Entering a new professional field is an exciting time. You envision a bright future, endless possibilities, and perhaps even landing your dream job one day. Your excitement may dim, however, as you begin to create your resume to send off with job applications. How do you convince hiring managers you are the candidate they need when you have little to no relevant work experience?
Don’t worry. With some time, effort, and our guidance, you can create a resume that stands out even if you don’t have a lot of pertinent experience. As you tackle each important section of your document, follow our writing tips and use our sample entry level resume with no experience as a guide to create a knockout resume that makes you stand out as a worthwhile candidate.
Entry Level Resume With no Experience Sample
Dillon Parker
Philadelphia, PA 11111
E: dparker@anymail.com T: 555-555-7349
Philadelphia, PA 11111
E: dparker@anymail.com T: 555-555-7349
Summary Statement
Motivated and analytical junior bookkeeper with a BBA in Accounting. Proven record as a diligent and responsible employee able to thrive both independently and as part of a team. Advanced skills in mathematics, time-management, and communication with an eagerness to learn and excel in a new industry.
Skills
• Account reconciliation and balancing
• Microsoft Office and accounting software
• Customer service and client relationships
• Billing
• Analysis
• Data entry
• Invoice processing
• Budgeting
Education
Bachelor of Business Administration in Accounting – 2016
Rutgers Business School – New Brunswick, NJ
Relevant Courses included: financial accounting, accounting information systems, auditing
Achievements
• Graduated summa cum laude; named to President’s List eight consecutive semesters – 2012 – 2016
• Recipient of Susan K. Waters Academic Scholarship – 2015
• Accepted into Gamma Beta Phi National Honor Society – 2013
Work Experience
Assistant Manager/Cashier: January 2014 – July 2017
Walton’s Indoor & Outdoor Goods, Atlantic City, NJ
• Managed cash drawer with 100% accuracy while assisting customers with merchandise inquiries
• Promoted from cashier to assistant manager due to excellent customer service, sales records, and time-management techniques
• Performed various bookkeeping duties, such as processing invoices, assisting with budget preparation, and reconciling and balancing accounts
• Recommended and helped implement new marketing and promotion strategies, including the expansion into social media realms, to increase annual sales by 10%
• Trained new employees in company procedures and helped draft standard operating procedures for future employees
• Food Server: January 2012 – January 2014
Bottom of the Harbor Seafood Restaurant & Bar, Ocean City, NJ
• Recorded and delivered food orders to customers in a fast and friendly manner, assisting up to 26 guests at a time
• Handled all customer payments promptly and with accuracy; responsible for balancing the restaurant’s nightly takings with electronic records
• Coordinated with other servers and hosts to ensure a smooth flow of patrons during peak hours and helped resolve any customer complaints
• Accepted advanced responsibilities such as managing the restaurant’s social media accounts on a daily basis as well as training new employees to navigate an advanced POS system
• Upsold the highest amount of special menu items to increase sales by 10% over six months, resulting in Employee of the Year Award
Tips for Creating an Entry Level Resume With no Experience
1. Write a strong introduction
Studies show that most hiring managers only spend a few seconds glancing at a given resume before deciding whether to continue reading, so it is crucial to put a lot of thought into your summary. Notice how the jobseeker introduces himself immediately as a “motivated and analytical junior bookkeeper” to make a positive and memorable first impression.
As you construct this section of your resume, include a few hard and soft skills and areas of experience relevant to your desired position. While you may not have previous experience in the specific industry itself, you might have familiarity with one or two areas important to the job.
2. Emphasize your skills
Don’t underestimate the power of a strong skills section. Take note of key skills in the description of the job to which you are applying and incorporate them into your skills section accordingly. List these skills first to grab the attention of hiring managers, but be honest. Do not claim to have skills you do not possess.
The jobseeker in the entry level resume with no experience does an excellent job of portraying himself as an adept candidate by listing different skills such as “accounting software” and “billing.” Even though he never worked as a bookkeeper before, he still lists these skills because he developed them in some capacity in his education and other work experience.
3. Illuminate extra qualifications
Recruiters for entry level jobs typically understand that candidates do not have a lot of relevant work experience, but they still want to see how and why you are a better candidate for the position than all other applicants. That is why it is essential to draw attention to other pertinent qualification besides skillsets, such as relevant degrees, internships or volunteer work, or special awards and achievements.
Notice how the jobseeker in the sample resume emphasizes his education immediately after his skills. He lists not only his degree but coursework that is applicable to the bookkeeping position as well. He then goes on to illuminate special awards and achievements to help set himself apart from other entry level applicants.
4. Find relevance in previous work
Make the most out of your seemingly irrelevant work history by finding ways to make past responsibilities and achievements applicable to the job at hand. In the sample, the applicant lists minor bookkeeping tasks under both of his experiences, even though they were not his main responsibilities, to show that has had some exposure to this type of role.
If you find no obvious correlations between prior jobs and the job to which you are applying, use this section to showcase both the hard and soft skills you stressed in your skills section and summary. Additionally, mention promotions, special recognitions, and ways in which you benefitted your past employers to show your value as a candidate.
The Most Important Entry Level Resume With no Experience Takeaways
No matter what position you pursue, a strong resume is crucial to grabbing the attention of hiring managers. When applying to an entry level position without relevant experience, follow our guidelines and study our sample to create a remarkable resume.
Make your document as strong as possible with summary and skills sections emphasizing relevant industry skills and impressive personality traits. Don’t forget to list additional qualifications and relate whatever work experience you have to the job at hand, as our entry level resume with no experience exemplifies. If you need more help after studying our writing tips, feel free to use our convenient resume builder for fast assistance.
