brief example taken from one of my resumes: Candidate for Bachelor of Science in Psychology from the University of Georgia with strong communication, organization, time management, and computer skills.

You can find more awesome career objective statement examples by clicking here .

2. Choose the right resume format

When you are fleshing out a resume, you want to format it in a way that showcases you as a job candidate the best.

In general, you are going to want to play around with different option(s):

• Chronological

The format you go with is ultimately up to you, but it is often recommended to go with a format that is easy to follow.

More importantly, if you are inconsistent with the layout, this is going to put you in a bad light professionally.

With a chronological resume , you are going to focus on listing everything based on a timeline. You start with the most recent experience you’ve done and work backward.

On the other hand, a functional resume tends to work well for those with no experience because it is going to focus on your skills.

If necessary, you are always welcome to play around with a hybrid resume format , where you list your skills and achievements while following a chronological order (from most recent to oldest).

3. Focus on grammar and punctuation

It seems silly to say, but you are not going to have as much leeway as a seasoned professional with years of relevant experience.

Employers are not going to be as forgiving when you have grammar or punctuation mistakes. And any grammar or punctuation errors are going to stand out in a bad way.

Even if your resume is chuck full of value, a single misspelling or weird grammatical error can send your resume to the trash bin.

So take your time to go through the resume multiple times. And have other people you know and trust read it beforehand.

I’d recommend getting your mom, dad, or even better, a professor or someone at your university’s career services center to read and critique it.

Having a second, third, or even fourth opinion about your resume can help you create an even better resume and make you stand out despite your lack of work experience.

4. List relevant achievements and or activities

Although you may not have work experience (or very limited work experience) that doesn’t mean you have nothing valuable to add to the workforce.

In fact, you may have a few achievements that would be relevant to the job(s) you are applying for. Or maybe you were part of a club or honor society in college that is relevant.

Whatever it is, make sure to mention it on your resume along with a few bullet points about the achievement or activity that highlights your responsibilities and or accomplishments related to that experience.

For example, if you are applying for an Information Technology (IT) job list any certifications you have obtained or personal projects you have completed.

Or maybe you were part of the gardening club in college and you held a leadership position in that club. On your resume, you can list the duties you had as a leader in the club that relates back to the job you are applying for.

5. Highlight your academic history

One thing on your resume you can use to your advantage is your education.

Many employers love college graduates because they have learned the latest concepts and can add value and innovative ideas to their business.

With your academic history, make sure to highlight how it relates to the job listing.

For example, if you are studying computer science, you can list some core concepts that are related to the IT job that you are applying for. This can include specific coding languages you have learned, like CSS, HTML, Python, C++, etc.

You can also list upper-level classes you have take that relate to the job you are applying for.

But don’t list general education classes like World History or English. They’re too generic and don’t add any true value to your resume.

For example, when I applied for my job as a Vision Therapist, I listed upper-level psychology courses I took that taught me concepts that would be related to the field like Clinical and Counseling Psychology and Abnormal Psychology.

Also, if you have a high GPA (3.5 or above) , be sure to list it on your resume. It can make you stand out amongst the other college graduates applying for the same job as you.

6. Internships

If you had the opportunity to do an internship or co-op in college that relates to the job you are applying for, be sure to list it on your resume.

Internships are equivalent to work experience and can give your resume a nice boost.

However, if you do not have internship experience, consider getting an internship before entering the workforce.

Internships can be a great way to get your foot in the door in a competitive field and allow you to solidify your decision to commit to a long-term job in your field of interest.

7. Highlight your volunteer work

Volunteer experiences can be a great way to make your resume stand out, but again, it is important that this experience is relevant to the job you are applying for.

You for sure don’t want to get carried away with your volunteer experience.

Instead, your volunteer experience should be a small section of the resume and it should reflect that you are a well-rounded individual that cares about the world around them.

For example, if you volunteered at a soup kitchen for 2 years during college, you can list that on your resume and add short bullet points that state how you efficiently communicated with individuals from different backgrounds.

