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How to write a CV with no experience

Writing your first CV can be daunting: you have little experience and it feels as if there is nothing to say. But nobody hiring for an entry-level job expects a career. They want to see what you have learned, how you have tested your abilities and whether you are keen to grow. Here is how to show it.

Updated 9 October 2026 · 3 min read

The right order when you have little experience

  1. Contact details and, under your name, your qualification or the role you are looking for: for example «Tourism graduate» or «Business Management student».
  2. Profile: two lines about who you are and what you are looking for.
  3. Education: it goes before experience, because right now it is the strongest part of your CV.
  4. Experience: everything useful, even if it was short or unpaid.
  5. Skills and languages.
  6. Projects, volunteering, interests, if they say something about you.

In CV Espresso you choose the order in the «Design» tab: «Education first».

The profile: who you are and what you want

Even without experience, two lines at the top help the reader place you: what you studied, what you can do and the kind of job you want.

ExampleRecent tourism graduate who speaks English (C1) and Spanish (B2). I spent two summers on the front desk of a hotel and enjoy working with people. Looking for a first job in hospitality or at a travel agency.

Education, told well

Give the qualification, the school or university and the year, plus your grade if it is good. Then add what sets you apart: your dissertation topic, a group project, a semester abroad, a course or a certificate in IT, languages or health and safety.

What counts as experience

More than you think. On a first CV these all count:

  • internships and work placements, including the ones arranged by your school;
  • part-time and seasonal jobs: waiting tables, retail, summer camps, deliveries, tutoring;
  • volunteering;
  • roles in clubs, sports and societies: coaching a youth team or organising an event is real experience;
  • personal projects: a website, an app, a channel, photography or design work.

Describe them as you would a job: what you did and what you learned. «Part-time cashier: handled the till and evening cash-up, helped with the monthly stock take» shows reliability and accuracy, even if the job you want is a different one.

Skills, with examples

List the technical and digital skills you can really use (Excel, a management system, a programming language, design tools) and your languages with their level. For soft skills such as teamwork or meeting deadlines, a concrete example in your experience is worth more than a word in a list.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Inventing or exaggerating: it shows at the interview. A short, honest CV works better.
  • Filling space with generic interests such as «reading, travelling, music»: include them only if they say something about you or the job.
  • An unprofessional email address: use your name.
  • Sending the same CV everywhere: tailor the profile to each advert.

After the CV

Send your CV with a short cover letter: when you have little experience it is your chance to explain why you want that particular company. If you apply to public bodies or schools in Europe, you may need the European CV format.

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