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Create ResumeA no experience resume in Australia should not try to pretend you have professional experience. It should prove you are reliable, teachable, organised, and capable of doing the job. The strongest structure is simple: contact details, a short profile, key skills, education, volunteer work, school projects, placements, certifications, achievements, and availability. What matters is not whether you have had a formal job before. What matters is whether the employer can quickly see evidence that you will turn up, learn fast, communicate properly, and not create extra work for the team. That is the quiet hiring truth many first time candidates miss.
When an employer reads a no experience resume, they are not expecting a polished corporate career history. They are looking for signs of potential.
That sounds obvious, but this is where many candidates go wrong. They either apologise for having no experience, fill the page with vague personality traits, or copy a template that sounds like it was written by a robot trying to get a weekend job at a supermarket.
A hiring manager looking at a first job resume in Australia is usually asking practical questions:
Can this person communicate clearly?
Do they seem reliable?
Are they available when we need them?
Have they shown responsibility anywhere, even outside paid work?
Will they follow instructions?
Are they likely to learn quickly?
A strong Australian resume with no experience should be clear, short, and easy to scan. For most school leavers, students, graduates, and first job applicants, one page is usually enough. Two pages can work if you have placements, volunteer work, awards, projects, leadership activities, or certifications that genuinely support your application.
Use this structure:
Contact details
Short professional profile
Key skills
Education
Volunteer experience, placements, projects, or activities
Certifications and training
Achievements
Have they made the resume easy to read?
This is why your resume should not be built around the phrase “no experience”. It should be built around evidence of work readiness.
I have seen candidates with no paid work experience present themselves better than candidates with three casual jobs behind them. The difference is not magic. It is positioning. One candidate says, “I have no experience.” The better candidate says, “Here is what I have done that shows I can be trusted with responsibility.”
That shift matters.
Availability
References
This structure works because it answers the employer’s real question quickly: “Is this person worth interviewing?”
Do not lead with a long objective statement about wanting to grow, learn, contribute, and achieve success in a dynamic environment. That wording is everywhere, and it tells the recruiter almost nothing. It feels like resume wallpaper.
Your resume should instead show practical relevance. If you are applying for retail, show customer service potential, teamwork, confidence, and availability. If you are applying for admin, show organisation, accuracy, computer skills, and communication. If you are applying for hospitality, show reliability, pace, presentation, and willingness to work shifts.
The template matters, but the thinking behind the template matters more.
Use this as a clean, ATS friendly resume template for a first job, student job, school leaver role, casual position, internship, traineeship, apprenticeship, or entry level role in Australia.
Full Name
Mobile: 04XX XXX XXX
Email: professional.email@example.com
Location: Suburb, State
LinkedIn: Optional, only include if complete and relevant
Availability: Optional here, useful for casual, retail, hospitality, and student roles
Professional Profile
Motivated and reliable candidate seeking an entry level role in industry or role type. I bring strong communication skills, a positive attitude, good attention to detail, and experience developed through school, volunteering, sport, projects, community activities, or study. I am confident working with others, willing to learn, and able to follow instructions in busy environments.
Key Skills
Customer service and communication
Teamwork and cooperation
Time management
Reliability and punctuality
Problem solving
Attention to detail
Computer skills, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Google Docs, or relevant systems
Cash handling, food safety, social media, stock handling, or administration if relevant
Education
Qualification or Year Level
School, TAFE, University, or Training Provider
Location
Expected completion or completion year
Relevant subjects, projects, achievements, or coursework:
Subject, project, or coursework relevant to the role
Achievement, award, leadership activity, or responsibility
Practical task that shows organisation, communication, research, teamwork, or problem solving
Experience, Projects, Volunteer Work, or Activities
Role or Activity Title
Organisation, School, Club, Community Group, or Project
Location
Month Year to Month Year
Completed tasks involving communication, organisation, teamwork, service, planning, or responsibility
Supported others by helping with events, activities, customers, classmates, team members, or community members
Managed time effectively while balancing study, commitments, sport, volunteering, or personal responsibilities
Followed instructions, met deadlines, solved problems, or contributed to a team outcome
Certifications and Training
First Aid Certificate, if completed
Responsible Service of Alcohol, if completed and relevant
Responsible Conduct of Gambling, if completed and relevant
Food Safety Certificate, if completed and relevant
White Card, if completed and relevant
Driver Licence, if relevant
Online courses, short courses, or school based training relevant to the role
Achievements
School award, academic result, leadership role, sports achievement, community contribution, or project outcome
Recognition for reliability, teamwork, attendance, improvement, service, or commitment
Personal achievement that shows discipline, responsibility, communication, or resilience
Availability
Available for casual, part time, weekend, evening, school holiday, or full time work as relevant.
