Minimal experience? Here’s how to build the best CV

Last updated on 5th January, 2024 at 12:39 pm

A career coach shares what you should include in your CV – even with little formal employment experience.

Reading time: 3 minutes

In this article you’ll learn:

• How extracurricular activities, volunteering and weekend jobs can help boost your CV.
• How transferrable skills on a CV can help you stand out to employers.
• What not to include on your CV.

All experience is valuable

If you have no formal work experience, you can still present yourself as an asset to any employer by using what you do have. “Even if your limited experience may not seem relevant, you could draw out some relevant transferrable skills or knowledge,” says Nike Wadds, career coach and CV writer at Stand Tall Consulting.

These skills can be gained through school subject choices or tertiary studies and extramurals. Yes, being chair of the debating club, or captain of the squash team, is valuable! If you participated in first aid training or Toastmasters, include them on your CV, too, suggests Wadds.

If they apply to you, other credentials to list could be:

• Leadership positions (eg head tutor, prefect)
• Charitable involvement (eg volunteering, leading outreach initiatives)
• Work experience (eg vacation experience, job shadowing)

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Strength of character

A job interview is where your potential employer will gauge your personality – but an hour only lets them scrape the surface. Your CV can help paint your character traits with more detail. Substantiate claims about your character with school leadership positions held, or even involvement in relevant clubs and societies.

“For example, an employer may be looking for an all-rounder who will fit within the team, work hard and be personable and confident,” Wadds says. “To demonstrate, being captain of a sports team shows that you are willing to take the lead and aren’t afraid to stand up in front of others and give direction. Being a member of a team shows commitment, strength of character and the ability to take instruction and work as a team.”

Don’t make these CV mistakes!

A slapdash effort

Careless spelling and formatting errors create a negative impression of your attention to detail.

Including irrelevant details

Resist the urge to include any non-work experience involvement on your CV if it isn’t relevant.

“Another big no-no is to fill the first page with irrelevant personal details. Many personal details should not be included at all on a CV,” says Wadds. These include:

• Marital status
• Number of dependants
• Religion

“The exception would be if these are specific requirements for the role, eg a role with a religious institution or a remote game lodge looking for a managing couple,” says Wadds.

Continuously update

As you progress through your career, keep reviewing your CV and editing or removing old content. “For example, as additional experience is gained, it may no longer be relevant to include school subjects and extracurricular activities, and some skills may become more relevant to your career path,” says Wadds. “You never know when an opportunity may present itself, so it’s good to have an up-to-date CV on hand that can just be tweaked or tailored at short notice if needed.”

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