No formal employment does not mean you have nothing worth putting on a CV. Coursework, a student project, volunteering or helping run a small activity may demonstrate relevant ability. The challenge is to describe that work precisely without presenting it as paid professional experience.
Introduce the work you are ready to do
Begin with a short professional profile explaining your area of study, key strengths and the type of opportunity you are seeking. Avoid vague statements such as “I am hardworking and passionate” unless you support them with specific skills or experience.
Put Education in a Prominent Position
If you are a student or recent graduate, education can be a notable sections of your CV. Include your qualification, institution, relevant subjects and completion or expected completion date. Add academic projects when they demonstrate skills relevant to the role.
Turn projects into specific evidence
Personal, academic or community projects can demonstrate practical ability. Explain what you worked on, your role, the tools you used and the result. For example, a student applying for a communications role could include a campus campaign, digital publication or multimedia project.
Include Volunteering and Leadership
Volunteer work, student leadership, community activities and event organisation can demonstrate communication, teamwork, planning and responsibility. Focus on what you actually did rather than simply listing an organisation’s name.
List Relevant Skills
Choose skills that match the opportunity and that you can demonstrate. These may include Microsoft Office, data analysis, graphic design, customer service, research, writing, programming, social media or other technical competencies.
Do not inflate responsibilities or results
Never invent employment, qualifications or achievements to make a CV look stronger. Employers may verify information. Include only qualifications and achievements you can explain and verify.
Final CV Checklist
- Use a clear professional email address.
- Check spelling, dates and contact details.
- Tailor relevant sections to each opportunity.
- Use concise bullet points for experience and projects.
- Save the final document in the format requested by the employer.
- Read the vacancy instructions before submitting.
What to Put on a CV When You Have No Experience
Many entry-level applicants think a CV must be built around employment history. In practice, recruiters can also learn from academic assignments, practical projects, volunteering, student leadership, freelance work and relevant training. Choose examples that show skills connected to the position.
Example of a Strong Entry-Level CV Structure
A simple structure can include your contact details, professional profile, education, relevant projects or experience, skills, certifications and additional activities. Keep the strongest and most relevant information near the top. Leave out sections that do not help the employer assess your suitability.
How Long Should an Entry-Level CV Be?
There is no universal page requirement for every employer. For a student or recent graduate with limited experience, a concise CV that clearly presents relevant information is usually easier to review than a document filled with unrelated details. Follow any instructions in the vacancy carefully.
Final Review Before Sending
Read the CV as if you were the recruiter. Can you identify your qualification, strongest skills and relevant evidence quickly? Check names, dates, phone numbers, email addresses and document formatting before submission.
Worked example: first CV for a Kenyan graduate
A recent diploma graduate in Eldoret can present education, industrial attachment, class projects and volunteering without inventing employment. An honest experience bullet might read: “During attachment, organised incoming documents and updated a weekly records spreadsheet under supervision.” Include it only if true. Use a professional email and working Kenyan phone number; check the employer’s instructions before including ID numbers or other sensitive details.
Turn coursework into evidence
A journalism student might list an interview-based audio story, including research, recording and editing tasks. An accounting graduate could describe a coursework budgeting model, identifying the spreadsheet tools used. Each example should match the job and state what you personally did.
Final preparation
Use a simple single-column layout, proofread dates and qualifications, and tailor skills to the actual vacancy. See our ATS-friendly CV guide for file and formatting advice, and our cover letter guide for a matching introduction.