One-Year Experience resume examples & templates

You’re a fledgling professional who is ready to make their mark on the world. Sure, you might only have one year’s work experience, but you are truly just getting started. It’s time to take your career to the next level and find the perfect position for the next step in your journey. 

But before you can do that, you need to win over the hiring manager. Writing a 1-year experience resume that hooks their attention is the answer. This single document can make or break your application, and so you need to make sure that you get it right from the start.

When the hiring manager glances at your resume, they should instantly see your potential. So, how can you make sure that you showcase all that you have to offer? In the following guide, we will give you the tools that you need to succeed when you’re new to any industry.

Resume guide for a one-year experience resume

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This resume guide and corresponding one-year experience resume example will cover:

• How to write a one-year experience resume
• Choosing the right resume format for 1-year experience
• How to add your contact information
• Using summaries
• Adding your one-year experience
• Listing education and relevant experience
• Picking the right resume design/layout
• What the current market looks like, and what salary you can expect

How to write a one-year experience resume

Before you can start writing your one-year experience resume, you need to know what elements to include. Here are the sections that you will need: 

• The resume header
• The resume summary (aka profile or personal statement)
• The employment history section
• The resume skills section
• The education section

You might be new to the sector, but you still need to tailor your one-year experience resume. Do some research into the field to which you are applying and, crucially, the company. The more you learn about the expectations of a prospective employer, the better position you will be in. 

So, when you have decided on a particular vacancy, take the time to delve into the business. For example, you can look at social media accounts, the company website, and any news surrounding the business. This should give you a decent overview of the company culture, and will allow you to ensure that your 1-year experience resume matches its general ethos.

Focus on what your unique selling proposition is when writing your resume. While you might not have a wealth of experience, you need to pinpoint what makes you special. Why should the hiring manager look twice at your resume? And what do you offer that no one else does? This may sound like a big ask. However, if you can nail it down, it will give you the competitive edge.

If you want to succeed, you need to show that you are more than just your experience. With that in mind, you should highlight the following:

• Your career achievements. One year is not a long time. However, during that period, there will have been certain “wins” that you want to shout about. Figure out what your biggest accomplishments are and use them as the centerpiece of your resume.
• Your specific area of expertise. The more niche your skills, the more likely you are to bag your next role. Consider what knowledge you currently have and how it applies to the vacancy to which you are applying.
• The right keywords. When you are writing your one-year experience resume, you need to get every detail on point. Including relevant keywords and phrases will help you get past the ATS screening software. Reflect on the job posting to see what words are there.

Choosing the right resume format for one-year experience

Selecting the right resume format could be the difference between success and failure. As standard, we recommend using the reverse chronological order to share your career story so far. That means starting with your most recent experience and working your way back in time. 

However, since you only have one year’s worth of experience, you may not have a whole lot to say about your prior work. Should that be the case, you may want to use a functional format. This resume format places more emphasis on your skills and expertise than it does your work experience. It may be that it suits your one year experience resume better than other options. 

To make the whole process super simple, you can select one of our many resume templates in our resume builder. Each one is designed with hiring managers’ needs and expectations in mind. Be sure to use a modern layout that is easy for the reader to understand quickly. 

Include your contact information

Should your one-year experience resume win over the hiring manager, they will be eager to pick up the phone (or email you!). For that reason, you need to ensure that they have the information that they need straight away. That is where your header comes into place. This section sits at the top or side of your resume layout and includes the following details: 

• Full name & title. You should include your first and last name plus your job title.
• Professional email address. Avoid quirky email addresses or anything with nicknames in them. Instead, go for an address with your name in there.
• Phone number. Include a number and, if needed, when you will be available.
• Location. Don’t include your whole address. You can include your city and state. If you are willing to move, you can write 'Willing to Relocate,' too.
• LinkedIn. So long as your LinkedIn profile is up to date, you can include it here.

Don’t include:

• Date of birth. This inclusion can lead to age discrimination.
• Personal details. You don’t need to include your marital status, passport number, etc.

Make use of a summary

It’s time to tell the hiring manager why you’re perfect for this vacancy. Your resume summary is the only place that you speak directly to the reader. The freeform section should be between 50 and 200 characters, or around three lines. That doesn't give you much space to state your case.

The aim is to hook the reader’s attention. For that reason, you should lead with a strong statement about you and your expertise. Let the employer know why you are the right person for the role. To do this, you should have fully read the job description and criteria. 

The words you choose are vital to your success. Don’t bamboozle the reader with difficult words and jargon. That will impress no one. Trying to sound overly smart often results in you losing the reader at the first hurdle. Instead, stick with simple language and a smattering of action verbs. The latter will give your writing movement and show that you are a “do-er” not just a “talker”.

Wherever possible, quantify your statements. That may mean saying that you have “exceeded sales projections by 10% each quarter” rather than simply claiming to have “exceeded projections”. Remember, the more specific you can make each part of your resume summary, the more information you are sharing with the hiring manager. Give this your all. 

If you’re looking for some inspiration to help you with this part of your application, check out our selection of resume examples and writing guides. 