References
Available on request.
Your profile is not a confession booth. Do not open with “I have no experience but…” because that immediately frames you as lacking.
A better profile focuses on what you offer now.
The profile should be short, practical, and matched to the type of job. Three to four lines is enough. Employers are not reading your life story. They are checking whether your resume belongs in the yes pile, maybe pile, or no pile.
Weak Example
I am a hardworking and enthusiastic person looking for my first job. I do not have experience yet but I am willing to learn and would like the opportunity to grow my skills.
This is not terrible, but it is forgettable. Almost every first job applicant says they are hardworking and willing to learn. The problem is that it gives no context.
Good Example
Reliable Year 12 student seeking a casual retail role. I bring strong communication skills, confidence working with people, good attention to detail, and experience balancing school commitments with team sport and volunteer activities. I am available weekends, late afternoons, and school holidays.
This works better because it gives the employer useful information. It shows the candidate’s current situation, target role, transferable skills, and availability.
For Australian employers, availability can be surprisingly important. A candidate with a slightly weaker resume but clear weekend availability may get called before a stronger candidate who gives no indication of when they can work. Hiring is often practical, not poetic.
If you have no paid work experience, your resume should draw from other evidence. Employers understand that school leavers, students, and first job applicants may not have formal employment history. What they do not love is a blank resume with five generic skills and nothing to back them up.
You can include:
School projects
Volunteer work
Community involvement
Sports teams
Leadership roles
Family business support
Babysitting
Tutoring
Fundraising
Clubs and societies
Student representative activities
Work experience placements
TAFE or university projects
Short courses
Personal projects
Awards and achievements
The trick is to translate these into workplace value without exaggerating.
For example, helping at a school fundraiser is not just “helped at fundraiser”. It can show customer interaction, money handling, teamwork, setup, cleanup, problem solving, and following instructions.
Playing team sport is not “I played soccer”. It can show discipline, punctuality, teamwork, commitment, communication, and resilience.
Completing a school project is not just “did assignment”. It can show research, planning, presentation skills, digital skills, deadline management, and attention to detail.
This is where many candidates underestimate themselves. They think experience only counts if it came with a payslip. Recruiters do not think that way. We look for proof of behaviour. Paid work is one kind of proof, not the only kind.
The best no experience resumes do not inflate small activities into fake corporate achievements. They describe simple responsibilities clearly.
You do not need to sound senior. You need to sound credible.
Weak Example
This sounds ridiculous for most first job applicants. It is too big, too vague, and too polished in the wrong way.
Good Example
This is better because it is specific. I can picture the task. A hiring manager can see customer service potential. Nobody feels like they are being sold a fantasy.
Here are stronger ways to write common no experience resume points:
For school projects
Completed a group research project requiring planning, task sharing, presentation preparation, and meeting a fixed deadline
Created a class presentation using PowerPoint and presented findings clearly to teachers and classmates
Researched information from multiple sources and summarised key points in a written report
For sport
Attended regular training and weekend games, showing commitment, punctuality, and teamwork
Worked with team members to solve problems during games and communicate under pressure
Supported newer players by helping them understand team routines and expectations
For volunteering
Assisted with event setup, guest support, basic enquiries, and cleanup tasks during community activities
Worked with other volunteers to complete tasks efficiently and maintain a positive experience for attendees
Followed instructions from organisers and adapted quickly when priorities changed
For family responsibilities
Managed regular household responsibilities while balancing school commitments and deadlines
Assisted younger siblings with homework, routines, and organisation
Supported family business tasks such as packing orders, greeting customers, organising stock, or updating simple records if true
The phrase “if true” matters. Do not invent responsibilities because a template told you to. A good recruiter can smell fake resume wording from a distance. It has a very particular fragrance, somewhere between panic and Canva.
Below is a realistic resume example for a first job applicant in Australia. Use it as a guide, not as something to copy word for word. The strongest resume still needs to sound like you.
Mia Thompson
Mobile: 0412 345 678
Email: mia.thompson@email.com
Location: Parramatta, NSW
Availability: Weekends, Thursday evenings, and school holidays
Professional Profile
Reliable Year 12 student seeking a casual retail assistant role. I bring strong communication skills, a friendly attitude, good attention to detail, and experience working with others through school projects, netball, and community volunteering. I am confident speaking with people, willing to learn, and available for weekend and school holiday shifts.