Or maybe you volunteered at a hospital. You could add a bullet point about your ability to work in a high-stress, fast-paced environment.

4 things not to include on your resume

It is very easy to ruin your chances of moving up in the hiring process by making these mistakes on your resume. Here are 4 don’ts when creating your resume with no work experience.

1. Writing samples or photos

Unless you are applying for a job as a journalist or at a publishing agency, there is no reason to submit a writing sample other than your cover letter and resume.

Additionally, submitting a photo of yourself can hinder your ability to get asked back for an interview or hired. Why?

For one, employers do not want to be accused of hiring (or not hiring) you based on your looks. This can be seen as discriminatory and result in legal consequences for the company.

Also, a photo takes up real estate on your resume that you could use to highlight your relevant experience and expertise or even prevent your resume from getting past the applicant tracking system .

2. Unprofessional email address

One of the easiest ways to turn off a hiring manager is to have an unprofessional email address on your resume like [email protected] or [email protected].

Your email address is a reflection of your professionalism, so it is important you keep it simple and professional, like [email protected] or [email protected].

3. Using the wrong keywords

As a job hunter, you may have a lot of difficulty gaining initial traction during your job search.

One of the reasons is because you aren’t using the right keywords in your resume.

As mentioned in tip #1 in this section, many employers now utilize an applicant tracking system (ATS).

This software analyzes and sorts resumes before being read by people who make the actual hiring process decisions.

The ATS is programmed to find resumes that have the right “keywords” in them.

So what does this exactly mean?

This means in your resume, you need to include the exact words used in the job description of the job you are applying for.

So if the job description says they want a “bubbly” individual you need to put that exact phrase in your resume instead of a synonym like, “kind” or “friendly” individual.

Although it does take extra time to comb through each job listing you are applying for and customize your resume to fit each one, it will pay off in the end when you’re getting follow-up emails and phone calls asking you to come in for an interview.

4. Not including a cover letter

Although many job listings do not require you to submit a cover letter, you always want to include a cover letter with your resume.

Including a cover letter that has been written specifically for the job you are applying for can make all the difference in your job search efforts.

It’s also a great way to describe your relevant experience, skills, or expertise in more detail than on your resume, which can help you stand out during your job search.

Final thoughts on how to build a resume as a college student with no work experience

Creating a resume as a college student with no work experience can be a daunting task. However, you should’t let your lack of work experience prevent you from applying to jobs in your field of choice.

In this blog post, we described and highlighted ways you can build your resume without work experience.

This requires you to dig into your education, volunteer, and relevant achievements and activities to curate a resume that shows off your abilities to perform the job you are applying for.

And if you need a more in-depth guide, check out this book written specifically for college students by college professors.

I truly hope this blog post has helped you see how possible it is to build a competitive resume as a college student with no work experience . And as always, good luck!

Related posts to post-grad life and career

• 20 Things You Should Know By Your 20s
• How To Quit Your Job Gracefully
• 9 Ways To Prep For Life After College
• 7 Things No One Tells You About Post-Grad Life

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Нow to Write a Resume Without Work Experience

I need a job to get experience, but I need experience to get a job. This vicious circle often scares students and graduates. How do I start the job search? Start with the best resume possible! 

This guide will show you:

• How to create a perfect resume without work experience?
• How to decide which information to include in your resume
• Great samples to use if you are a student or just are looking for your first job and have no work experience
• Magic tips to succeed at this task
• Learn how to format that resume with no work experience

Dozens of people apply for the job you want to get. They have professional skills and achievements. 65% of employers are looking for experienced candidates.

What if you are a student? You may have an empty space in the section on experience. We don’t want empty white space so keep reading! You may find out you do have experience after all.

If you are a college graduate and/or have an advanced degree, your resume for a college graduate with no official work experience can still look very impressive!

How to Structure Your Resume?

