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How to Get a Job With No or Little Experience: |
At this stage perseverance of your career is crucial. Few people can afford to do unpaid internships for months on end in order to get their foot in the door. Instead, many candidates are obliged to take temporary jobs in other industries to make ends meet, or to abandon their chosen vocation entirely.
So, what is the trick to landing jobs when you don't have any experience? Luck undoubtedly helps, and personal connections can be quite beneficial, but what else can you do?
~Target positions that are realistic:
If you don't have relevant experience in your chosen industry, you'll have to start at the bottom of the career ladder and work your way up. There's no shame in pursuing entry-level and junior positions, which can be both character developing and a terrific opportunity to develop expertise of the role that new entrants at a higher level may lack. That will serve you well as you advance through the ranks of the organisation.
~Send out hypothetical applications:
Are you looking for listed jobs but having no luck? Then try going directly to the employers you'd like to work with. Sending out speculative applications can be a good method to avoid recruiters and get your CV in front of the right people. Even if you lack relevant experience, you may generate a great first impression that will get you employed by properly displaying the abilities you do have.
Your application may go unanswered or you may receive a 'thanks but no thanks' rejection letter, but don't be discouraged. Always research who the best person to write to is, link your strengths to the company's criteria, explain why you'd like to work for the organization, and include that you'd be willing to accept work experience if no entry-level employment are available.
~Highlight the skills you do have:
Don't get hung up on the lack of experience. Instead, concentrate your CV or application on the abilities and personality attributes that make you a good fit for the position. Communication, teamwork, and attention to detail are transferrable qualities that are highly desired by many types of businesses. If you lack experience in your chosen sector, accept it, but use it as a chance to demonstrate your love for the role and willingness to learn, as seen by your volunteer work, work placements, and internships.
Before you decide you don't have the required experience, double-check your assumptions. While you may not have done the precise task before, chances are you have done something similar in previous roles or while attending university or college. Make connections between your relevant experience and the experience being sought and mention it in your application.
~Look for internships, volunteer opportunities, and work experience:
Some sectors are so competitive that even an entry-level position may need you to work for free. Volunteering, work experience, and internships (paid and unpaid) are all fantastic ways to obtain first-hand understanding of a job or organisation while also making valuable contacts that could lead to a paid career.
~Work experience and internships:
Opportunities in many small and medium-sized businesses may not be advertised, so sending speculative inquiries to organisations you'd want to work for is a good idea. Larger organisations are more likely to provide formal internship and work experience programmes, so check their websites to see what's available.
~Look for positions that require no prior experience:
Most industries and sectors have opportunities where prior experience in a similar role is not required. Simply searching for 'jobs with no experience required' on the internet can provide hundreds of results from respectable job sites. On Guardian Jobs, there are currently 27 apprenticeships, 170 entry-level employment, and 283 graduate positions available. This encompasses anything from office administrators to British Red Cross support personnel to apprentice data analysts.
~Expand your network:
The notion that who you know is more essential than what you know may not sit well with you, but the reality is that a recommendation from a personal acquaintance can go a long way.
If you are suggested by someone they know and trust, employers are more inclined to overlook a gap in your expertise. Attending career fairs, networking events, and contacting people you know, as well as people you don't know, who work in your desired field can be a wonderful method to make those connections and possibly discover a way in.
~Keep yourself active and resilient:
Trying to find a job with little or no experience isn’t easy, but rest assured that it’s something everyone has gone through. It's all too tempting to take rejection personally and withdraw, but by volunteering, participating in community events, being social, and getting out there in the world, opportunities will present themselves and you'll find the proper role for you.
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