Starting a new career is nerve-wracking, whether you’re finding purpose after college or changing careers at a later age. And those nerves get worse when you don’t have experience.
Before imposter syndrome takes over, think back to when you started school, volunteer work, or even a new hobby. You probably felt intimidated to embark on a new path. But you overcame those fears and learned along the way. So, as you start your job search, remember that you’ve been in a similar position before and have what it takes to begin again.
Everyone has to start somewhere, and it’s possible to get a job with a lack of experience. And you probably have more experience than you think. Most soft skills are transferable, and if you love learning new things, you’ll adjust to a new position quickly. But to get there, you need to find a role first.
Here’s how to get a job with no experience, with tips for tailoring your resume and interviewing for positions in new-to-you fields.
8 tips to get a job with no experience
If you’re hoping to enter the project management world with only retail experience or you’ve never had a job before and want to start climbing the ladder in the marketing world, it’s okay. Everyone currently in those positions had to start somewhere.
You haven’t previously worked in the position, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have what it takes. You can present the skills you have and start to develop the self-confidence you need to ace a job interview and take the first step down your career path.
Try these eight tips for job seekers and lay the groundwork for success:
1. Lean on your interpersonal skills
Nearly every position requires interpersonal skills. Though previous positions could have helped you build them, teamwork, problem-solving, and active listening also stem from life experience. Employers will be eager to hear about how you’ve used them in practice, even if outside of work.
As you make your resume or prepare responses to interview questions, tailor your listed interpersonal skills to the positions you want to apply for. If you’re looking for a fast-paced environment like a startup, highlight your adaptability skills and personality. Employers want to learn whether you’ll add to company culture, and interpersonal skills can give them the answer.
2. Highlight your transferable skills
Your transferable skills are ones you bring with you from one experience to the next. These include soft skills like conflict resolution, self-motivation, and decision-making, but they can also be technical ones like writing or coding.
Maybe you were the team leader in a school project and learned you have a talent for leadership and communication. You can tell employers about this, although it isn’t formal work experience, because you’ve demonstrated the skills before.
Even if the job is entirely different from what you’ve done in the past, there’s a way to spin your skill set to display competence. Highlight your abilities rather than focusing on the skills you’re missing. If you’re applying for an entry-level marketing position, try using your personal social media posts or hobbies, such as photography, to boost your employability.
3. Take courses
You don’t necessarily have to get a master’s degree or even a bachelor’s degree to find a job in a new field. Certificates and short courses are excellent ways to revamp your resume and cover letter while showing potential employers your strong work ethic and initiative to learn. Taking courses can also help you beat imposter syndrome by making you feel more qualified for positions you’re applying for.
Many colleges offer certificates through remote learning and evening classes that cater to people already working full-time. You can also try short online courses through platforms like Udemy or Coursera to brush up on your skills and earn a badge to put on your resume and LinkedIn profile. And as many lucrative roles for new candidates and career changers exist in the tech realm (software engineering roles often pay six figures, for example), it’s wise to consider diploma and boot camp courses in the field, like Microsoft Certifications or Google Apprenticeships.
4. Tap into your network
Research suggests that networking helps fill 80% of positions, so if you’re looking for a job, talking to peers and past colleagues are great places to start. Use networking platforms like LinkedIn to connect with coworkers, classmates, and professionals in your field. Cold connecting is intimidating, but it allows you to start conversations with potential mentors or recruiters. Plus, you’ll be using the same skills in these conversations that you’ll need in an interview, like effective self-promotion.
What’s more, a professional network could give you access to new positions before companies post them on job boards, giving you the upper hand. Connections can also put in a good word for you at their current company or use their network to point you toward openings. Attending networking events in your community lets you take an in-person approach to meeting people, too.
Networking is a two-way street. Nurturing your relationships and helping others is as essential as receiving help yourself. When you treat others with respect and show that you’re a great collaborator, they’ll be more receptive to giving you references and referrals in the future. Deepen these connections by offering your expertise to help them with their personal projects and celebrating their achievements.
5. Tailor your resume
Your resume is your chance to show an employer why they should value your skills and life experience, so take advantage of it.
