Writing your first CV with no experience

Writing your first CV feels like a chicken-and-egg problem: you need experience to get a job, but a job to get experience. The good news is that a first CV is not really about work history at all. It is about showing an employer you are reliable, willing and worth training. Everyone has more to say than they think. Here is how to build a strong CV from scratch.

What goes on a first CV

Keep it to one page and include these sections:

• Your name and contact details at the top: phone, email and your town.
• A short personal statement, three or four lines on who you are and what you are looking for.
• Education, your school or college, and any grades or qualifications you have or expect.
• Skills, the practical and personal strengths you bring.
• Experience, which is broader than paid jobs, as we will see below.
• Interests, a short line that shows a bit of personality.

Turn what you have into experience

You have done more than you realise. Think about:

• Volunteering, from helping at a charity shop to coaching a junior team, which shows commitment.
• School and college projects, group work, presentations, a Duke of Edinburgh award or a work experience placement.
• Hobbies with substance, such as running a gaming clan, fixing bikes, or managing a social media page, all of which show real skills.
• Helping at home or in the community, caring for a relative, babysitting, or a paper round, which show responsibility.

Describe these the way you would a job: what you did, and what it shows. "Volunteered at a local food bank every Saturday for a year, sorting stock and serving the public" tells an employer you are reliable and good with people.

Write a personal statement that lands

Skip the vague filler. Be specific and honest about what you offer and want. For example: "Reliable and hard-working school leaver with strong customer skills from volunteering at a charity shop, now looking for my first full-time role in retail or hospitality where I can learn quickly and build a career." In two sentences an employer knows who you are and that you are keen.

Lead with the qualities employers actually want

For a first job, most employers are hiring on attitude, not experience. They want to know you will turn up on time, work hard, learn fast and get on with people. So make sure your CV shows reliability, willingness and a positive attitude, and back each claim with a small example rather than just listing adjectives.

Common first-CV mistakes to avoid

• Leaving it blank because you "have no experience". You have plenty, framed correctly.
• Typos and a messy layout, which read as carelessness. Proofread it and ask someone to check it.
• Being vague. Specifics like "a year", "every Saturday" or "a team of five" make you believable.
• One generic CV for everything. Adjust your statement to match each job you apply for.

Your first CV only has to do one thing: convince an employer you are worth a chance. Show that you are reliable, willing and easy to train, keep it clean and specific, and you will get that first foot in the door. After that, real experience does the talking.