Your first resume with no work experience may include the following sections:

• Title: contact information and desired position.
• Brief information: career goals or objective.
• Education: degrees and academic achievements ( academic projects, publications, practical experience such as internships, volunteer work, personal accomplishments).
• Trainings and certificates
• About myself

You will not only need this resume; You will need a cover letter as well. See our small guide on how to write one .

Stand out from your competitors.  Read each section of this guide and start writing.  Just because you are a student, do not be discouraged!  The resume for your first job as a student will look very professional!

Contact Information

Everything is simple here. You must indicate your full name, phone number, email address, city of residence.

Tip: Do not use unprofessional email addresses like littlesausage19@. Such applicants are simply not taken seriously or become the object of ridicule. Use a professional looking email; for example john.johnson@.

The same goes for social networks. Many serious companies search accounts to learn more about the identity of applicants. Make sure that your account, as well as other sources on the Internet, do not contain compromising photos or information.

How many recruiters use social networks to find candidates?

Career Objectives

There is no need to write here: “I will work for food”, “I am a student and agree to everything.” It’s better to indicate the position you are applying for. For example: trainee, assistant, sales assistant, operator, waiter, junior office manager.

Modern resumes include a summary section instead of career goals. This section goes after your name and contact information and includes one or two sentences about you, your interests, and achievements.

If you do not have experience yet, write about your level of education, relevant skills, professional interests, and work ethic. This section must be adapted according to the requirements of the job you want to have (see the vacancy description).  Even if you are a high school or college student with no work experience, this is a great chance to showcase your teambuilding, writing, computer, or other special skills.

Example No. 1:

“Beginner in the restaurant business, currently getting a bachelor’s degree at the Food Academy. I am a team player who firmly believes that the client is always right. Delighted with Italian food and very interested in working in a fast-food restaurant.”

Example No. 2:

“Author of coursework in mathematics and statistics. I have an effective data analysis and a mathematical mindset. Pay great attention to details. Interested in getting the position of Junior Analyst.”

Resume sample for the student:

Follow the link to use this resume

Education and Academic Achievements

After writing your Career Objective or Summary, you need to add a section with Education. Write here:

• High School and/or University at which you studied
• Your Degree Specialty(ies)
• Academic Degrees (Bachelor’s, Master’s, PhD, or Certificate
• The year you graduated
• Awards, published papers, special projects related to that particular job, special relevant term papers or dissertations

Tip: You should add your GPA only if you graduated in the last three years, and if your GPA is above average.

For example:

University of Delaware MS. Computer Science September 2014 – May 2016 

Ohio State University B.S. Information Technology Area of Concentration: Software Engineering September 2010-May 2014

Tip: It is not recommended to use name abbreviations in the resume, because their meanings may not be clear to the employer. Write the names in full.

Extracurricular Activities, Sports and Clubs

Imagine that you are a HR-manager, and you need to choose between these two candidates:

Josh Nerder. Studied at University of Arizona, grades are excellent. But that’s all he did in college — no extracurricular activities, internships, or anything else.

Alex  Activeson. He also studied at University of Arizona, good. Vice President of the business club. He worked in the student parliament. He organized several marketing club events.

Of course, Josh probably has a solid theoretical base, but we don’t know anything about him, except that he studied a lot.

Alex, on the other hand, can manage a team (vice-president of a business club), organize events (marketing club) and bring in new proposals (student parliament).

So, which one would you choose?

And here is how Alex’s activity will look on the resume:

Extracurricular activity: Public speaking club Vice President 09/2018 – 09/2019

• Over 10 public lectures organized
• Speakers from all over the state are involved.
• Public speaking event held

Volunteering

Finally, you can mention volunteering. This can be formal or informal volunteering; for example, serving food at a local homeless shelter or organizing a charity auction. For each volunteer event, indicate who you volunteered for, what your role was, the dates and hours you volunteered, and a brief description.

Awards and achievements

After section of experience (or alternative sections) create a section for awards and achievements. You can list academic or school achievements, such as “Best Presentation” in the classroom or “Highest Grade”. You can also list personal achievements, such as medals in sports. (if they reinforce your profile or illustrate personal qualities).