Key Skills
Customer service and clear communication
Teamwork and cooperation
Punctuality and reliability
Time management
Attention to detail
Problem solving
Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Google Docs, and Canva
Confident working in busy environments
Education
Year 12 Student
Westfield Senior High School, Parramatta NSW
Expected completion: 2026
Relevant subjects and activities:
Business Studies
English Standard
Community and Family Studies
Member of the school netball team
Participated in school fundraising activities
Volunteer Experience
Fundraising Volunteer
Westfield Senior High School Community Day, Parramatta NSW
March 2026
Helped set up and pack down a school fundraising stall for a community event
Greeted visitors, answered basic questions, and directed people to the correct areas
Assisted with product display, keeping the stall tidy, and supporting other student volunteers
Handled small cash payments under teacher supervision
School Project Experience
Business Studies Group Project
Westfield Senior High School, Parramatta NSW
February 2026 to April 2026
Worked in a group of four to research a small business idea and prepare a class presentation
Helped organise project tasks, collect research, create slides, and practise the final presentation
Met project deadlines while balancing other school assignments and extracurricular commitments
Presented key findings clearly to classmates and answered teacher questions
Sport and Team Activities
Netball Team Member
Parramatta Local Netball Club
2023 to Present
Attend weekly training and weekend games during the season
Work closely with teammates to communicate during games and support team performance
Show commitment by arriving on time, following coach instructions, and contributing positively to the team
Certifications
Achievements
Consistent school attendance record
Selected for school netball team, 2024 and 2025
Positive teacher feedback for teamwork and class participation
References
Available on request.
Most no experience resumes are ruined by skills sections that are too generic. Candidates list communication, teamwork, organisation, reliability, and leadership without showing where those skills came from.
The skill itself is not the issue. The lack of proof is the issue.
A recruiter does not read “excellent communication skills” and immediately believe it. We look for supporting evidence. Did you work with customers? Present at school? Volunteer at events? Help classmates? Play team sport? Deal with people in a practical setting?
Choose skills that match the job and that you can defend in an interview.
For retail jobs, strong skills may include:
Customer service
Clear communication
Confidence speaking with people
Reliability
Presentation and grooming
Basic cash handling
Stock organisation
Working in busy environments
For hospitality jobs, strong skills may include:
Working under pressure
Teamwork
Following instructions
Cleanliness and presentation
Time management
Customer interaction
Food safety awareness
Shift availability
For admin jobs, strong skills may include:
Attention to detail
Written communication
Microsoft Office or Google Workspace
Data entry accuracy
Organisation
Email communication
Scheduling
Following processes
For apprenticeships and trades, strong skills may include:
Practical problem solving
Physical reliability
Following safety instructions
Punctuality
Willingness to learn
Basic tool awareness
White Card if relevant
Driver licence if relevant
One important recruiter observation: the “best” skills are not always the most impressive sounding ones. For many entry level jobs, reliability beats creativity. Availability beats ambition. Clear communication beats fancy wording. Hiring managers are often trying to avoid problems, not discover the next CEO of shelf stacking.
Recruiters scan resumes quickly, especially for entry level and casual roles. That does not mean they are careless. It means they are filtering for obvious fit.
On a no experience resume, I usually notice:
Whether the resume is easy to read
Whether the candidate has included location and availability
Whether the profile matches the job type
Whether skills are supported by examples
Whether education is clear
Whether volunteer work, activities, or projects show responsibility
Whether the email address looks professional
Whether the candidate has made basic spelling or formatting mistakes
Whether the resume feels honest
That last point matters more than people think. A no experience resume should not sound like a senior corporate profile. When a school leaver writes like they have “optimised cross functional stakeholder outcomes”, it does not sound impressive. It sounds copied.
Good resume writing is not about sounding older. It is about sounding employable.
Employers also notice practical details. If you are applying for a casual retail job and you do not mention availability, they may move on. If you are applying for hospitality and you have a food safety certificate but bury it at the bottom, you have made the employer work too hard. If you are applying for an apprenticeship and you have a White Card or driver licence, make it visible.
A resume is not a treasure hunt. Do not hide the thing that makes you useful.
The biggest mistake is treating “no experience” as the whole story. It is not. It is just one fact.
