The Best Way to Get a Job with No Experience
Whether you’re wondering how to look for your first job or craving a sudden career change, identifying the best way to get a job with no experience can seem like a hopeless task. It’s not! In fact, many jobseekers as this, particularly those setting out at the beginning of their careers. There are steps you can take that will give you a better chance and ensure you’re making progress in the right direction for your career goals.
Do Your Research
Without any job experience, you don’t really know what you’re getting into. This is not only a major red flag for employers, but it also make things harder (and riskier) for you. Thus, it’s absolutely critical that you do your research. Look at the various job roles in the area you want to work and you’ll better understand the kind of progression that’s the norm or the skills you need. The more information you have, the easier it is to make decisions to help you get your dream job. Moreover, the more informed you come across, the more likely it is you will stand out in an interview.
Sign Up to Local Recruitment Agencies
We’re not saying this just because we’re one of the best recruitment agencies out there *wink wink*. But, because it’s quite literally a recruitment consultant’s job to help you get a role that’s suitable and what you want to do. Candidates don’t pay us so you’re effectively getting our specialist recruitment services for free. We’ll do everything we can to advise you and get you interviews. We’re the best way to get a job with no experience because we know the job-seeker process, the structure of the companies we represent and we give you realistic opportunities so you don’t waste any time.
Find out more about Our Recruitment Process.
Tell Your Recruitment Agents Specifics
We want to know what you want to do from the outset. We can’t read minds. We need information. Tell us which roles you’re passionate about and which jobs you’ll actually take. Attending interviews for jobs you’re not interested in is a waste of time and money for you, the client and us! What’s more, once we know what you want to do, we can give you advice to help you compensate for your lack of experience. We can also point you towards the roles that you actually have a chance of getting.
Look Into Independent Study
You’re at a disadvantage if you don’t have any experience in the field in which you want to work – but literally everyone has to start somewhere. You can’t exactly come out of the womb with a degree and 5 years accounting experience!
To compensate for your lack of experience, you should look into free and academic courses in the field you want to pursue. This not only shows employers that you’re passionate about your chosen direction, but that you have the confidence to invest in yourself. It will also provide you with necessary qualifications you may have to complete later down the line anyway.
Consider Internships / Apprenticeships
A great way to gain job experience is through completing internships and apprenticeships. They might not pay a lot (and sometimes not at all) but they look great on a CV and give you a leg up on the competition. They also give opportunities to the applicants who need it – those without the experience.
Be Open to Temp Work & Maternity Cover
Open up your options! Temp work sets you up nicely when you’re pursuing a new career. It gives you a bit of experience and, because it’s not a permanent role but a short-term position they will likely want filled quickly, employers will usually look at a wider range of applicants than they would for a full-time position, i.e. enthusiastic newcomers without much experience.
Accept That You’ll Need to be Flexible with Salary
This should be pretty obvious but just in case you haven’t thought about it – you cannot expect a winning salary if you don’t have any previous experience. You’ll get there eventually, but accept that you’ll have to start at the bottom to begin with.
It doesn’t really matter how old you are; you’re a baby in that industry and will have a starting salary which likely reflects your lack of experience.
Undertake Thorough Job Interview Preparation
Your experience might not stand out among the applicants, but you can if you make it through to the interview. Your employers want to hire someone they can trust, who’s eager to do well and who they can see working for them. Have a look at our tips on Preparing for an Interview and Appeasing Anxiety.
Getting a Job with No Experience isn’t Easy But It’s Not Impossible
Of course, your first job in a new sector won’t be your dream job. You may end up taking a job with a tenuous link to what you actually want to do. Nonetheless, making small steps will help you get on the right track. For more advice see our blog post 4 Steps on How to Get Your Dream Job or contact us and speak to one of our recruitment specialists for free.