An example of how to list awards and achievements No. 1:

“Tourism in Broward County”,” Economics and Law”, August 2018. “Basics of Hospitality” – the best group presentation (analysis of McDonalds restaurant).

An example of how to list awards and achievements No. 2:

“Data Analysis of College Majors with the Highest Salaries”, group project for MBA degree.

Trainings, Courses, and Certificates

The ideal option is when you have higher education and want to work in your specialty. But life makes its own adjustments, and such ideal scenarios are far from real life. You may have realized that you are not interested in that profession, and you want to do something completely different

There are professions in which it is impossible to work without higher education – for example, doctors or chemical engineers. But for the rest (say, marketing and PR) there are online courses, distance learning, which may be quite reasonable and teach very specific skills. You can learn from the best professionals in the field at EdX, Udemy, or Coursera. Pass at least one course in the desired profession, get a certificate and indicate it on your resume.

Include the courses you completed at the University, if they are relevant to the position you are applying for. It is enough to indicate the name of the course, as well as add a brief description of what you have learned, and what skills you have acquired. Add a start and end date for the course.

Write about attending seminars, conferences, master classes only if they are related to the work you want to get.

An example of how to write about a course in a resume:

Hospitality Basics Course: Introducing the hospitality industry, including various career paths. In-depth lessons on food and drink, including categories of restaurants and various types of catering.

An example of how to list a certificate:

University of Phoenix, Certificate in Medical Coding, 2019. First Aid and CPR Certificate, 2018

Skills are divided into Hard Skills (professional skills) and Soft Skills (flexible skills of the applicant).

Hard Skills previously were critical, but priorities have changed over time. Employers more and more value Applicant’s Soft Skills, partly because it’s almost impossible to learn them, unlike professional skills that are achieved by practice.

Before filling out the section “Personal Qualities”, think about what is important in the profession that you have chosen. It can be an analytical mindset, determination, punctuality. Indicate these qualities, if you have them. Don’t lie! 🙂

Skill Types for Graduates and High School Students

Your resume may include skills that you have acquired in school, in extracurricular activities, in sports and volunteering. For example, if you played soccer, basketball, or other sports, you have teamwork skills. You were captain? You have leadership qualities.

Did you attend a computer class or learn programs? You have computer skills. Almost everyone has some level of communication skills. If you can keep up the conversation, speak in front of the class, or defend an essay at school, you have written/verbal communication skills.

When you successfully maneuver between personal demands and study, you are flexible. Have you worked on a group project? You have collaboration skills. Did you look after small children? You are reliable.

Top High School Skills

The following are examples of skills that almost every high school student has and almost all employers are looking for:

Communication skills (written and oral) Reliability / Responsibility Following instructions Industriousness Multitasking Organization Fast learner Energy Enthusiasm Initiative Thirst for research Teamwork Cooperation Leadership Positive attitude Digital Technology Technical Skills: Excel, PowerPoint, Photoshop

Section “About Me”

We do not recommend indicating your hobbies; in fact, it is not very interesting for a recruiter (if he/she is interested, he/she will ask about them at the interview). It is better to use free space on your resume to talk about the types of tasks you would like to work on as well as areas of professional growth. This is much more interesting for the recruiter.

You can supplement the impression you give with personal qualities that correlate with the necessary skills. For example, for a lawyer, “attention to detail” and “handling stress well”.

You can also talk about your preferences at work.

For example: “I prefer work at a large international company” or “A flexible schedule is desirable.”

Tip: In fact, there is only one requirement: you should summarize your knowledge and skills in terms of the requirements of the vacancy to which you will respond.

Wrong (for the financier): “I like to travel and take pictures. I’m into running and skiing. Single, no children. Without bad habits”.

Right: “I have knowledge of banking products; I am familiar with the methodology of personal financial planning. I prefer to work alone with deep concentration on the task.”

