CvCreator

How To Find a Job Without Experience?

In the current economic climate, the hunt for jobs has never been trickier. Often it can seem like a kind of self-fulfilling cycle: you need a variety of experience to get the job you want. How do you get that experience? With a job! But don’t despair, because even though it can be intimidating, and will push you out of your comfort zone, there are still plenty of things you can do to make yourself into an appealing prospect for employers. If you follow the advice listed here, you won’t go far wrong!

Take a look at internship options.

Many big companies offer a range of internships or apprenticeships to get you on the corporate ladder. Often these are unpaid or low-paid, but they can be an invaluable way for you to gain the experience you need to segue into a paid job. Of course, you are most likely looking for something permanent or long-term, but an internship can be a vital first step toward that goal. It will give you first-hand experience as an employee, and will enable you to establish contacts and build up your network within the organization. Not to mention the fact that it looks mighty impressive on a resume, and shows you are willing to go the extra mile.

Try your hand at networking.

You’ll be amazed at how much sway a personal recommendation could hold over an employer’s decision. That’s why it’s always a good idea to network as much as possible. This requires a bit of personal confidence and a willingness to “put yourself out there,” but the rewards are there for the taking.

If you’re still studying, your college will likely have support and mentoring available for job-seekers. This, in turn, can lead you to career fairs and other networking events. These are a great opportunity to chat to employers direct and find out what they are looking for, as well as a nice way to establish a rapport.

It’s also easy to neglect the importance of social media as a self-promotional tool. Twitter is a great way to connect with individuals and to gather contacts, while LinkedIn is specifically designed to put you in touch with like-minded professionals.

Focus on the skills you DO have.

It’s easy to get hooked on the negative, when in fact what you need to do is play up the positive. So you don’t have the necessary experience for a role- so what? Are you willing to learn? Are you motivated to succeed? Then say so! It’s a perfect way to win favor with an employer without inventing qualifications or skills you don’t actually have. Likewise, even the most unlikely activities can provide you with experience. For instance, do you play sports? Then you’ve got teamwork and leadership experience. Take a good, long look at yourself, and you might just be pleasantly surprised at how skilled you really are.

Educate yourself.

Education is so much more than just a slip of paper. It’s also an opportunity for you to work with others, and to benefit from learning experiences specifically catered to your chosen field. So look out for courses and professional qualifications that could provide you with that all-important first step toward the job you want.

Try volunteering!

Internships are very hotly contested, so if you’ve been applying and not getting anywhere, it might be worth taking a different approach. Voluntary work is often easy to come by. It’s also the perfect way to give something back to your community, and to help those who need it most. But aside from the altruistic angle, it’s also a great way to build up a portfolio of experience that you can transfer into paid employment. For instance, if you are an active volunteer, you will demonstrate to employers that you are willing to dedicate your time and effort toward a shared goal.

There are usually volunteer opportunities available in most major sectors, such as education and healthcare, so you will hopefully be able to find something relevant to your preferred career path. But even if you have to resort to volunteering in a different area altogether, that won’t undermine the valuable transferable skills you will acquire. It can be a confidence boost and will give you the opportunity to work in a team, to communicate, to organize, and manage your time. These are all features an employer will look for in a candidate. So you see, giving up your time in the short term can have all kinds of long-term benefits.

Get busy online.

If you’re looking to break into the world of business but you aren’t finding the right opportunities, then it might be time to make your own opportunity! Have you spotted a gap in the market that only you can fill? Is there a product or service that you are in a position to provide? Starting your own online business- no matter how small- can be a perfect way to learn the tricks of the trade, and to demonstrate your willingness to be enterprising and to take ownership of your own career development.

And last but certainly not least… Get yourself a great resume!

What’s the first thing a potential employer is going to look at? Your resume. This is your opportunity to highlight all your strengths and point out why you are the right person for the job. It’s impossible to underestimate just how important the resume is as part of the job application process.

So, just how do you write a resume? Well, the fact is you don’t have to! You COULD spend hours and hours of your precious time staring at a screen… or you could hire me to do it for you 😉 My resume writing service covers everything you could possibly need to sell yourself to an employer. Whether it’s your covering letter or your LinkedIn profile, I’m here to help you present your most professional self. For more information on what I can do for you, just click here.