If you’re looking for your first role, you might have never had to make this document before. So, the first step is researching how to create an excellent resume. Following templates or using resume builders indicates what to include, how to correctly present information, and other best practices.
All resumes have a prior experience section. If you’re a new candidate and this part of your resume is short, add content to other sections like skills and education, and write a career statement highlighting your goals and best qualities.
Tailor different types of resumes to specific positions, and include keywords from the job posting. Companies often use automated hiring tools like applicant tracking systems (ATS), so mirroring the language and exact terms can help your job application get through.
6. Apply for entry-level jobs
It’s easy to feel impatient when you don’t have enough experience to apply for high-level positions immediately. But entry-level jobs can still be fulfilling.
A lower-level position might not be your end goal, but entry-level positions are an opportunity to develop new skills and get your foot in the door of a company you want to work for in more senior positions.
You can find entry-level, no-experience roles by searching “entry-level,” “junior,” or even “intern” on job search platforms. Try researching the most junior positions that could lead to your dream job and looking for those. To become a marketing manager, for example, you might start as a social media content creator or marketing assistant and move up.
7. Develop skills during your free time
If you’re struggling to land an entry-level role or the job search is taking longer than you thought, that’s okay. Reaching your goals takes time. Job hunting stretches on for months for many candidates. Use free moments to develop more skills, enhance your resume, and network.
Career-forward tasks you could do in your downtime might be volunteering, working with a career coach, or practicing new skills at home. It could mean attending a networking event (even if you’re an introvert). If you want to become a web developer, try coding your own projects and upskilling on your own time.
8. Create a portfolio
A portfolio is a great way to show employers what you can do, whether that’s designing intriguing infographics or coding complex software. Anything that proves your talents is valuable to include in an application.
This is particularly important for creative fields that center around your visual identity. You can showcase your work on a personal website, in a PDF file, or as a hard copy to express your personality and stand out.
6 interesting no-experience jobs
Even if you know it’ll be temporary, you can find fulfilling positions that give you the skills you need to climb the ladder in any industry, whether they’re in-person office jobs or work-from-home positions.
Here are six no-experience jobs to set you up on a new career path and develop valuable skills:
1. Customer service
If you love helping others and are a patient person, try becoming a customer service representative. You’ll interact with consumers and provide helpful information to support them and resolve their concerns. Depending on the company, you can work in customer service in person, via telephone, or chat.
Most employers will provide on-site training to teach you everything you need to perform well, so you don’t need a lot of work experience. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), customer service representatives earn a median annual wage of $37,780 in the US and can work in nearly every industry. This job is an excellent opportunity to get your foot in the door.
2. Sales associate
Becoming a sales associate is a fantastic way to break into a particular industry by learning about the products at the consumer level. Retail work creates a foundation for fashion-related jobs, and selling tech products can inspire a career in software engineering. Plus, this niche offers many part-time jobs, so you can gain real-world work experience while continuing your schooling or managing other commitments.
Sales associates work one-on-one with customers to learn their unique needs and recommend products or services to meet them. If you’re persuasive and engaging, you’ll stand out to hiring managers for this role.
Although the industry you work in has much to do with the salary range, the BLS reports that retail sales workers earn a median annual wage of $30,750. Some businesses also offer their employees commission pay on top of their base salary as an incentive for reaching their sales targets.
3. Virtual assistant
If you want to work from home without experience and organization is one of your strengths, you might enjoy working as a virtual assistant. In this role, you’ll perform administrative tasks for an individual client, like planning work trips, making phone calls, and scheduling appointments. You’ll also get a peek into the inner workings of a business, which can provide helpful context about company operations in future roles.
Along with possessing strong bookkeeping and time management skills, you should work well independently and under pressure. According to the BLS, secretaries and administrative assistants have a median pay of $44,080 per year, depending on the region and individual you’re assisting.
4. Copywriter
Copywriters write text for blogs, articles, or web content to increase brand awareness and aid marketing efforts. Copywriting requires strong written communication skills, a meticulous eye, and creativity. Like some other positions above, it familiarizes you with an industry and gives you the knowledge you need to potentially move up.
The BLS reports that writers earn a median annual wage of $73,150. Copywriting is often gig-based, so the range varies depending on your client base and how many hours you choose to work.