Cover letter with Resume Without Work Experience

Do employers read cover letters?

45 out of 100 recruiters do not even bother to open a student’s resume if there is no cover letter attached to it. Therefore, writing a cover letter doubles your chances of getting into this interview.

Yes, that is correct. You can’t argue with statistics, can you?

Your task is to demonstrate how diligently and actively you want to gain experience. Therefore, the cover letter fulfills precisely this goal. Bet on energy, prospects, lack of family obligations, willingness to devote yourself to work in the name of acquiring the necessary skills. The decision making factor is completed higher education, additional courses, knowledge of foreign languages.

How to issue?

The fastest way is to use an already-prepared template for this purpose. Recommended size – 1 A4 page. You can edit sections, as well as add your own photo. Note that U.S. resumes and cover letters do not contain photos as a rule.

In CV2you, select the Smart or Simple template . It lacks white space for work experience, and correctly placed accents focus the employer’s attention on your education and personal qualities.

Takeaway Tips

• Try to convince the recruiter that you will offer such a level of return to the company that even candidates with 5 years cannot provide. Use the details from your research on the company to demonstrate that you already know something about it (look at the website / social networks, google the latest news, if it is a large company).
• Contact the recruiter by name: find out the name of the hiring manager. Personal appeal is captivating from the start.
• Demonstrate that you are already “included” (at least with one foot) in the required circle of knowledge/communication; you can mention which courses you have completed, literature you have read, or a fact from the latest industry news.
• Read our article on how to write a cover letter with examples .
• Give the text for verification to a competent person; perhaps there are errors in it.
• Highlight any relevant skills or experience you have that are unique or hard to find in other candidates. For example, if you speak multiple languages or have experience working in a particular industry or with a certain type of technology, emphasize how this could be an asset to the company.
• Provide specific examples of past achievements that demonstrate your potential value to the company. This could be something like a project you spearheaded that resulted in significant cost savings, or a successful marketing campaign you ran that generated a high ROI.

Use perfect verbs in your resume:

Wrong: performed, received.

Right: made, reached, read, received.

______________________________________________________________________________

Well, now you know how to create a resume without work experience, and the CV2you template will help you with this!  Whether you are a high school student, a college student, or a college graduate with no formal work experience, you can find the tools to create a professional resume that will give you the best chance to land your first job.

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5 College Student Internship Resume Examples for 2024

College Student for Internship Resume

• College Student for Internship 2
• College Student for Internship 3
• College Student for Internship 4
• College Student for Internship 5
• Resume Writing 101

Taking a deep breath after seeing the perfect-looking web developer job ad, Dahlia Mathers pulled up her old resume. Having built some solid IT experience debugging software and troubleshooting networks, she was ready to make her next career move with a web developer internship . . . as soon as she celebrated her impending graduation in computer science, that is!

But her college student internship resume needed an update: Dahlia wanted a layout that aligned with Coursera’s vibe to show her enthusiasm for an internship there. Plus, she learned that writing an effective cover letter could be the touch her application needed.

Now, after referencing our time-tested resume examples , Dahlia is sporting a post-interview smile with her new start date! If you’re seeking your own college student internship, we’re confident our resume layouts and cover letter examples can help you, too.

or download as PDF

College Student for Internship 2 Resume

College Student for Internship 3 Resume

College Student for Internship 4 Resume

College Student for Internship 5 Resume

Related resume examples

• College Student No Experience
• Current College Student
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What Matters Most: Your Skills & Experience Sections

While the types of skills you include will directly depend on which type of internship you’re applying for, balance and clarity are always helpful! Recruiters want to see that you have what it takes—plus a little something extra that sets you apart.

If you’re going for a more technical role (like just about anything within the realm of computer science), it’s especially important for you to be precise about your hard skills. That means each list item should be both professionally relevant and specific.

So, avoid generic skills or terms that could apply to just any field, and focus on honing your presentation to show more in-depth abilities that specifically qualify you for that internship. Don’t pitch your cooking skills for an IT internship!

