Almost every professional has written a first resume with no formal jobs on it, so you are solving a normal problem, not an unusual one. Employers hiring for entry-level roles know that students, recent graduates, and career changers will not have a long job history. What they look for instead is evidence: education, training, projects, volunteer work, and skills that show you can do the tasks in the posting and will show up reliably. Your resume’s job is to organize that evidence clearly and honestly.
Start with clear contact information and a short summary
Put your full name, city and state, phone number, and a professional email address at the top. You do not need your full street address on a modern US resume. Below that, add a two- or three-line professional summary written for the job you want now — not a generic statement about seeking employment, but a brief description of your training, strongest skills, and the type of role you are applying for. For example: “Recent high school graduate with volunteer experience in a busy community food bank. Comfortable with cash handling, inventory counts, and helping customers. Seeking a retail associate position.” That short paragraph tells the reader immediately why the rest of the page is worth reading.
Lead with your education
With no work history, education is usually your strongest section, so place it high on the page. List your school, the diploma or degree, and your graduation date or expected date. Add details that show ability and effort: relevant coursework, a GPA if it is strong and you are a recent student, academic honors, and certifications earned through school or training programs. If you completed career or technical training — a food handler card, a first aid certificate, a computer course, or an industry credential — list it here or in a certifications section, with the issuing organization. For current students, adding your expected graduation date helps employers plan around your schedule and class hours.
Turn projects and activities into experience
Class projects, personal projects, and activities count when they demonstrate skills the job needs — and most first-time applicants have more of them than they realize. Built a website in a coding class? That is a project with tools and an outcome. Helped run a school fundraiser or club event? That involves planning, communication, and responsibility. Volunteering counts the same way: serving customers, stocking shelves, or tutoring at a community organization is real, supervised work. Describe each item the way you would describe a job, in short bullet points starting with action verbs such as organized, built, assisted, handled, or taught, and be accurate about your part in group work — interviewers will ask about whatever you list.
Build a skills section matched to the posting
Your skills section is where you directly answer the job posting. Read the listing, note the skills and tools it names, and list the ones you genuinely have: software and apps, languages you speak, equipment you can operate, customer service, cash handling, data entry, or typing. Group them simply rather than rating yourself with bars or stars, which tell an employer nothing reliable. Avoid padding the list with things you cannot demonstrate — a skills section is a promise that an interview or a first week of work will test.
Keep the format simple and get a second reader
A first resume should normally be one page, in a clean format that applicant tracking systems can read: standard headings, a common font, no photos, no text boxes or graphics, and consistent dates. Save and send it in the format the posting requests, commonly PDF. Before applying, read the whole document out loud to catch errors, and ask a teacher, counselor, or career center advisor to review it — most schools and local American Job Centers offer free resume help, and you can find your nearest center through CareerOneStop.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Leaving the page half empty instead of including projects, activities, and volunteering
- Writing a vague objective like “looking for any job” instead of a targeted summary
- Inventing job titles, dates, or duties you did not actually have
- Listing skills from the posting that you cannot demonstrate
- Using photos, graphics, rating bars, or several columns that software cannot read
- Including your full home address or other unnecessary personal details
- Sending the resume without proofreading it or having anyone else review it
Frequently asked questions
How long should a first resume be?
One page is the standard for students and entry-level applicants in the US. If everything relevant fits honestly on one page, that is the right length; do not stretch it with filler or shrink the font to fit more in.
Should I include my GPA?
You can include it if it is strong and you are a student or recent graduate, especially for your first applications. Once you have work experience, employers care much less about it and most people remove it.
Can I put babysitting or helping a family business on a resume?
Yes, if it was regular, real work. Describe the tasks honestly — supervising children, handling money, taking orders, keeping records — and list it like other experience, because it shows reliability and responsibility.
Where can I get free help with my resume?
Schools, public libraries, and American Job Centers offer free resume assistance. CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor, can help you find a local center and provides resume guidance online.
Official sources
- CareerOneStop — careeronestop.org (U.S. Department of Labor–sponsored resume guidance and local American Job Center finder)
- U.S. Department of Labor — dol.gov (employment and training resources)
- USAJOBS — usajobs.gov (federal student and recent graduate opportunities are posted on the official site)