Writing your first CV can be difficult when you have little or no formal work experience. However, having no previous job does not mean you have nothing useful to put on your CV.

Skills can come from school, university, TVET college, community activities, volunteering, sports, personal projects and everyday responsibilities. The important part is to identify skills you genuinely have and describe them accurately.

For South African students, graduates and first-time job seekers, a skills section can help an employer understand what you may be able to contribute even before you have built a formal employment history.

What Skills Should You Put on a CV With No Experience?

When you have no work experience, focus on transferable, practical and relevant skills rather than filling your CV with a long list of generic words.

Examples include:

• Communication
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Computer literacy
• Problem-solving
• Organisation
• Customer service
• Research
• Microsoft Office skills
• Writing
• Presentation skills
• Adaptability
• Attention to detail

Only include skills you can honestly demonstrate.

For example, if you have used Microsoft Excel for school, college or university work, you can mention Excel. But avoid describing yourself as an advanced Excel user if you have only used basic functions.

1. Communication Skills

Communication is useful in many entry-level positions.

You may have developed communication skills through:

• School presentations
• Group assignments
• University projects
• Student organisations
• Volunteering
• Community activities
• Customer-facing activities

Instead of simply writing “good communication skills,” provide context elsewhere on your CV where possible.

For example:

Communication: Presented research findings during academic group projects.

This gives the skill some evidence behind it.

2. Teamwork

If you have participated in group projects, sports teams, student organisations or community activities, you may already have experience working with other people.

A CV could list:

Teamwork and collaboration

Then demonstrate it in your education, projects or activities sections.

Employers can then see where you developed the skill rather than simply being given a list of claims.

3. Computer Literacy

Basic computer skills can be relevant to many entry-level opportunities.

Depending on what you genuinely know, you could include:

• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel
• Microsoft PowerPoint
• Microsoft Outlook
• Google Docs
• Email
• Internet research
• Online collaboration tools

Be specific about the software you know instead of simply writing “computer skills.”

4. Time Management

Students and graduates can develop time-management skills through balancing assignments, examinations, projects and other responsibilities.

If you have no formal employment history, you can still demonstrate your ability to organise your time through academic or personal projects.

For example:

Time management: Managed multiple academic assignments and deadlines while completing group projects.

Only use an example that accurately reflects your experience.

5. Problem-Solving

Problem-solving does not only happen in the workplace.

You may have developed this skill through:

• Academic assignments
• Research projects
• Technical projects
• Coding
• Entrepreneurship projects
• Community activities
• Practical coursework

Rather than claiming to be an “excellent problem solver,” explain how you have used the skill when the opportunity allows.

6. Research Skills

Research skills can be particularly useful for students and graduates.

You might have experience with:

• Finding reliable information
• Comparing sources
• Collecting information
• Analysing information
• Preparing assignments
• Conducting academic research
• Presenting findings

For a graduate CV, research experience from your qualification can be relevant even if you have never held a formal job.

7. Writing Skills

Writing experience can come from school, university, college or personal projects.

Depending on your background, this could include:

• Report writing
• Academic writing
• Research assignments
• Presentations
• Blog writing
• Content creation
• Proofreading

Don’t claim professional copywriting or editing experience unless you actually have it.

8. Organisation

Organisation can be demonstrated through academic projects, events, volunteering or other responsibilities.

Potential examples include:

• Organising project tasks
• Maintaining records
• Coordinating group activities
• Managing deadlines
• Keeping documents organised

If organisation is relevant to the position, explain where you developed the skill.

9. Customer Service

You may have customer-service experience outside a traditional office job.

For example, you might have gained relevant experience through volunteering, helping with a family business or participating in an organisation.

However, don’t describe yourself as having formal customer-service experience unless you actually interacted with customers in that capacity.

If you have genuine experience, mention the specific activities you performed.

10. Adaptability

Adaptability can describe your ability to learn new processes, adjust to changing circumstances or work with different people.