Check these out:

9 top college student internship skills

• RESTful APIs
• Algorithm Design

Sample college student internship work experience bullet points

Some applicants get a bit uncertain about this part, so let’s go over a few ways you can show recruiters how you’ve put your skills into action.

Plenty of people already have some job experience that’s at least somewhat relevant to the internship they’re hoping for. List it if you have it! It isn’t “backwards” to go from a job to an internship if you’ve just graduated or decided to switch to a more specialized field.

Use any previous teen jobs , other internships, or even volunteer projects that relate to your career goals and demonstrate your abilities. And always measure your impact! You need quantifiable data like time measurements or budget savings to back up your achievements and prove that you’ve already made a difference.

Here are some examples:

• Performed bug fixes by utilizing JavaScript proficiency to reduce glitches by 11%
• Updated software on computers and performed basic maintenance on office devices to save $12.3K+ in repair costs
• Streamlined work flow by implementing a ticketing system and grouping similar issues together, reducing time to complete inbound requests by 3 days
• Build a scraper in Python to structure data on thousand of publications, using the Natural Language Toolkit library to improve abstract searches for research publications by 14%

Top 5 Tips For Your College Student Internship Resume

• Since you’re applying for an internship, it can be especially helpful to include other relevant courses within or alongside your degree in your education section. Don’t forget any independent classes you’ve taken—especially if they lead right up to your internship!
• Keep your skills list tidy and organized by arranging your skills in groups. So, if you’re applying for a software-related internship: List Python-related skills together, name JavaScript tools in succession, and so on.
• If applicable, make sure you’re upfront about your graduation date on your internship application. You don’t want to confuse recruiters—or wind up biting off more than you can chew to avoid passing up an opportunity for much-needed internship experience!
• Some people really can’t resist including a bold color or two on their resumes, but you really want to keep this to a minimum. Stick with just one color, use it sparingly, and ensure that everything is still highly readable. Show recruiters that you’re already professional and polished for your internship!
• When you pick your resume template , go for one that puts your greatest accomplishments front and center. But don’t be afraid to leave a little breathing room, too—it’s better than your resume looking crowded or filler-heavy. When you’re applying for an internship, you want all emphasis to rest on your qualifications.

Yep, and it’s easier than you might think! Refer to the internship description for phrases and keywords that stand out as good examples of team culture. Reflect these in your resume with a few tweaks to your wording or skill choices to show how you’re already the ideal intern.

Keep it to just one page, and don’t feel pressured to fill the page. Just stick with your highest achievements from college and your most impactful qualifications. Remember, if you’ve got the itch to say more, say it in your internship cover letter .

Just like your color usage, your font choices should be understated. Think “clean, modern, and readable.” Recruiters can only spend a few seconds skimming your college internship resume, so make it easy for them to see the good stuff at a glance!

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4 Resume Mistakes to Avoid When You Don’t Have Much Experience

• Irina Cozma

A good resume can set you apart and help you land that interview.

Understanding the common mistakes job candidates make on resumes, and how to overcome them, can set you apart from your competitors. The first mistake is including irrelevant work experience. Instead, only add roles that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. The second is customizing your resume. While it’s in your benefit to adjust your resume to better match the job description, over-tuning your resume for every application can be a waste of time — and end up slowing down your search. This is especially true if you’re focused on securing a particular position that has a standard job title like “marketing coordinator” or “sales associate.” The third is overdesigning your resume. Recruiters only spend a few seconds scanning it, so keep the format simple and straightforward. The fourth is coming off as a novice. For example, don’t use an ancient email address — update it to something that sounds more professional, and give your resume a specific name so it’s easier to identify.

Resumes. Love them or hate them, you will probably need one when you apply for a job. The resume has a specific tactical role to play in your search — to get you the interview. You need to make sure it checks a few boxes to do that work because, even if you take advantage of your network, sooner or later, you will need to share your resume with the hiring manager.

