What to Put on Your CV When You Have No Work Experience

A blank CV is one of the most common problems facing young Australians entering the workforce. You open a Word document, you type your name and contact details at the top, and then you stare at the white space underneath wondering what on earth goes there.

Here is the thing: your CV does not need to be full of work experience to be effective. It needs to be honest, specific, and give an employer enough reason to want to meet you. Here is exactly what to include.

Start With a Profile Statement — Not an Objective

Most CV templates suggest an "Objective" section at the top. Objectives are outdated and employer-focused in the wrong direction — they tell the employer what you want from them rather than what you offer them.

Replace it with a two to three sentence Profile Statement that describes who you are, what you bring, and what you are looking for. Keep it specific to the industry you are targeting.

Example: "I am an enthusiastic 17-year-old based in Brisbane with a completed Food Handling and Hygiene credential from CertSmart Pathways. I have strong customer communication skills developed through two years of school leadership roles and am looking for my first role in hospitality where I can grow into a full-time position."

That profile tells the employer your age (so they are not surprised), your credential (so they know you have done something), your relevant skills (communication, leadership), and your career intention (full time). Four pieces of useful information in three sentences.

Skills Section — This Is Where You Recover the Ground

The Skills section is the most important section on a no-experience CV. This is where you demonstrate that the absence of paid work does not mean the absence of capability.

Do not list generic skills like "good communicator" or "team player" without evidence. List specific, verifiable skills with a brief indication of where they came from.

•     Food Handling & Hygiene — Completed and passed CertSmart Pathways verified credential, 2026

•     Customer Communication — Developed through two years as school reception volunteer and Year 12 peer mentor program

•     Microsoft Office & Google Workspace — Completed CertSmart Pathways digital literacy short course, proficient in Word, Excel, Gmail, and Google Docs

•     Cash Handling — Treasurer, school fundraising committee 2025

Every skill has a source. Every source is real and verifiable. This is a Skills section that holds up under questioning in an interview.

Education — Include More Than Just School

List your school and your Year 12 completion (or expected completion year). But also list any short courses, online courses, or credentials you have completed — even if they are not formal qualifications.

CertSmart Pathways credentials belong here with the course name, the issuing organisation, the year, and the badge verification link from Sertifier. An employer can click that link and confirm the credential in ten seconds. That verification is worth more than a course listed without any way to confirm it.

Volunteer Work, School Roles and Extracurriculars

This section has a different name on a first-time CV. Call it "Experience" and include everything that involved responsibility, interaction with others, or delivery of a result — regardless of whether you were paid for it.

•     School captain, vice captain, or house leader roles

•     Peer mentor or tutoring programs

•     School sporting team — especially if you held a leadership role

•     Volunteering at community events, charity organisations, or religious groups

•     Babysitting, lawn mowing, or other informal paid work — these count

•     Any creative projects with a deliverable — a school film, a website, a design project

References — Line Them Up Before You Apply

For a first CV, references should be a teacher, a school career counsellor, a sports coach, a volunteer coordinator, or anyone who has observed you in a structured setting and can speak to your reliability and character.

Have their permission before listing them. Have their phone number and email correct. A reference who cannot be reached is worse than no reference at all.

The Golden Rule

Every line on your CV should be specific and verifiable. Vague claims like "strong work ethic" fill space but add nothing. Specific evidence like "completed a verified assessment with a minimum 70% pass requirement" tells the employer something real.