Other common mistakes include:
Using a resume objective that says nothing specific
Listing skills without evidence
Making the resume too colourful or decorative
Using tiny fonts to fit unnecessary information
Including a photo when it is not needed
Writing long paragraphs instead of clear sections
Using overseas terms that do not match Australian hiring language
Adding fake job titles for informal activities
Forgetting availability for casual roles
Forgetting certifications that matter
Sending the same resume to every job
Overusing words like passionate, dynamic, motivated, and driven
The “same resume for every job” problem is very common. Candidates think tailoring means rewriting the whole resume from scratch. It does not. It often means adjusting the profile, skills, and top examples to match the job.
For example, if you are applying for retail, make customer service, communication, presentation, and availability obvious. If you are applying for admin, push organisation, accuracy, computer skills, and written communication higher.
Same person. Different positioning.
That is not being fake. That is being relevant.
A good resume is not just about what you include. It is also about what you leave out.
Leave off anything that distracts from your employability or creates unnecessary risk.
You usually do not need:
A photo
Date of birth
Marital status
Full home address
Nationality unless it relates to work rights
Long personal hobbies with no relevance
Primary school details if you are in high school, TAFE, university, or beyond
Generic character claims with no examples
References listed with phone numbers unless requested
Decorative icons that confuse ATS systems
Complicated tables or text boxes
Photos are a good example of hiring theory versus hiring reality. Some candidates include photos because they want the resume to feel personal. In most Australian job applications, it is unnecessary and can introduce bias. Your resume should be judged on relevance, not whether the photo looks professional enough.
Also be careful with hobbies. “Watching Netflix” is not helping you. “Playing team sport for five years” might help if you connect it to discipline, teamwork, and commitment. The hobby is not the point. The workplace signal is the point.
Tailoring is where a basic resume becomes a competitive resume. It is also where many first time candidates either do too little or overcomplicate it.
You do not need a completely different life story for each application. You need to make the most relevant evidence easier to see.
For a retail assistant role, your resume should highlight:
Customer service potential
Communication
Confidence
Presentation
Weekend and holiday availability
Any cash handling, fundraising, or event support
For a cafe or hospitality role, your resume should highlight:
Reliability
Working under pressure
Cleanliness
Teamwork
Shift availability
Food safety training if completed
For an administration assistant role, your resume should highlight:
Organisation
Accuracy
Computer skills
Written communication
School projects involving research or documentation
Any scheduling, filing, email, or data entry exposure
For an apprenticeship, your resume should highlight:
Practical interest
Safety awareness
Physical reliability
Punctuality
White Card if relevant
Driver licence or learner licence if relevant
School subjects or projects linked to the trade
For internships or graduate style entry roles, your resume should highlight:
Education
Projects
Relevant coursework
Technical skills
Communication
Problem solving
Initiative
This is the part many candidates misunderstand: employers do not always choose the “most experienced” person. They choose the person who feels like the safest and most relevant fit for the role. Your resume’s job is to reduce doubt.
Applicant tracking systems are used by many Australian employers, especially larger retailers, corporate employers, government organisations, universities, healthcare providers, and recruitment agencies. ATS software helps manage applications, but it does not magically decide your whole future. People still review resumes, especially once the system filters and organises them.
For a no experience resume, ATS friendly formatting is simple:
Use clear headings
Use standard section names
Avoid tables, columns, graphics, and text boxes
Save as a Word document or PDF depending on the employer’s instructions
Use keywords from the job ad naturally
Match common Australian terms such as resume, availability, customer service, cash handling, administration, teamwork, and communication where relevant
Keep formatting clean and readable
Do not stuff keywords into the resume. ATS keyword stuffing is one of those internet tips that sounds clever until a human reads it and quietly loses the will to continue.
Use the job ad as a clue sheet. If the ad mentions customer service, teamwork, attention to detail, weekend availability, and stock replenishment, your resume should reflect the real parts of your background that match those requirements.
The keyword only helps if the evidence supports it.
Before applying, check your resume like a recruiter would. Do not just ask, “Does this look nice?” Ask, “Does this make the hiring decision easier?”
Use this checklist:
Is my name and contact information clear?
Is my email address professional?
Have I included my suburb and state?
Is my profile matched to the role type?
Are my strongest skills relevant to this job?
Have I included examples from school, volunteering, projects, sport, or activities?
Have I made my availability clear if applying for casual or shift work?
Have I included relevant certificates?
Is the resume easy to scan in under thirty seconds?
Have I removed vague claims that I cannot prove?
Have I checked spelling, grammar, and formatting?
Does the resume sound honest and natural?
A useful final test is this: after reading your resume, could a hiring manager explain why they should interview you?
If the answer is no, the resume is not specific enough yet.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
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