How to write your first resume when you think you have no experience

Almost every graduate we interview says the same thing: "I have nothing to put on my resume." Then, ten minutes later, we've found a society treasurer role, a case competition, a part-time job and a volunteering project. Employers hiring graduates know you haven't had a career yet. They're looking for evidence that you're reliable, can work with people and can learn quickly.

Where experience hides

• University life: committee roles in persatuan and clubs, event organising, peer tutoring, final-year projects.
• Work: part-time retail or F&B, tuition, internships, family business, delivery and gig work.
• Community: volunteering, religious or cultural events, sports team leadership.

Turn each one into a result

Use the formula verb + what you did + how much + result. "Treasurer of the Accounting Society" becomes "Managed a RM18,000 annual budget for a 240-member society and closed the year with a surplus of 12%." Numbers make small roles look serious, because they are.

Keep it to one page

For graduates in Malaysia and Singapore, one page is enough. Put Education first: degree, university, CGPA (if 3.0 or above) and relevant projects. Add languages, because employers value Bahasa Malaysia, English, Mandarin or Tamil.

How Chapterwise helps

Choose Malaysia and the First job chapter. The Experience finder lets you tap the activities you've done, and the guided interview asks two or three questions about each one, including the numbers. You'll have a first draft in about 25 minutes, free.