Building a first resume when you don’t have a long work history

Early-career applications fail for two opposite reasons: the file is empty of proof, or it’s stuffed with every module from university. You need a clean layout and a few concrete projects or internships that match the posting.

What belongs near the top

• A target-role line (for example: junior analyst · SQL, Excel, Tableau)
• Two or three project or internship bullets with tools and a result
• Skills that appear in the job ad — only ones you’ve actually used
• Education, with coursework only if it earns the space

Naming skills honestly

If the posting says Excel and SQL, don’t bury them under “MS Office.” If you only used a tool in a class project, label it that way. Interviewers will ask.

Before you hit submit

Paste the graduate or internship posting next to your PDF and fix the weakest section once. For similar roles, reorder — don’t rebuild the whole document from scratch every night.