How to Write a Student Resume Without Work Experience
Projects, coursework and activities can give your first resume substance. Here is what to include and how to describe it.
You can write a useful resume before you have a paid job. Employers want to understand what you can do, and your coursework, projects and activities can provide evidence.
Begin with your name, contact details and education. Add two or three relevant projects. For each one, explain the task, your contribution and the result in a sentence or two. If you organised an event, for example, say what you planned and how you worked with the team. Avoid claiming the whole group's work as your own.
List skills you can discuss or demonstrate. If you include a software tool, be ready to explain how you used it. A short, accurate resume is more useful than a long one filled with general phrases such as “hardworking” or “team player.”
Read the description of each internship before you apply and move the most relevant examples towards the top. Ask someone to proofread the final version. Save a copy, then update it whenever you complete a project worth talking about.
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