10 Resume Writing Tips for Jobseekers With No Work Experience

Resume writing could be challenging for fresh graduates and jobseekers with no work experience. After all, most companies prefer hiring applicants who already have experience in their chosen field. With a strong background relevant to the industry, these professionals are expected to have a higher chance of contributing their expertise to the organisation. Added to this, there is immense pressure for jobseekers to stand out amongst the many Malaysians seeking jobs today.

It is only natural if you find it overwhelming to apply for jobs — especially if you have no work experience or have just graduated. Resume writing is your first step on a path toward finding jobs that matter. So, you will need the right resume writing tips that will help you write a good resume, even when you have no work experience.

Ready to start writing a powerful, well-written, and effective resume? Here are 10 useful tips for you.

How to write a resume with no work experience

1. Be guided by the 3Fs of resume writing

One of the most basic resume writing tips for jobseekers with no work experience? Remember what the 3Fs of resume writing stand for: form, function, and effectiveness. If you are not familiar with the 3Fs of resume writing, here is a quick rundown.

Form

Make sure your resume lets employers read all the necessary information easily. Choose a good font to make it formal and understandable.

Function

Remember what a resume is for. Include your information, skills, and achievements that are relevant to the job. Incorporate your resume with a good cover letter.

Effectiveness

Show your purpose with a clear and concise career objective. Steer away from cliches. As someone with no work experience, leverage your unique passions, values, and goals. The brief information in your resume should make them want to know more about you.

2. Make your resume personal but concise

Ask yourself: What should I include on my resume? What would they want to know about me as their applicant?

Start with the basics: Write down the relevant personal information about you. Include your name, contact details, email address, and everything else employers would need to know about you as an applicant for the job. Just remember to stick to the information that the company asks for. Avoid adding sensitive information that might compromise your privacy or be used to discriminate against you, like your home address, date of birth, and religion.

Use simple words and short sentences. You do not need to impress employers with complexity, as this may do more harm than good if you are writing your first resume. Make your objective simple but substantial for you and the company.

3. Use familiarity to your advantage

Having familiarity with the industry can become your edge over other applicants. It is likely that yours is not the only resume with no experience. But, employers will notice if you are particularly interested in the field their company is involved in.

Be familiar with the industry you want to work with. Learn the basics, concepts, and language. Tailor your resume so that it is relevant to the job you are applying to. If you are comfortable enough, include power words in your resume that are relevant to the job. However, be wary of sprinkling your resume with jargon — only use words you actually understand.

Reflect on your past works and accomplishments. Think of how the experiences you earned through these could be relevant to the industry you are applying to. Stick to your career objective and show how you are capable of handling the responsibilities of the role, even if this position is your first job.

4. Focus on the company’s needs

Analyse the company’s needs. Use these to market yourself to them. If you have what they need, they will give the position to you.

Remember that there is a “necessity,” or a reason why they are hiring people for the job. If you spot anything in the job description that you resonate with, leverage on that. Highlight your skills and traits that show your potential for the job.

5. Present yourself creatively

In a technologically advanced world, boring resumes stick out like a sore thumb. Draw in employers with good resume designs. You can find several resume templates for those who are applying for their first job!

Play with resume colours and themes that show off your personality and tech-savviness. But at the same time, balance the design elements out so your resume still looks professional.

6. Change your “work experience” section to “relevant experience”

If you have just graduated or have never held a job before, make your work experience section more general. Emphasise your strengths and achievements that are relevant to the job.

Remember that experiences are not just earned through full-time jobs. You might have worked on the sidelines, earned awards, or participated in organisations as well. If you obtained relevant experiences through these, then feel free to share them in your resume. By doing this, employers will see that you are a promising candidate.

7. Reflect on your relevant skills

No experience? No problem! Be confident in your skills and show them how you can leverage these for the role you are applying for.

According to the Forbes Human Resources Council, companies prefer well-rounded and flexible people. Write down your transferable skills that can be useful for other tasks, as employers will take notice of these. Look over your interests and hobbies outside of work. Is there anything on that list that will reflect positively on your resume? Aside from experience and expert knowledge in the industry, companies will look at the other things you can offer.

(Read more: Top 5 Transferable Skills You Must Have )

8. Use the most effective resume format

Jobseekers use several resume formats, including the chronological resume, functional resume, combination resume, and electronic resume. Make sure you use the best resume format for you.

Chronological Resume

Chronological resumes are good for people who have strong work experience. It highlights their contributions in their past roles. With a list of experiences to leverage on, applicants who use a chronological resume format prove that they are knowledgeable and experienced for the position they are applying for. These resumes typically itemise accomplishments and relevant work in reverse chronological order.

Functional Resume

A functional resume format is a great option for first-timers like fresh graduates. This format is for people who want to show their achievements and skills to make it appealing and effective for the companies. It highlights skills and achievements that may be relevant to the position that the company is offering.

Combination Resume

Combination resumes merge work history and past accomplishments. It usually includes both relevant experiences and achievements that are highlighted and showcased by the candidate. But, most employers find this format repetitive since some applicants try to impress by including all their experiences that makes the resume hard to read.

Electronic Resume

Electronic resumes are mostly generated by job recruiting portals like JobStreet. It is becoming popular because of its convenience and effectiveness for both applicants and employers. This type of resume format may be in plain text, rich text, or hypertext and are sent and viewed through email. These resumes are often used by applicants applying for a job online.

9. Include reliable references

Companies also look at references in an applicant’s resume. Through this, they can check whether a jobseeker’s resume is reliable or not. Employers may look for the reference persons’ job titles and know their expertise as well.

If you are writing a resume as someone with no work experience, having a reputable reference person will help you gain credibility in the eyes of employers.

10. Proofread everything

Review your resume as if you are the employer of the company. Would you be interested in the resume you are reading? Can you spot any typographical errors? Is it boring to read? Try putting yourself in their shoes and look for things to improve on your own resume.

You may also ask for help from others after checking it. They may try to give tips to make it look better for you to earn a job.

While it may be difficult to secure a job without experience, you can still ace writing a resume to prove yourself worthy of the position.

Ready to attract employers with your fresh resume? Create or update your JobStreet profile and start searching for jobs on our website and app. For more information, visit our Career Resources Hub and #LetsGetToWork.