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First resume example (no work experience)

You can write a strong first resume without ever having had a paid job: lead with school, show volunteering and informal work as real experience, and say when you can work. Here is a complete free example for a high school senior applying for a part-time job, with notes on every section.

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First resume example for Marcus Reed, a high school senior: summary, education, food pantry volunteering, babysitting and pet sitting, skills, food handler card, award and soccer team. Full size
Sample US Letter first resume (no experience) in the Atlas template. The person and some employers are fictional.

Why this example works

  • Education goes first, and volunteering is presented as experience, with real numbers.
  • Informal work such as babysitting and pet sitting shows responsibility and repeat customers.
  • The availability line answers the first question a store manager will have.
  • A food handler card and a relevant class make the resume fit restaurant and grocery jobs.
Start with this example Start from a blank CV

Opens the free builder with this example filled in. Edit every line, switch templates and download a free PDF with a free account. If you already have a CV in this browser, you will be asked before anything is replaced.

Section by section: how this resume is built

What each part of the example does, and how to write yours.

  1. Header with availability

    Name, phone, a sensible email address and your city. No street address is needed. For part-time and shift jobs, add the hours you can work: managers build schedules around it, and an open evening or weekend is a selling point.

    From the example Availability: Weekdays after 3:30 pm, all day weekends

  2. Summary: what you want and why you fit

    Two or three sentences. Name the kind of job you want, the most relevant thing you have done (even unpaid), and something that makes hiring you easy, such as a certificate or being able to start straight away.

    From the example I hold a California Food Handler Card and can start straight away.

  3. Education

    Your school, expected graduation month and year, and GPA if it helps. Add honor roll, attendance or classes linked to the job. A culinary class for a kitchen job, a business or math class for a cashier role.

    From the example Honor Roll, five semesters in a row. Perfect attendance in 11th grade.

  4. Volunteer and work experience

    Rename the section so volunteering and informal jobs sit together, and treat them like real jobs: a title, dates and two or three bullets. Count things. How many families, pounds of food, children or regular clients.

    From the example Greet and check in 80 to 100 families a morning, and help Spanish-speaking visitors find what they need.

  5. Skills

    Keep it to skills a manager can use on day one: food safety, stocking, cash math, a second language, basic spreadsheet work. Six good skills beat fifteen vague ones.

    From the example Bilingual: English and Spanish

  6. Certifications, awards and activities

    Short sections, one line each. A food handler card, CPR certificate or a "Volunteer of the Month" award are proof of the things your summary claims. Sports and clubs show you can commit to a schedule.

    From the example Volunteer of the Month, St. Mark’s Community Food Pantry

Common mistakes, and what to write instead

  • Avoid:Writing "No experience" or leaving the experience section empty.

    Instead:Include volunteering, babysitting, lawn mowing, helping in a family business or school roles. They all count.

  • Avoid:"Hard worker, team player, fast learner."

    Instead:Prove it: "Trusted to train new student volunteers on the check-in sheet and food safety rules."

  • Avoid:Your full home address, date of birth and a photo.

    Instead:City and state only. US employers do not want your age or a photo.

  • Avoid:A fancy, colorful layout that is hard to read on a phone.

    Instead:A clean one-column layout. Many store managers read applications on a phone or a tablet.

  • Avoid:Listing a parent or a teacher as a reference on the resume.

    Instead:Leave references off. Have a teacher, coach or volunteer coordinator ready to vouch for you when asked.

Not sure what to include? Ideas that count as experience

Most people starting out have done more than they think. If you have done any of these regularly, it belongs on your first resume.

  • Volunteering: food banks, animal shelters, libraries, places of worship, community events
  • Informal jobs: babysitting, pet sitting, tutoring, yard work, car washing, reselling online
  • Helping in a family business: serving customers, stocking, bookkeeping, social media
  • School: class officer, team captain, school store, yearbook, peer tutoring, stage crew
  • Projects: a club fundraiser you ran, a website or video channel, a science fair entry
  • Certificates: food handler card, CPR and first aid, lifeguard, a free online course

Templates that suit this resume

Load the example, then switch templates in the builder. Your content stays as it is.

Start with this example
  • Atlas CV template with a centred spaced-capital name, thin rules under each heading and a single text column

    Atlas

    Clean single column. Used in this example.

  • Slate CV template with a minimal single column with generous white space, no colour blocks and light headings

    Slate

    Minimal, very easy to read on a phone.

  • Campus CV template with a single column with an accent line at the top, square-bullet headings, education first and skill tags

    Campus

    Education first, with room for activities.

  • Summit CV template with a dense single column with compact headings, inline skills and contact details on the right of the header

    Summit

    Plain layout that applicant systems read well.

  • Harbor CV template with a main career column on the left and a pale right sidebar for contact details, skills, languages and certificates

    Harbor

    Side column for skills and contact details.

  • Meridian CV template with a single column with experience and education on a vertical timeline of dots

    Meridian

    Timeline that makes short entries look tidy.

Frequently asked questions

How do I write a resume with no experience?

Put education first, then a "Volunteer and Work Experience" section with volunteering, informal jobs and school roles. Describe each one with two or three bullet points and numbers. Add a short skills list and any certificates.

Do I need a resume for my first part-time job?

Many stores and restaurants take online applications without one, but a one-page resume makes you stand out, helps you fill in the form quickly, and is often requested for office, library and summer camp jobs.

Should I include my age?

No. Your graduation year shows roughly where you are. If a job has a minimum age, the application form will ask.

Can I put babysitting on my resume?

Yes. Regular babysitting for the same families shows that parents trust you, which is exactly what an employer wants to know. Give it a title, dates and a couple of specific bullets.

Is this first resume template free?

Yes. Open the example in the CompleteCV builder, replace the details with your own and download a PDF for free with a free account. No watermark.

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