How to Write a CV for a Job With No Experience in 2026

There are plenty of jobseekers with little to no work history. In a CV with no experience, what matters is how you present your skills, potential, and enthusiasm.

I’ll explain how to write a CV for a job with no experience, and present real CV examples for no-experience candidates like you. With these tips, you’ll make a no-experience CV that grabs attention—even without a job history.

Key article insights:

• Key principles of writing a CV for a job with no experience include proving to the employer that they’ll benefit from hiring you.
• CVs with no experience primarily focus on showcasing transferable skills and relevant education.
• Good CV examples with no work experience use a skills-based format.

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We created the sample on the left using our builder. See other good CV examples like this one.

CV example for students with no experience

This no-experience CV is perfect for university students who haven’t held formal jobs but have participated in freelance work, volunteering, or academic projects. It demonstrates how to highlight transferable skills and academic achievements to align with the requirements of entry-level roles.

In a CV with no experience, it’s important to start with a personal statement that links your studies to the job you’re targeting, and to back up your key skills with practical examples. Don’t shy away from including informal work, academic achievements, or volunteer experience—anything that demonstrates initiative, organisation, or communication is valuable at this stage.

CV with no experience: example for teenagers 

This CV is suitable for school leavers or teenagers applying for part-time jobs, internships, or volunteer roles. It focuses on school achievements, extracurriculars, and enthusiasm to learn.

To write a strong CV for a teenager with no experience, focus on activities that demonstrate real-world competencies. Use examples from school, volunteering, or personal projects to show off your teamwork, communication, and time management. Keep your tone upbeat, and let your personality come through in your personal statement.

CV with no experience: example for internships

This CV targets students applying for internships. It leverages freelance work and volunteering to build a strong case for employability.

When creating a CV for internships, it’s crucial to demonstrate your passion and relevant skills through side projects, volunteer work, or academic success. Make sure your personal statement clearly targets the internship you’re applying for, and use measurable results wherever possible to show impact.

CV with no experience: example for career changers 

This CV lacks experience, but is filled with transferable skills. It’s designed for individuals pivoting into a new industry, and it clearly demonstrates how to reposition prior achievements to match the requirements of a new role.

When writing a career-change CV, the key is to emphasise interpersonal skills, such as leadership, communication, and organisation, and link them directly to the new industry. Use concrete examples that demonstrate these abilities in action, even if they come from a different field.

How to write a CV with no experience: step-by-step guide

Even with limited or no work experience, you can still craft a compelling CV that captures a recruiter’s attention and highlights your potential. In a CV without work experience, emphasise your academic and extracurricular achievements that demonstrate the skills required for a position. Describe what you did, the abilities and traits you applied, and the positive results you achieved.

Here’s exactly how to make a CV for a job with no experience:

1. Start your CV with no experience with a captivating personal statement

Your personal details might appear first on your CV, but it is the personal statement that is actually read first. A well-written one introduces you to the recruiter, while encouraging them to look beyond your CV, even if you have no experience.

Here’s how to write a no-experience CV personal statement (also called a CV profile):

• Show what you can offer the company, and demonstrate that your goals line up with the company’s goals.
• Describe your past achievements, focusing solely on professional and work-appropriate details. Emphasise the benefits gained by the employer as a result.
• Keep your personal statement to 3–4 sentences, 50–150 words maximum. 

Although it’s the first substantial part of your CV, it’s best to write your personal statement last (as it’s essentially your CV summary). You’ll be able to do a much better job once you’ve prepared your skills summary and work history, if there’s any. So, put it out of your mind for now and revisit it later.

Personal statement on a CV with no work experience: example

A strong CV summary will convince the recruiter you’re the perfect candidate. Save time and choose a ready-made personal statement written by career experts and adjust it to your needs in the LiveCareer CV builder.

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2. Highlight relevant skills in your CV with no experience

If you lack experience, focus on what you do bring: skills. Experience is just a sign of professional skills gained and used over time. Since you can’t showcase past jobs, highlight your abilities instead.

Ditch the traditional chronological CV format and opt for a skills-based CV. It highlights your strengths front and centre. Although it’s less common and not the recruiter’s favourite, it’s the best choice for writing a CV for a job with no experience.

How to show skills effectively:

• Read the job advertisement and note any skills it mentions. If the advert lacks skills, check similar job postings from comparable companies.
• Do some general research online to get a feel for the skills required to do this job well (for example: hard and communication skills).
• Choose 3–5 of the most important or most in-demand of these skills and make them into subheadings in your skills section.
• Add 2–4 bullet points under each subheading through which you show how you’ve demonstrated the given skill.
• Be specific and quantify achievements. When writing a CV with no experience, the idea is to convince recruiters that you really do possess the skills you’re mentioning.

Skills summary for a CV with no experience—example

3. Include relevant qualifications in your CV without experience

How to fill this CV section when you have no work history? You can still find some experience to include. You may have participated in volunteering or informal work that could be very relevant and valuable for your first CV.

Here’s how to describe relevant activities on your CV with no experience:

• Don’t skip this section: volunteer roles, internships, and informal work do count. The only real difference between paid and unpaid work is the pay cheque, not the skills gained.
• Include anything you’ve done regularly, like placements or long-term volunteer roles. 
• Place one-off gigs or odd jobs in a separate section unless you’ve completed many consecutively, resembling freelance work (such as a sole trader). 
• Add up to six bullet points highlighting specific achievements. Quantify whenever possible. Focus on the value you brought, not just your duties.