For example, you may be interested in ourL

• Entry-level HR resume sample
• Entry-level project manager resume example
• Accounting entry-level resume sample

You can find adaptable resume example summaries for different careers below:

Outline your one-year work experience

Next up, it’s time to write the work experience section of your one-year resume. Chances are, you have only had one relevant role before now. That’s perfectly okay. Everyone has to start somewhere. Kick things off by including your position, the company, your dates of employment, and the location. Beneath that, you can add some bullet points detailing your achievements. 

It’s important to showcase the value that you brought to the role. To do this, you will need to think like the employer. What do they want from candidates? In each bullet point, include a quantifier which shows the impact that you had on the business as a whole, or simply the department. Here are some examples of the type of bullet points you may include: 

• “Utilized sales techniques and strategies to build customer relationships and close sales, resulting in a 10% increase in sales”
• “Resolved customer complaints with empathy and understanding, resulting in a 12% customer satisfaction rate”
• “Developed a new espresso blend for the coffee house that increased sales by 2.3%”

Using results-based points like the ones that we have outlined above will have a significant impact on the strength of your application. By adding in a statistic or timeframe, you show the hiring manager that your hard work paid off—literally. Avoid generic phrases and use this approach when it comes to writing the work experience section of your one-year resume. 

Want to add something more to your one-year resume? If you have any voluntary positions, you may want to include them in this section. Before doing so, consider how they relate to the role for which you are applying. Should this position allow you to emphasize your transferable skills, you can list it here. However, you should avoid entirely unrelated volunteering jobs here. 

Take a look at the one-year experience employment history resume sample below:

Include the relevant key skills that make you a great employee

Your skills section is the star of the show when you lack experience. Regardless of the position for which you are applying, you will need a varied selection of hard and soft skills. Put simply, well-rounded candidates will possess both of these types of competencies. 

Hard skills relate directly to the job at hand and will often be technical. For example, if you are going for a role as a web developer, you may list the languages you use to create websites. Often enough, you will be able to find examples of the hard skills you need in the job advert.

Soft skills, on the other hand, tend to be useful across a broad range of industries. Examples include interpersonal skills and communication skills. These are the talents that allow you to get the job done, organize your time and tasks, and get along with the rest of the team. 

Our resume builder will offer several pre-written key skills to choose from. Once selected, you can also choose the proficiency range that suits you. Of course, you can also write in your skills.

Take a look at our general skills box example below to see how this section should look.

Here’s what the skills box looks like in our one-year experience resume template. 

Detail your education & relevant certifications

Your education section lets the hiring manager know what certificates and training you have. You may decide to place this section above your work experience section. This is common when you use a functional resume format. Since you don’t have lots of experience in your sector, this move means that the hiring manager will pay more attention to your education.

Once again, you should list your achievements in reverse chronological order. You should include your school or college education as standard. However, you may also want to include: 

• Training. If you undertook any on-the-job training at your previous job, you can mention it here. Be clear about the dates you received the training and what you learned.
• Internships. As you may not have held many professional positions, including internships can strengthen your application. You can expand on that experience here.
• Professional development. You may have taken online courses or evening classes in your own time. This shows that you are serious about developing your skills.

This part of your resume carries a lot of weight, especially when you don’t happen to have years and years of experience. With that in mind, you should spend a wealth of time perfecting this section of your resume. Take a look at our example for some inspiration. 

Pick the right resume layout and design for a one-year experience resume

Your one-year experience resume needs to look attractive to the hiring manager. From the moment that they pick up your application, they will be judging every element of it. One of the biggest mistakes that candidates make is ignoring how this one or two-page document looks. 

The design of your resume needs to be clean, accessible, and easy to read. If it’s not ticking all of those boxes, you may find that it falls at the first hurdle. Make no mistakes—your resume is a promotional material. You need to ensure that it captures the reader’s imagination. 

Start off by choosing the right font for the job. It should be legible and fit for purpose. You can use color in your resume design, but do so sparingly. Choosing just one or two colors (rather than a chaotic rainbow) is the best possible option. Sometimes, less really is more!  

Additionally, you need to include white space in the design. When the hiring manager glances at the resume, you don’t want them to feel overwhelmed or stressed. By making sure that there is plenty of room around each section, you ensure that your resume is welcoming to them. 

It can be tricky to get your resume design on point. Luckily, choosing one of our tried and tested resume templates makes the process a cinch. 

One-year experience text-only resume example

Job market and outlook

If you’re searching for your next job, the outlook is positive. In January 2024, the US labor market added a massive 353,000 jobs—that’s double what economists had previously predicted, according to a recent report from JP Morgan. The job growth spans a diverse set of industries. Put simply, whatever sector you’re in, there’s likely to be a wealth of vacancies.  

What type of salary you can expect

The national average salary in 2024 is $53,490 per year, or $1,028 per week. However, there are a range of factors that will determine how much money you make. Since you have limited experience, you can expect to gain an entry-level salary, which is likely to be less than average.

As someone with just one year of experience, chances are you will be going for entry-level roles. The average entry-level salary in the United States is $47,781 per year, according to Glassdoor. When applying for jobs, look at the average salary for that specific field first.

Key takeaways 

When you’re starting out in your career, it’s important to create a resume that turns recruiters’ heads. Don’t let your lack of experience hold you back. Instead, put the spotlight on your skills, expertise, and education. Talk about what you can bring to the figurative table. 

Take all of the hassle out of your next application by using our online resume builder now. With AI-generated suggestions, tried and tested layouts, and a simple structure, it’s a breeze to use!