As countless students graduate this summer, that old question once more rears its ugly head. How is it possible to get a decent job when you’ve got no previous work experience?
Get A Job with no experience
The good news is that, despite all the odds, It is possible to get a foot in the door. Dependent on you going about things the right way.
Leaving college or university can be intimidating, especially when you’re entering the marketplace with little or no experience behind you. However, it’s important to remember that at some point, even the most successful business people started out with zero experience. Using hard work and having confidence in your abilities, you can win that coveted position.
Here are some helpful tips to get your dream job:
Embrace Reality
If you’re a new graduate, you’re probably applying for an entry-level post, so employers won’t be expecting applicants to have an impressive CV with years of experience in the workplace. Rather than worrying about how few jobs you’ve had, instead look at your inexperience with favour. It is an opportunity to show how fast you can be to learn. By highlighting examples that show how keen and dedicated you are, you can go a long way. By demonstrating your commitment to growth and learning, you are sure to be an appealing prospect to companies that want to hire hard-working, enthusiastic people.
Know Your Skills
Lack of experience doesn’t necessarily equate to a lack of skills, so write down all of the essential skills required for the job you’re interested in and think about how you fit the bill. How can you show your skills in communication, research, ICT and problem-solving?
How Do You Fit?
When applying for a job you need to show that you are a suitable candidate, so take the time to find the link between your informal or formal experience and your personal traits and the required skills for the job in question, using all of your analytical skills and creativity.
How Do You Stand Out?
There may be many applicants for your chosen job, so how will you get yourself noticed? Showcase your key qualities such as professionalism, friendliness and responsiveness and remember that these skills are just as important as experience.
Be Aware Of Your Value
Even though you don’t have a lot of previous work experience, you are still valuable to employers. The key is how to demonstrate this. Remember that experience doesn’t need to have come from a traditional job, so think about hobbies, pastimes and sporting activities that may have helped you to develop key skills that are attractive to employers.
Don’t Be Over-Confident
Yes, being confident is always important, however, it’s also vital to show modesty and humility too. A beginner should demonstrate that they have the ability to do the job, but also prove that they know that there’s a lot still to learn.
Volunteer
If you’re struggling to get a job, try working for free instead. Volunteering opportunities are fairly easy to find and will give you valuable experience as well as helping you to do some networking.
Networking
Building up a network of contacts is a great way to find a good job whatever stage of life you’re in. Make contact with people you know, and the people they know too, via professional and community events and social media.
Keep On Learning
If there’s something you have a passion to do, you may need to gain more qualifications to access those jobs. Yes, that may mean going back to college or university to take another course, but it could also mean enrolling in training courses or adult education or even just reading around your field of interest.
Have A Realistic Outlook
Even when you maximise your experience and skills, it’s still important to apply for jobs that you’re suited to. A job market is a tough place at the moment and there are lots of highly qualified people vying for positions. When employers receive a host of excellent CVs, they’re less likely to risk hiring someone with little experience, so target only those jobs where you can prove how you can be successful by showcasing your skills and strengths.
Don’t allow yourself to feel defeated if you fail the first few times. Instead, take positive steps each day to find a good job, and see it as an adventure and an opportunity to explore and learn. When you have the right attitude, you’ll be more attractive to those potential employers. You can find some excellent career-building courses for Microsoft Office skills at http://www.microsoft-office-courses.co.uk/