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View Full Version : No job experience, what to put on a resume?


VintageHeart93
Jun 15, 2012, 01:24 PM
I'm filling out an application and they're asking me my employment history. I've never heard a job before but I do have some volunteer experience from high school to college and have been a part of some clubs. The ones I want to out down, I remember the names, but not the numbers and I haven't talked to some of them since I left my high school. Should I just put N/A for every one? They already have my resume with all my volunteer experience and that's how I got an interview.

slapshot_oi
Jun 15, 2012, 01:56 PM
Rule of thumb: use an economy of words. Do not put down anything you think the employer won't care about. Don't just put down unrelated volunteer work for the sake of having words there.

Also, know that work experience is not limited to an official job or volunteerism. Example: if you're applying to ESPN as a writer and you watch sports religiously, you can and should put that in your cover letter or résumé because it's job-related knowledge.

What industry is this employer in?

VintageHeart93
Jun 15, 2012, 01:59 PM
It's a new burger restaurant that's opening in the city

YourInfoMan
Jun 29, 2012, 09:23 AM
Employers are definitely accustomed to resumes to choose future employees. So if you want to be considered for a job, you need a resume which clearly emphasizes what you have to offer a potential employer. This would also apply even if someone employed in the company refers you.

VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS ACQUIRED
While entry-level job seekers may not have a full-time job history, as you've already recognized, many do have a history of volunteer experience, whether during high school, college, summers, trade school, service in clubs or social organizations, etc.

Usually, a person does pick up some specific job-related skills in these endeavors. A correctly-written resume for an entry-level job -- no matter what field it's in -- can be used to showcase these specific skills. Remember that employers are looking for people with skills and/or education which are marketable. In other words, they're willing to pay you for what you can do, if it will help their company continue to be successful.

If you can't remember the numbers, use estimates (e.g. during the fall of [year]; or during my junior year of [high school or college], and so on.

Avoid putting down too many “N.A.s,” as this may not look good to some employers.

If you've already given an employer your resume as you've described it, update it for future interviews with other employers.

SOME EMPLOYERS WILL HIRE DIRECTLY OUT OF SCHOOL
Sometimes employers will hire someone fresh out of school, because they're more easily trainable to fit the company's objectives—or because they may bring with them a fresh perspective, and may be more enthusiastic than experienced persons.

YOUR RESUME CAN'T CONTAIN ANY ERRORS
One more thing: it's very important that your resume doesn't contain any grammatical, spelling, or syntax errors—or any other errors which will definitely turn off an employer!

Hope I don't sound overly-self-promotional, but there's a lot more free information about resume preparation on my blog. . There's also free info about the related topics of job interviewing skills, and how to do a creative job search, in which you emphasize how your skills and abilities can benefit the company