Students may have developed this through changing project requirements, learning new software or moving between different academic responsibilities.

As with every other skill, make sure the claim reflects something you have actually done.

Skills You Can Gain From School or College

Your education can provide more CV skills than you might initially realise.

For example:

Experience	Potential skill
Group assignment	Teamwork
Class presentation	Communication
Research project	Research and analysis
Multiple deadlines	Time management
Computer-based assignment	Digital literacy
Written report	Writing
Practical project	Problem-solving
Student activity	Organisation

These skills become more convincing when you connect them to an actual experience.

Don’t Fill Your CV With Random Skills

A common mistake on a first CV is listing as many skills as possible.

A long list such as:

• Hardworking
• Motivated
• Honest
• Friendly
• Smart
• Punctual
• Responsible
• Fast learner

does not provide much evidence by itself.

Instead, select skills that are relevant to the opportunity and support them with examples wherever possible.

Match Your Skills to the Job

Read the vacancy carefully before finalising your CV.

If an entry-level administrative opportunity mentions Microsoft Excel, organisation and communication, those may be more relevant to highlight than unrelated skills.

For example:

Relevant Skills

• Microsoft Excel — basic spreadsheet and data-entry experience
• Microsoft Word — document creation and formatting
• Communication — academic presentations and group projects
• Organisation — managing multiple academic deadlines
• Teamwork — collaborative coursework projects

This is more useful than simply writing “computer literate” or “hard worker.”

Where Can You Get Skills If You Have Never Had a Job?

Formal employment is only one way to develop skills.

Consider experiences such as:

Education

School, university and TVET college assignments can provide evidence of communication, research, writing, teamwork and time management.

Volunteering

Community projects and volunteering can provide practical experience working with people and completing responsibilities.

Personal Projects

A personal project can demonstrate initiative and technical or creative skills.

Examples might include building a small website, creating a portfolio, managing a personal project or completing relevant coursework.

Student Activities

Student societies, clubs and other activities can provide opportunities to develop teamwork, organisation and communication.

Family or Community Responsibilities

Where genuinely relevant, responsibilities outside formal employment can demonstrate organisation, reliability or practical skills.

The key is to describe the actual responsibility rather than turning it into an exaggerated job title.

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How Many Skills Should You Put on Your CV?

There is no universal number that every applicant must use.

Quality and relevance are more important than filling the page with keywords.

Choose a manageable selection of skills that are:

1. Relevant to the position.
2. Genuinely held by you.
3. Supported by your education, projects or other experiences where possible.

Your CV should remain easy to read.

Example Skills Section for a First CV

Here is a simple example:

Skills

• Communication and presentation
• Teamwork and collaboration
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Excel — basic
• Internet research
• Time management
• Report writing
• Problem-solving

You should customise the list for every application rather than copying the same skills into every CV.

What Should You Avoid Putting on a CV?

Avoid claiming skills simply because they appear in a job advert.

For example, if a vacancy asks for “advanced Excel skills” but you have only used Excel occasionally, don’t copy the requirement into your CV as though you meet it.

Also avoid:

• Exaggerated proficiency levels
• Skills you cannot explain during an interview
• Unrelated skills that take up valuable space
• False qualifications
• False work experience
• Generic claims with no supporting evidence

Accuracy is more important than making your CV appear impressive.

Final CV Tip for First-Time Job Seekers

Having no formal work experience does not mean your CV has to be empty.

Your education, projects, volunteering, student activities and other genuine experiences can help demonstrate transferable skills.

The strongest approach is to match relevant skills to the position and provide evidence of where you developed them. That gives an employer a clearer picture of what you can actually do.

Official Source

Not applicable — this is an evergreen Youthscope career guide rather than a specific vacancy or official programme announcement.

Last Checked Date

30 September 2026

Author/Updated Information

Written by: Mbalizuke Nkosi
Published: 30 September 2026
Updated: 30 September 2026
Information checked: 30 September 2026