
How to Make a Resume With No Experience (+Examples)
Yes—it is possible to write a great resume with no experience. And this guide will use resume examples for first jobs to show you how. Buy the ticket and take the ride.
Going through a dry spell? No projects on the horizon? Update your freelance resume to stay on top of your career. This guide will show you how.
Can’t tell if freelance… or just unemployed?
While freelancing has its perks, it also has its share of bumps in the road that can challenge even the most qualified freelancers out there.
Times when projects pile up and money keeps coming in is one of the most rewarding feelings ever. But then there comes a time when you just sit there… waiting for something to come up.
Well, it’s time to take matters into your own hands and set off on a gig hunt!
This freelance resume guide will help you win over clients like a boss.
In this guide:
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Looking for a specific career resume sample? See these guides:
Carol Schwartz
Freelance Social Media Manager
carol.j.schwartz@gmail.com
linkedin.com/in/carol-schwartz
317-474-4118
Professional Summary
Creative and versatile professional social media manager with 6+ years of experience. Skilled in writing engaging social media content that drives engagement. Increased Instagram following over 174%, Twitter 41%, and Facebook 24% for just one of the clients. Skilled in graphic design, data & analytics and branding. Seeking to manage Kiwikiwi’s social media channels to define most essential social media KPIs; as well as create, manage, and oversee Kiwikiwi’s social media content.
Experience
Freelance Social Media Manager
Self-employed
June 2016–present
Key Accomplishment: Generated $150,000 in sales via Facebook and Instagram campaigns (Bubberry).
Social Media Coordinator
SoCience
Charlotte, NC
May 2015–June 2016
Clients
Education
BA in Marketing
Western Carolina University
2015
Niches
Skills
Languages
There—a freelance resume sample that’s definitely worth your attention.
To write your own, follow this resume writing 101 guide:
How to start a resume? What’s the proper resume formatting? Which font to choose?
In just a moment, you will find out how to format your resume so that it looks good and includes all the necessary information.
You might be thinking: “But why is it so important?”
Well—
Believe it or not, but recruiters spend only about 7 seconds to review a single resume.
If the formatting’s lousy...
You’re out.
Just like that.
And that’s basically it!
Now all you need to do is remember to save your resume as a PDF file to make sure it retains its formatting.
As a freelancer, whether you like it or not, you have to be able to sell yourself.
You know your business better than anyone else, so give your future client a little sneak peek of your background and expertise.
Your resume professional summary is just that—a summary of YOU.
So, right below your resume header, make sure to write a short paragraph about the things that you do and the clients you worked with.
Take a look at these resume profile examples:
See the difference?
The first examples shine with numbers, accomplishments, and metrics that not only show the candidates have experience, but better yet: prove it.
Showing quantifiable achievements on your resume is crucial.
You know why?
Because studies show that failing to show quantifiable results accounts for 34% of the most common resume mistakes that cost candidates their jobs.
To make your life easier, use this quick bullet-point recipe for writing a great professional summary:
See?
Not that complicated.
Expert Hint: According to a study, there are about 3.5 billion people in the global workforce and 1.1 billion are freelancers... That’s almost 35%! With a competition this big, you’ll have to up your resume and cover letter writing game to get noticed by clients.
Career success relies on happy customers.
And happy customers mean booming business.
When showing your work experience on your resume, make sure to show off your most notable results.
But there is one very important thing to remember—
Targeting your resume to the client or employer you are trying to impress.
That means: tailor your resume to fit your future stakeholder’s needs and personal preferences by only listing your experiences and works that are similar or somewhat relevant to the job you’re after.
So, if you’re a graphic designer and your goal is to win over a client who’s looking for a contractor to create print materials, don’t list all your social media graphic successes, unless you can make it work somehow.
Here’s what a freelancer’s work history section should look like:
Experience
Freelance Social Media Manager
Self-employed
June 2016–present
Key Accomplishment: Generated $150,000 in sales via Facebook and Instagram campaigns (Bubberry).
Social Media Coordinator
SoCience
Charlotte, NC
May 2015–June 2016
Freelancer
As a freelancer, you know that time is money and money equals numbers, so throw them in your job description section to make more impact.
Plus, if you’re trying to get in on a job at a large firm, make sure to use an ATS resume template and sprinkle your resume with the resume keywords that can be found in the job advertisement. Those will help your resume pass the initial ATS scan.
You can use these phrases in your resume’s skills section as well. Especially the hard / technical skills that are required.
Here’s a list of freelance skills that are currently in demand:
The ResumeLab builder is more than looks. Get specific content to boost your chances of getting the job. Add job descriptions, bullet points, and skills. Easy. Improve your resume in our resume builder now.
Nail it all with a splash of color, choose a clean font, and highlight your skills in just a few clicks. You're the perfect candidate, and we'll prove it. Use our resume builder now.
You’ve worked years for your success and that’s something that you can, and should, be really proud of.
But did you know that putting an education section on your resume can also help you win that job?
Education gives your future employers a look into your background, so include it, if you can.
Here’s an example of what an education section on a resume should look like:
Education
BFA in Illustration
Ringling College of Art and Design
2017
Your degree, school name, and graduation year should be enough, but if you have some more academic accomplishments that you would like to include, do just that: GPA (only if it’s higher than 3.7), awards, publications, honors, scholarships… play any card you need.
In order to sign that contract, you’ll have to give some more information about your work and yourself as a person.
Show your professional expertise. Show that you are a persona with versatile interests.
For example, you might be after a gig in the outdoor industry, and it so happens that you’re an outdoor sporty. You’d want to include that info on your resume.
Anything from niches and clients to volunteering experience can go on your resume.
Here’s a list of categories that you may want to include:
Certifications
Niches
Languages
Double your impact with a matching resume and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There's 21 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
For a freelance resume that gets jobs:
Yes—it is possible to write a great resume with no experience. And this guide will use resume examples for first jobs to show you how. Buy the ticket and take the ride.
Resume gaps are embarrassing and they can keep you from getting hired. How can you show you’re not a slacker? See this sample resume with gaps in employment and get hired fast.
You’re a rock-star consultant who can spot process flaws and opportunities that spark a sea change. Convey that to employers with this professional consultant resume sample.