• Irina Cozma , Ph.D., is a career and executive coach who supports professionals to have better career adventures. She coached hundreds of Fortune 500 executives from global organizations like Salesforce, Hitachi, and Abbott. Irina also coaches startups and the Physicians MBA at the University of Tennessee. Download her free career guide to help you prepare for your next career adventure.

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My Career: Pierce College graduate turns her experience into thriving career

May 14, 2024 1:41 pm

In 2015, Shontieka Adeogun was a student at Clover Park Technical College studying nursing. She’d already finished earning her GED from CPTC but was starting to feel like nursing wasn’t for her. That’s when she was introduced to Pierce College’s emergency management program.  

“When I started in emergency management, I had no idea my career would end up where it is now,” Adeogun said. “I thought I'd be a planner in the background, doing exercises here and there, but my career has taken off.”  

Adeogun is now the chief emergency management program officer for the City of Tacoma. She is responsible for the day-to-day management of disaster preparation and coordination, organizes dozens of departments and hundreds of people to best prepare the city and its partners for disruptive events. Her job is not only about disaster management, but also about preparing for day-to-day emergencies.

In 2018, Adeogun was the very first graduate of Pierce College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Emergency Management program.

“When I started going back to school, I had no idea that I would want to continue my education,” Adeogun said. “I knew I couldn’t keep working menial jobs, but I was in my late twenties and considering going back to school – I thought I would be too old.”

Adeogun says now that she’s started her career, she is constantly looking for opportunities to educate herself further – such as certification programs, and, maybe one day, a master's degree.  

At Pierce College, Adeogun said she got essential hands-on experience and training as a student that prepared her for a successful career as an emergency manager. Just a few months into her internship with Thurston County Emergency Management, Adeogun got to experience Cascadia Rising 2016 – a joint national-level exercise held in Olympia to evaluate FEMA’s coordinated response plan to a massive Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake and resulting tsunami.  

During Cascadia Rising 2016, Adeogun – then in her first year of classes at Pierce College – got to be in the Thurston County Emergency Operation Center, surrounded by professionals from state, city and national groups.  

“It opened up my eyes to my new reality that this would be what my life would be like if I did this career,” Adeogun said. “It also opened my eyes to the impact events like this could have.”  

Adeogun said that the staff and faculty at Pierce College were essential to her success as a student. From the Pierce College grant writer who first introduced her to the emergency management program, to the professors who were willing and ready to support her even if she wasn’t a part of their program.  

“Pierce College gave me a start that I never thought I would have in my life,” Adeogun said. “When I didn’t believe in myself there were people who believed in me. At Pierce, I never felt like I was behind.”

One professor who had an impact on Adeogun was emergency management department chair Sarah Miller, who said Shontieka “epitomizes what this profession should be.”  

“Sarah took the time to have a conversation with me about why she graded my papers the way she did and what she was looking for from me,” Adeogun said. “If I didn’t have that, I wouldn’t have grown as a student. She made me a better student.”  

On advice for future students, Adeogun said to take advantage of all the hands-on opportunities at Pierce College.

“I never would have seen what I could be if I hadn’t started at Pierce College,” Adeogun said. “You may not see it yet, but dreams do start here, and they’ve started here for a lot of students.”

The Emergency Management program at Pierce accepts applications on a rolling basis and students can begin at any time. Whether you are interested in making this your first career or transitioning from an existing job, the program at Pierce is focused on giving you real skills and experience that will help you find a job.  

A millennial who went to college in his 30s when his career stalled says his bachelor's degree is 'worthless,' and he's been looking for a job for 3 years

• A millennial quit his job in 2015 to pursue a college degree because his career growth had stalled. 
• But he says he's struggled to land a job since graduation and is stuck with student debt. 
• He's among the rising share of US men who've at least temporarily dropped out of the labor force. 

In 2015, at age 34, Dan Colflesh decided to quit his job in the customer-service industry and pursue a college degree .

"I worked my way up in a few companies, but I always hit a roadblock in promotions because I didn't have a college education," he told Business Insider via email.

