What tips can help you write a resume with little or no work experience?

For students without internship, leadership, or volunteer experience, it is critical that the education section be used to highlight any academic (final year project, group assignments) or extracurricular activities (clubs, departmental associations) that you were engaged in. The goal is to show the recruiter that you've got the human and technical skills that they require in their daily operations. Remember, the recruiter doesn't know you. The only piece of information they have about you is what is on your CV, and it has to be relevant to the job and concise.

Projects are a huge opportunity to demonstrate how you work in groups and work through challenges! I always encourage students and recent graduates to highlight their capstone projects or other projects they’re proud of, especially if you partnered/consulted with a company for that project!

This is vital - if you lack relevant work or intern experience, then focus on your education. And make sure it's at the very top of the resume. Think about 3 or 4 of the most relevant courses or projects and build them on the resume in an "Academic" section and treat them like they were actual jobs. What was your role in the project? What were some of the key takeaways? What was the end result? The answers to those questions become your bullet points.

One great applicant went a step further and came up with 3 suggestions for our website (this is for a marketing role) based on her own research. She used the tools we mentioned in our vacancy to deduct what we should be doing. This highlighted her willingness to take the famous 'extra step'. It showed her proactivity and really impressed us.

Here's something students have to bear in mind: Companies are driven by what they deliver and how they deliver it. If you are passionate or collaborative, that's great... but what companies want to see in new hires is that they understand that first, foremost and always that the ability to deliver high quality products or outcomes is what gives one company the competitive edge over another. So, if you get those assignments in before they are due. If you create a new system for quicker and better outcomes. If you streamlined a process, that's thinking like a business. And, companies want to hire people who think like a business.

As Simon Sinek says, “Start with WHY.” Tell them what drives you and what kind of change you want to make in the world. If your purpose aligns with theirs, the chances are good that it’s enough to land a job. :) It’s much easier to teach the right skills than to find the right person.

Want your resume to stand out? Follow this great advice from Elon Musk. I saw him speak at the National Press Club and asked a question my son (who works at NASA) had recommended. “A lot of people are applying to work at SpaceX and Tesla. What can they do to get noticed?” Elon’s brilliant response? “Don’t tell me about the positions you’ve held, tell me about the problems you’ve solved.” - Sam Horn, CEO of The Intrigue Agency and author of the award-winning career book GOT YOUR ATTENTION?

I would always recommend connecting with employees from a company before you apply. Ask them about their challenges & what they would suggest you do when applying. Not only do you have a big chance of having their 'buy in' but imagine showing up to an interview and informing a hiring manager about a challenge he was not even informed about yet.