If you’re writing a student CV and don’t have any work experience to include, don’t pad this section. Instead, simply skip over it and follow up your skills summary with your education section directly. And remember, you can also add work experience placements to your CV. 

CV for students with no experience: job description sample

4. Outline education in your CV with no experience

While it isn’t always the decisive factor for many roles, and some positions only require Maths and English GCSES, education remains important. In case of a CV with no work experience, it could be the thing that puts you ahead of competition.

Here’s how to fill this section:

• Set your education section out in reverse-chronological order, starting from the most recent qualification and working your way back from there. 
• Always add your degrees, but also consider adding thesis, relevant awards, certificates, diplomas, etc.
• If you’re still completing a given qualification, include your expected completion/graduation date. 

Education section on a CV for a job with no experience

5. Benefit from extra sections in a CV template with no work experience

When applying for jobs with limited or no work experience, you’ll probably compete with candidates with similar backgrounds. So, how can you differentiate yourself? What additional information should you include on a CV without experience? To stand out, add extra sections to your CV that showcase your unique strengths and relevant achievements.

Customise these sections for each job application, emphasising only what is genuinely relevant and compelling for the specific role. Even if certain details don’t strictly fall under “skills” or “education,” they may still demonstrate why you’re the right candidate. Language skills, for example, are valued in most industries—include them even if the job doesn’t require it.

Here are some sections you can include when writing a CV with no work experience:

• Awards & achievements
• Competitions
• Certifications or online courses
• Language skills
• Conferences or seminars attended
• Extracurricular activities
• Volunteer work (if not already listed)
• Hobbies & interests

CV template with no work experience: additional sections

6. Match your no-experience CV with a cover letter

It’s easy to focus solely on writing a CV for a job with no experience, but remember, your cover letter is just as important—always include one unless specifically told not to. A short cover letter is your chance to make a strong first impression and get your CV noticed.

Key tips for writing an effective cover letter:

• Stick to UK business letter format, using the correct layout, salutation (e.g., “Dear [Name]”), and sign-off (e.g., “Yours sincerely” or “Yours faithfully”).
• Open your cover letter with a compelling first paragraph that quickly shows why you’re a great fit.
• Highlight key achievements in the body to demonstrate your value with specific examples from academic work, volunteering, or personal projects.
• Conclude your cover letter with a call to action—express enthusiasm and interest in the next steps.
• Keep it concise: a perfect cover letter length, aim for 250–400 words max. Short, clear, and tailored is best.

A good cover letter won’t land the job on its own, but it will get your CV read. That’s the first step toward getting hired.

Extra tips before submitting your CV with no experience

Your CV should appear professional at a glance and upon close inspection, regarding grammar and details. This involves paying attention to the big-picture elements like format, CV layout, and overall appearance, as well as the finer points of spelling, grammar, and punctuation word by word and letter by letter.

Now that you know what should be included in a CV if you have no experience, here are some final CV tips to consider:

• Edit and rearrange your work until it fits nicely (without being cramped) on a single A4 page.
• Put your contact details near the top of your CV, and consider making your name bigger by at least two points to help it stand out.
• Leave the rest of your text at a size of 11–12 points to ensure it is readable once printed.
• Choose a professional-looking CV font like Noto, Garamond, Arial, Liberation, or Calibri.
• Use subheadings and lots of white space to divide your CV into sections and subsections clearly.
• Opt for a simplistic CV template (view our list of the best CV templates), and avoid using too many colours and icons.
• Always save or export your CV (and cover letter) in PDF, unless you’ve been explicitly asked for something else. Lastly, attach your CV to an email.
• Optimise your no-experience CV for ATS by making it readable and relevant. Include the company name, the role, and use keywords from the job description to match the role effectively.

Now that you know all the tricks, let me show you a ready-to-use template that will make your work even easier.

CV template for candidates with no experience

This CV template for no-experience applicants is ideal for students, school leavers, or career changers applying for their first role. It highlights transferable skills, education, and personal projects to show potential and motivation.

CV with no experience: template

That’s it! Now you know how to write a CV for a job with no experience. Just one final piece of CV advice: follow up with a quick phone call or short email if you haven’t heard back after a week. This can make a far bigger difference than you might think and, at the very least, it’ll give you an idea of how your application is going.

You don’t have to be a CV writing expert. In the LiveCareer CV builder you’ll find ready-made content for every industry and position, which you can then add with a single click.

Create your CV now

In need of extra advice on CV writing? See these guides:

• Can AI Help You Write a CV in 2025?
• How to Make a Good CV for Any Job
• How to Include a Degree on Your CV
• Key CV Writing Tips to Apply in 2025
• Should You Use AI to Write a CV?
• What Does a CV Mean? Definition + Examples
• What Makes a Perfect CV: Key Advice for 2025
• What to Include in a CV: Key Elements
• Writing a Good CV: Tips on CV Writing

I hope this article has helped you give yourself a head start in finding work without any prior experience. 

How we review the content at LiveCareer

Our editorial team has reviewed this article for compliance with LiveCareer’s editorial guidelines. It’s to ensure that our expert advice and recommendations are consistent across all our career guides and align with current CV and cover letter writing standards and trends. We’re trusted by over 10 million job seekers, supporting them on their way to finding their dream job. Each article is preceded by research and scrutiny to ensure our content responds to current market trends and demand.

Sources

• University of North Georgia, “Accomplishment Statements”
• Rochester Institute of Technology, “The Impact of White Space on User Experience for Tablet Editions of Magazines”