5 ways to show off your skills on a CV with no experience.
When putting together a CV, you might feel like you don’t have any relevant experience to refer to. But you’d be surprised what employers will find equally important. A little self-reflection can uncover some experiences that showcase your potential to be a great candidate.
Here are some things you can include on a CV with no work experience.
Were you part of a cultural club? Student council? What about a sports team? Including extracurricular activities in your CV can show your passion to develop new skills, explore your interests and work in a team. You can list these as bullet points, with information on average hours per week and the year.
Volunteering and charity work.
Volunteering can be just as valuable as work experience on your CV. It can demonstrate your commitment to the community, your ability to work with others and your passions and interests. Listing volunteer work also highlights that you have a range of transferable skills, such as problem solving, relationship building and interpersonal skills.
Include any languages you might know.
Believe it or not, having a second or third language can greatly improve your CV – even without any professional experience. It showcases your ability to communicate effectively with people from diverse backgrounds and your cultural awareness. This is especially useful for businesses with international clients or travel opportunities. If that’s the case, make sure to include this information in your personal statement.
Make the most of references.
References aren’t compulsory in this day and age. Still, they’re incredibly useful for others to vouch for your character, skills and work ethic. If references are requested by the employer, include them at the bottom of your CV, with brief details about the individual’s relationship with you. References could be previous and current employers, coaches and trainers, or professors and teachers. Alternatively, ask your contacts to leave a recommendation on your LinkedIn profile.
Shout about part-time jobs.
Although you may have no formal work experience, you can still include other part-time work if available. Maybe you tutored kids, babysat on the weekends, or helped a loved one out at their small business. Don’t shy away from adding this information, as it demonstrates your experience with customer service and other key skills.