The classic catch-22: entry-level jobs ask for experience, but you need a job to get experience. It feels impossible, and staring at a blank CV with nothing to put under ‘work history’ is genuinely demoralising.

Here’s the reframe that fixes it: a CV isn’t a list of jobs you’ve had. It’s evidence that you can do the job you want. And you have far more evidence than you think — it’s just not all under the heading ‘paid employment’.

You have more than you think

  • Coursework, projects, and dissertations show skills — research, deadlines, problem-solving.
  • Part-time, casual, and summer work counts, even if it feels unrelated — it shows reliability.
  • Volunteering, clubs, societies, sports teams — leadership, teamwork, commitment.
  • Personal projects, side hustles, a portfolio, even a well-run community or Discord — real, demonstrable skills.

How to build the CV

  1. Lead with a short, specific personal statement — who you are and what you’re aiming for, tailored to the role.
  2. Put your strongest section first — for no-experience CVs that’s often education, skills, or projects, not a thin work history.
  3. Turn every entry into achievements, not duties — what you did and the result, with numbers where possible.
  4. Match your wording to the job advert’s keywords — many CVs are filtered by software before a human sees them.
  5. Keep it to one page, clean and easy to skim — no fancy graphics that break the filters.
  6. End with a proof-read; a single typo sinks an otherwise good CV for entry-level roles.
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Achievements, not duties

‘Worked at a café’ says nothing. ‘Handled 100+ customers a shift and trained two new starters’ shows reliability, pace, and trust. Same job — one version gets read, one gets skipped. Always translate what you did into a result.

Beat the keyword filters

Big employers often use software (an applicant tracking system) that screens CVs for keywords before any human reads them. Mirror the exact language of the job description — if it says ‘customer service,’ use ‘customer service,’ not ‘helping people.’ Skip images, columns, and graphics that these systems can’t read.

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Don’t lie or pad

Inventing experience or exaggerating a title gets found out fast — in interviews or reference checks — and it’s a fast way to lose an offer. You don’t need to lie; you need to reframe honestly. There’s a big difference between spin and fiction.

The CV gets the interview — then you have to land it

A strong CV’s only job is to get you in the room. Once you’re there, preparation is everything, and it’s very learnable — see how to prepare for a job interview and, once you’re in a video setting, how to ace a video interview. Also make sure your online presence backs you up — recruiters look, so tidy it up with cleaning up your digital footprint for job hunting.

Checklist

Written by Ashutosh Sharma ·Reviewed by Mohit Detwani (Finance professional (France)) · Last reviewed

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a CV with no work experience?
Treat the CV as evidence you can do the job, not a list of past jobs. Lead with a tailored personal statement, then foreground education, skills, and projects instead of a thin work history. Pull achievements from coursework, volunteering, clubs, part-time work, and personal projects, phrasing them as results rather than duties. You almost always have more relevant evidence than you assume.
What do I put on a CV if I've never had a job?
Education and relevant coursework, skills, volunteering, clubs and societies, sports or leadership roles, personal or academic projects, and any casual or summer work. All of these demonstrate transferable skills like reliability, teamwork, problem-solving, and commitment. Frame each as an achievement with a result where possible, and tailor the selection to match what the specific role is asking for.
How long should an entry-level CV be?
One page. For entry-level and no-experience CVs, recruiters spend seconds scanning, so a clean, skimmable single page that highlights your strongest evidence works far better than padding it out. Keep the layout simple and avoid heavy graphics or columns, which can also break the automated screening software that many employers use.
What is an ATS and how do I get past it?
An applicant tracking system is software many employers use to screen CVs for keywords before a human reads them. To get past it, mirror the exact wording of the job description — if it says ‘customer service,’ use that phrase — and avoid images, unusual fonts, columns, and graphics the system can’t parse. A clean, keyword-matched, plain layout gives you the best chance of reaching a human.
Should I lie about experience to get a job?
No. Inventing experience or inflating titles tends to get exposed in interviews or reference checks and can cost you the offer or the job. You don’t need to lie — you need to reframe honestly, translating what you’ve actually done into relevant achievements. Spin (presenting real things well) is fine; fiction is a serious risk that isn’t worth it.

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