By 2021, he earned an associate degree in physics from a community college in Massachusetts and a bachelor's in political science from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. But he said the additional education hadn't helped him much in the job market and had saddled him with student loans .

"No one will hire me," he said. "My bachelor's degree is pretty much worthless."

Colflesh said he'd been looking for work over the past few years and applied to more than 100 jobs. But he said there had been stretches when he felt "defeated," during which he paused his search for a few months at a time. He also said an injury delayed his search for a couple of additional months.

While the US male unemployment rate is low compared with past decades, Colflesh is among the men who have struggled to find work — or have stopped looking altogether . In 1950, about 97% of American men between the ages of 25 and 54 had a job or were actively looking for work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. As of January, that figure had fallen to about 89%.

Among the several explanations for this trend is that in recent decades, it's become more difficult to land a high-paying job without a college degree — a development that's contributed to some men leaving the labor force . These challenges persist today for men, who now account for less than half of college enrollees , even as more companies have started hiring candidates without a degree .

Some men ages 25 and older aren't in the labor force because they're pursuing a bachelor's or advanced degree. But as Colfesh can attest to, having a degree doesn't guarantee success in the job market.

Over the past year in particular, it's become more difficult for some Americans to find high-paying jobs . A recent Vanguard report found that the hiring rate had held steady over the past year for workers who earned less than $55,000 a year but that it had fallen for workers in the top third of earners, who made more than $96,000, to its lowest level since 2014.

Today, Colflesh is still focused on finding a job. He shared the application strategies he'd tried, why he thought his job hunt had been so challenging, and what he planned to do moving forward.

Experience requirements and employment gaps could be working against him

Colflesh said he thought one of the reasons his employment search had been difficult was that the job landscape had changed in recent years.

Related stories

"Once you could have a bachelor's degree in just about anything and get some kind of good-paying job," he said, adding, "Now you have to have an insane amount of experience."

He said this made it challenging to land a job with his political-science degree, but he didn't want to take out more student debt to pursue graduate school. So he decided to plow ahead on his job hunt, he said, expanding his search and tweaking his application strategies.

He said he tried tailoring his resumes and cover letters for each employer and applied to some jobs that didn't require a degree but still had little luck. For example, he said he applied to be a cashier at two liquor stores with employee recommendations — but couldn't get an interview.

"I keep hearing employers talk about no one wanting to work, and I desperately want to work, and I can't get someone to ever sit down and talk to me," he said.

Physical limitations would make it difficult for him to do blue-collar work , he said, adding that he thought his autism could be contributing to his challenges in the job market.

"I'm always going to seem off to most non-autistics," he said. "The general lack of acceptance of autistic people makes social networking challenging, and that impacts job opportunities."

Colflesh has a few other theories for why his job search has been difficult. He said he might be being too honest on his résumés — he'd seen research that a lot of people stretch the truth . He also said that he lived in an area where "who you know matters" and that not growing up in the community had disadvantaged him. Some employment gaps on his résumé might not be doing him any favors either, he said.

Lastly, he said growing up in the Appalachian region of the US, an area that has struggled economically in recent decades, had been an additional obstacle.

"I would say that the No. 1 predictor of financial success is the zip code you grow up in," he said. Some research suggests there could be some truth to this.

Colflesh said that he, his fiancée, and his daughter lived with his future mother-in-law in Massachusetts and that his fiancée and her mother had been paying the bills.

His student loans provided him with about $5,000 each semester for living expenses, which he said he used to help his family. He also received some income from a "big crypto investment," he said.

Looking forward, Colflesh said he recently had a second interview for a job. He said he was also considering going back to the type of work he did before he went to college.

"I'll keep looking no matter how bleak it gets," he said, "because I have to."

Are you a man who's not looking for work or has struggled to find a job? Are you willing to share your story? If so, reach out to this reporter at [email protected] .

Watch: Nearly 50,000 tech workers have been laid off — but there's a hack to avoid layoffs

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