With little or no history, a secured card is often the easiest start. You put down a refundable deposit that typically becomes your limit, then use the card like any other — the issuer's lowered risk is what gets you approved.

From there, the recipe is boringly effective: pay on time, every time, and keep your balance low relative to the limit. Payment history and utilization are the two biggest scoring factors, and both reward consistency.

Give it time. Credit history length grows only by keeping accounts open and active, so resist closing your first card once your score improves.