April 7, 2026 · 4 min read
How to write a CV when you have no experience
You don't have zero experience. You have zero experience being paid for experience — and that's a much smaller problem to solve than it feels
You don't need five years of work history to write a strong CV. You need to know what counts as experience — and you probably have more of it than you think.
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The phrase 'no experience' is almost always wrong. You have experience. You just haven't been paid for it, or you haven't framed it as work.
A first-job CV isn't about faking a career you don't have. It's about giving a hiring manager a reason to believe you'll show up, learn fast, and do the work.
Before you open a CV template, list everything you've done in the last three years that took sustained effort.
A 'cashier at a café' job sounds thin. 'Handled customer complaints during Sunday rush, 200+ transactions per shift, trained two new staff' is not thin.
Every entry on your CV should answer: what did I do, how much, and what was the result?
Numbers matter. 'Tutored' is weaker than 'tutored 6 students over 3 months, all improved by at least one grade.' Same activity. Different weight.
When work history is light, education leads. Include GPA if strong, relevant coursework if related to the target role, and any honors or scholarships.
Capstone projects, thesis work, or research deserve a full bullet — what you built, what tools you used, what you found.
Your summary is not 'recent graduate seeking opportunities.' That says nothing. Write something a human would actually want to read.
Example: 'Computer science graduate who spent more time on side projects than lectures. Looking for a first role where I can build real products with people who ship.'
That summary gives the reader a personality. First jobs are about fit more than skill, and fit requires you to be a person on the page.
Advice telling everyone to keep their CV to one page is wrong for people without experience. When you're light on work history, flesh out education, projects, and skills to give the reader something to read.
Two pages is fine. Thin pages are not.
Depends on the country. In Germany and much of Europe, yes. In the US, UK, Canada — never. Check the norm where you're applying.
Lead with education, projects, and volunteer work. Write a strong summary. Apply to roles that explicitly say 'no experience required' or 'graduate programmes.' Your first job doesn't need to be your dream job — it needs to be a start.
No. Hiring managers smell it instantly. A thin but honest CV is better than a padded one. Focus on framing what you have well.
Use the job description. Mirror the language in your skills section and summary. 'Familiar with X' is acceptable when you've only used X in coursework.
April 7, 2026 · 4 min read
You don't have zero experience. You have zero experience being paid for experience — and that's a much smaller problem to solve than it feels
April 17, 2026 · 4 min read
Spraying applications feels productive. It isn't. Here's the math on why fewer, better-targeted applications beat volume every time.