How to write your first CV without work experience
Build a first CV from education, projects, volunteering, and part-time responsibilities. Learn what to include, how to explain your contribution, and what to leave out.
By the lolcv team · Updated
Explore worked CV examples, choose a CV template, or use the free review checklist alongside this guide.
Begin with evidence you already have
Not having a full-time job history does not mean you have nothing to describe. Start a list of coursework, group projects, volunteering, student activities, caring responsibilities where you want to include them, and part-time work. For each, write what you did, who you worked with, and what you delivered.
Choose examples that relate to the role. An entry-level administration job may value organizing information and following a schedule. A technical internship may place more emphasis on a project and the tools you used. The posting helps you decide what deserves space.
Choose a simple first-CV structure
Start with your name and contact details, a short targeted introduction if it adds useful context, education, relevant projects or experience, and skills. Put the strongest evidence near the top. If a project is more relevant than a course list, give the project more attention.
Describe unpaid and academic work accurately. A university project belongs under Projects or Education, not under a fictional employer. You can give the work a clear title and date without presenting it as paid employment.
Explain your contribution to a project
A reader needs more than “completed a group project”. What did you personally organize, research, build, write, or present? Use a specific action and enough context to explain the work.
Fictional example: a student coordinated a four-person research project and presented the findings. A useful bullet is: “Coordinated tasks for a four-person research project, combined the team’s findings, and presented the final recommendations to the class.” The wording comes from the supplied details; it does not invent a business outcome.
Make skills concrete
Instead of listing “communication” alone, show a presentation, a customer-facing responsibility, or a written deliverable. If you list a tool, include the project or task in which you used it when that context is relevant.
Keep the list selective. A long list of unrelated software can distract from the two or three tools that matter for the role. If you are still learning a skill, describe your current experience accurately.
Build a version for the opportunity
Choose a readable template and add your real details in lolcv. When you have a job posting, open Prepare and tailor a version to its responsibilities. Ask the AI editor to make your project experience clearer while preserving the difference between study, volunteering, and employment.
Before you apply, check contact details, spelling, section order, and the exported PDF. Save the CV with a company and role name so you can return to the same version if you are invited to an interview.