Tips for writing a great CV with no work experience

Are struggling to write a great CV when you have no work experience? This is what you need to know. 

Searching for job can be like the challenges one encounter while climbing to a mountain top especially when you don't have any work experience. Then how are you supposed to write a CV when you don't have anything to write about. 

Well don't let that be an hindrance, because most times the candidate with most experience sometimes doesn't always get the job. Recruiters are looking for more than just experience, so as a job-seeker it is important to use your CV to showcase who you are and why you are a great fit for the job.

Listed below are tips to help you in writing good CV.
1. Tailor your CV to the Job - the first thing you need to do is to make sure your CV is tailored to the job you are applying for which it is very important. Because your CV with no work experience needs to focus on your skills rather than the experience you don't have. In order to tailor your CV to the job, scan the job posted and pull out all the relevant skills and qualifications the recruiter is looking for, and then you include them to your  personal statement or add it to your dedicated skill column in your CV.

2. Create a good Personal statement - creating a good Personal statement is another important aspect on the CV because it is the first statement recruiter get to read, so it's needs to be good. Write about three to five lines statement about yourself, stating your skills and what makes you the perfect candidate for the role applied for. It should be short and concise 

3. Thinking outside the job role - by treating your voluntary experiences like jobs can make a recruiter to consider you. Thereby, it is ideal to add up charitable work experience or voluntary work you join or were engaged in because you would have certainly gained valuable skills doing it and which also make your CV looks great.

4. Highlights on your transferable skills - most employers understands that whilst candidates might not have the exact experience they are looking for, most of them will have transferrable skills. These are skills that a candidate may have learnt in another job that can be utilised and relevant in the work place. E.g, management experience, customer service, etc. A candidate with little or no relevant work experience can highlight these skills in their CV.

5. Cover letter - Many atimes most candidate overlook this aspect, but it is important as a CV, as there is no enough room on a CV to go in detail why you are the best candidate for the job especially when you are lacking in the particular  work experience. A cover letter gives you a better chance to showcase you personality and highlight the relevant skills you posses to the recruiter explaining why you are the best fit for that role. It must be concise and professional.

6. Using the right Keywords - These are the specific skills and qualifications relevant to the role that you are applying for from the jobs posted. It is important to mention these keywords in your CV assuming you have the right skills otherwise your CV has little to no chance of passing the ATS (applicant tracking system).

7. Personality- Recruiters look for more than just the right work experience, they are  also looking for the right personality to fit with the company. When it comes to your CV, it's important to think outside your work history and look at the potential skills, experience and personal traits that may be desirable to a recruiter for a particular role. You may not have the exact experience the recruiter is looking for but if you can create a CV that stands out, you might just get the long awaited phone call you have been waiting for by showing your personality.

Thanks OP.
All the very best to all applicants out there.
It will end in praise for y'all.
#NeverGiveUp.


Let us add more inputs to this,
You’ve finished university,
It’s time to enter the real world and find a job.
For this, you need a great CV, one that will show how passionate you are, what a great work ethic you have and how dedicated an employee you would be.
We’re sure you’ve been told to relate your work experience to the role you’re applying for, but what if you don’t have any experience?
Show your potential

An employer is not only looking at what you have done but what you can do.
You have to convince them that you are capable of taking on the job.
Make a list of all your relevant experience.
If you are a fresh IT graduate, have you done an internship during your studies?
Have you had experience working for a friend or relative’s company, even for a little while?
You can also talk about general experiences you have had.
Talk about travel, and challenges you faced.
How did you overcome them and what lessons did you learn?
While you are still studying, record the skills and work experiences you acquire just so you have an inventory of good examples to draw from on applications and in interviews.

More details,
Show your potential.
An employer is not only looking at what you have done but what you can do.
Be honest about your skills.
Talk about your skills sensibly.
Highlight your achievements.
Make sense of your qualifications.



All the very best once more guys.
Back to Our Grilling Business this beautiful Sunday.

Damnnn niggar

A real niggarrr write no shit...

And moreover wetin go be go be

If you go get the job you go get am without all these many many lessons on how to write a cv bla bla bla
Nor be even for country like Nigeria person go dey learn cv shit
Nigeria where if you know the person way know somebody then the job is sure even before interview

I shock when uniben employ my cousin that year...he don already get appointment letter before he go for Interview.

How come all those children of the connected don't even write CVs to get employed in Grade A juicy Federal agencies like CBN, NLNG, FIRS, Foreign Affairs, Budget Office, DPR, PPPRA, NIMASA, NPA, PENCOM, Presidency etc

You will be shocked to realise that the company you sent your beautiful CV that called you for interview is GNLD or Multi Level Marketing, this country don cast walahi

Okay
If you don't have work experience

1...Do lots of online courses related to your field or the organization. For example if you are applying for an intern at KPMG, PwC or FAO, visit their website they all have e-learning platforms were they issue certificates after completing a course.

2..Do lots freelance jobs, you can create accounts on Fiver, Upworks and even LinkedIn.

3..Volunteering

101 ways to die is being a Nigerian

As you are learning how to write a CV also learn a digital skill because this country has failed everyone




Kindly check this thread to see some useful skill you can learn
https://www.nairaland.com/6727248/freelancer-today-learn-concept-web

post=106150415:
Thanks OP.
All the very best to all applicants out there.
It will end in praise for y'all.

This guy are you a bot?

post=106150415:
Thanks OP.
All the very best to all applicants out there.
It will end in praise for y'all.

hmhmmm

State clearly.your capabilities and how
you can leverage it to help them

okay

Very insightful

Nice

Nigeria is where you will be asked to provide experience without ever given a job....

When they finally give u the job to perform
You start sweating profusely after claiming that you could do it on cv

Ok

Okay. Thanks

People still dey find work with stress of CV writing in 2021. One must learn how to be independent and skilled

Bobotic:
Omo where the work dey? I must get am today, e don tey wey i don dey plan how to construct my own CV with weed sorry without work

LOL

Did that guy in your post actually roll that up with his CV?

Guess his career is up in smoke...

Our president has even said good degree does not guarantee good job.

All these just to get a job of 30k

Question is, who CV help these days?...without a good strong connection

Very Good things to learn from. Thanks to the OP.

This kind thread will not get much traffic now like Tonto and BB Naija News

Nice piece of information

Thanks OP

Been thinking about this for a while because I only have a year of experience and it is only closely related to the job I want to go for.

This is not true! If you have no experience, put your certifications first, followed by your educational qualifications, schools attended and dates. You can then finish with volunteer experieces, leadership roles and references. If it is an American company, then you do not need to put your date of birth.
Good luck!

Good points..

You can learn a skill as well and freelance online or build your own service based business. I am a freelance video editor and I create 2d motion graphics videos.

See, this has worked so well for me. I am offering training once again. If you're interested, check out this thread:

https://www.nairaland.com/6471746/offering-train-2d-animation-motion