5. Public relations assistant
If you have a knack for social media, event planning, and presenting, a role as a public relations (PR) assistant incorporates all of your talents.
In this role, you’ll assist the PR team by conducting tasks such as writing press releases and brainstorming risk management strategies. These positions require a creative mind, strong people skills, and an eye for aesthetics.
While employers prefer a bachelor’s degree for this role, there are PR professional development certificates and courses that can give your resume a competitive advantage. Public relations specialists earn a median annual wage of $67,440, according to the BLS.
6. Social media manager
As a social media manager, your daily tasks may include taking photos, scheduling content, and writing copy for captions and posts. People in this role can work in nearly any company or industry, making it a great option if you’re just starting out.
Employers often only want to see that you’re proficient in running social media accounts, which doesn’t require extensive work experience. You can show off personal or extracurricular accounts, or create a vision board and post examples as part of your portfolio.
In this role, you may work in-house or remotely, and you might have the opportunity to attend industry events to capture and share behind-the-scenes moments. Glassdoor reports that social media managers earn an average annual wage of $47,738, but the BLS groups advertising, promotions, and marketing managers at a median pay of $138,730 annually. This position has a large range, depending on who you work for and how much experience you have.
How to make a resume with no experience: 3 tips
Your resume is often your first impression with a new employer, so make that page count. Write a resume that stands out and highlights your transferable skills, all while tailoring it to individual job descriptions.
Use these three key points to craft a resume without work experience:
- Emphasize your academic achievements: Highlight a strong grade point average (GPA) or any honors achievements to show your ability to work hard. You can also list courses, certificates, or related projects relevant to the position you're applying for.
- Spotlight your skills: Review the position’s job description and use those skills on your resume. This could include leadership, time management, and public speaking. Just remember to be honest and include only skills you can prove you have. You don’t want to land the job and feel stranded or unqualified.
- Make your experience relevant: Having relevant experience isn’t just about holding a particular job title. You can include extracurricular activities on your resume as excellent evidence of your skills. If you volunteer at a community garden and are applying for a PR assistant position, you can explain how your volunteer gig has taught you organizational skills and the value of hard work. Spin your experience to work for you without stretching the truth.
How to prepare for an interview when you don’t have experience
Job interviews are already stress-inducing, and if you’re about to apply for your first job, this step might feel overwhelming.
But this is your chance to practice and slowly build your confidence. Nobody expects you to give a perfect interview if you’re applying for an entry-level position. Just be yourself and explain the skills you know you already have.
Here are some tips that could turn your interview into a job offer, even if you don’t have experience:
- Research the company: This will show recruiters or hiring managers that you’re invested in the business and eager for a position.
Knowing what the company’s values are and what it’s accomplished is a surefire way to stand out. You could talk about a specific project that attracted you and how you could contribute to a similar one.
- Emphasize your strengths: Focus on why you’re qualified for the position rather than not, and uplift yourself by believing in your capabilities.
Before an interview, try creating a list of why you’re well-suited for the particular job, what accomplishments you’re proud of, and your skills. Just a simple reminder before the interview can give you a positive attitude.
- Practice your answers: Practice the STAR interview method to explain how you’ve solved problems or shown off your skills in the past.
This is a good tactic for common behavioral interview questions, like “Tell us about a time you had to deal with a difficult person” or “Explain a mistake you made and how you fixed it.” Practicing your answers with a friend or family member will help you answer them effectively.
- Work with a career coach: Drilling interview questions in front of the mirror or with a loved one is a savvy preparation tactic, but you can level up your practice with help from a career coach. Your coach will ask hard-hitting questions and help you respond better to those you have trouble answering.
Plus, you can lean on your career coach for other guidance, like help writing a standout
resume or cover letter, identifying your skills, and making an action plan for landing a fulfilling role. They can also provide tips on navigating the job search.
Everyone starts somewhere
Whether you’re new to the job market or looking to shift your professional career after years of experience in another role, this move feels like a fresh start. So, knowing how to get a job with no experience will increase your chances of getting hired.
A career start or transition implies looking closely at your relevant skills and determining ways to become the best candidate possible. You must leverage your strengths, prepare adequately, and learn new things. In doing so, you’ll unlock your full potential and feel confident in your new job.
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