It’s a common dilemma that many young graduates face – a wealth of knowledge, high enthusiasm, but no work experience.
Sounds familiar?
You might assume you’d be stuck in unemployment limbo forever. However, with the right strategy, you can attain a worthwhile position without experience.
Realistically speaking, these jobs may be entry-level or perhaps a bit higher. However, they can be a stepping stone, in terms of getting you through the door, earning your own income and advancing in your career.
How can I get a first job with no experience?
- What job do you want?
It is vital you identify the type of job you’re searching for. You may not always get it at this stage, but at least it’s a starting point. In this way you can narrow your focus and organise your job search.
- What does the market want?
Peruse job board and vacancy notices are identify what type of candidates employers are looking for. What qualifications do they have?
- Upgrade your skill arsenal
Apart from qualifications, what skills are they asking for? This is critical because required skills usually indicate the type of problems they need to have solved. Seek to upgrade yourself. It is understandable this may be frustrating at this time of your life. However, having no work experience in a limited and competitive job market, you have to be on top of your game.
- Get sales training
Whether or not you intend to make a career out of it, getting training in sales would be a tremendous asset for you. Sales training, whether it’s an online course, seminar or certificate program will teach you selling strategies when the odds are against you. In this case, it would be selling yourself with no experience to the interviewer.
- Work for your experience
You can offer to be an additional resource to companies for a period of time in exchange for the experience and a recommendation once your set working period is over. There are some companies who would be willing to take on an intern, and provide you with the experience and recommendation.
What are the best jobs for someone with no experience?
For a new graduate, the best jobs at this time of your life would be ones that cover your expenses, allow you to learn valuable skills and also present opportunities for career growth. These include:
Call centre agents, CSRs, restaurant waiting staff, receptionists, delivery & packaging, collection officers, concierge, hostess, brand ambassadors, in-store promoters
- Corporate
Accounting clerks, cashiers, office assistants, data entry and support administrators
- Security
Armed forces, private security. Specialised training is provided in these fields
- Transportation
Delivery drivers, couriers, personal drivers
- Sales
Sales clerks/assistants, Sales representatives (for medium or start-ups)
- Fields requiring specialised knowledge or training
Teaching, HSSE, information technology, childcare, kitchen staff, junior chefs, computer technicians, mechanical repairs, legal assistants, nursing aides, medical assistants, support staff in cosmetology and maritime industries.
What is the most effective way to find a job?
- Leverage your personal network
The old saying is forever true – you need to know someone. They need to know you. Finally, they need to like and trust you. When job hunting, leveraging your personal network may is a powerful technique. Inform your associates within your circle that you are job hunting and any assistance would be appreciated.
- Leverage the power of the internet
The internet provides the opportunity for you to build social proof. On professional sites such as LinkedIn for example, you can contribute your ideas to conversations, explore possible job openings, create blog articles, and produce video content on topics that you are knowledgeable in, or can provide solutions to.
Creating content can overshadow your lack of experience in that potential employers can see your skills in action.
- Have the essentials ready
Update your CV with new skills and accomplishments. Perfect your elevator pitch and practice your tone, deportment and body language in front the mirror. Once your verbal and non-verbal cues confidently present you as the ideal candidate, your lack of work experience may not be such an obstacle.
What do you say when applying for a job with no experience?
- Embrace where you are
You are essentially a blank canvas and with that comes an unlimited potential to learn. You can admit, “Yes, currently I do not have the required experience for this job. However, I have a fresh perspective and unlimited potential for learning. I can confidently say that my lack of experience will motivate me to work extra hard to meet the demands of this job and validate the inspiring things my references will say about me”.
- Focus on your strengths
This is not the time to be modest. You have to emphasise your strengths and capabilities. Articulate them in detail that will convince the interviewer that, “I am confident in myself and you should be too. I take great pride in my work. I leave nothing unfinished and always seek to provide my solutions and results in a pertinent way. I will use my energy and enthusiasm to get my work done, be of service to other colleagues if necessary, and am willing to devote extra time towards special projects if given the opportunity”.
- Present a solution
You want to be perceived as a problem solver. When conducting research on the company, look for possible areas where they may be falling short. You can devise a solution or improvement to that problem.
You can elaborate during the interview that, “I’ve noticed there are some disparaging remarks on social media about product quality. I propose that we reorganise our quality management system and also seek alternative suppliers who can possibly provide better quality raw materials”.
Can I work from home with no work experience?
Before the pandemic, companies typically would reserve work at home opportunities for permanent staff or those under special arrangements. Reason being, there is a certain level of trust attached to an employee working from home.
Of course work from home opportunities also vary according to the industry and type of jobs that you do. Business and creative professionals are able to perform their responsibilities at home. Whereas, for doctors, engineers, security and transport workers, this option would not be applicable.
With remote work and online collaboration becoming a norm, many companies are extending working from home opportunities to a large percentage of their staff. Not only for safety, but many are realising the cost-effectiveness of it as well. Nowadays, you can find jobs that require no experience, such as transcribing, research, telemarketing, tutoring, customer support and web design being done at home.
What should I read next?
- Read our article about Applying for jobs that match your work experience
- Read our article about Writing a cv with no experience
- Read our article about Cv for Internship in Barbados
