How to Get Experience When You Have No Experience (Infographic) | One of the major challenges for anyone starting out in their career is the conundrum of experience. No matter how far we get down the road of technology, the individual worker and their capabilities are still invaluable. Despite this, one of the costliest aspects of recruiting is training especially if the hire doesn’t wind up working out.
Even so, there are so many people out there who are looking for work but face the barrier of a CV with limited or no experience. In this article and infographic from Trainwest, we’ll unpack ‘How to Get Experience When You Have No Experience’ to show some ways to make inroads when you’re faced with this formidable challenge.
The World of Work & Getting Hired
When you’re mired in job hunting, there are few things more difficult than getting over the line and getting that offer. Guardian Jobs unequivocally hit the nail on the head when they said, “At the start of your career or following a career change, it can feel like a Catch-22 situation: You can’t get hired without experience, but you can’t get experience without being hired.” Yet with only 5 applicants out of 250 applicants even making it to interview ‒ that’s barely 2% ‒ it’s incredibly discouraging if your chances are less again due to your professional history.
Barriers to Entry & Hiring Systems
So with the fact that absolutely everyone has to start somewhere, how do you approach the experience obstacle? There are a number of angles to look at with this in respect to the timeline of job hunting. From thinking about getting into an industry through to considering a letter of offer, these are your key timeline points:
- Exploring options for getting experience
Even if you feel doubtful, there are still places where you can build your experience of work, contributing to a team, and learning transferable skills. Take on internships, volunteer your time, consider an apprenticeship, embrace a self-directed project, or start your own organization or initiative.
- Revising your CV
At the same time as you pursue adjacent options for an experience that aren’t a job, overhaul your supporting resources, i.e. your CV! Research current and timeless features of a winning CV, invest in redesigning the presentation with free graphic design software, and scrutinize every single aspect of this document. You should be treating your CV like a precious belonging that reflects your very best professional self.
- Embracing entry level
Very few people actually get their dream job at their number one preferred employer the first time around. Begin right where you are in the current moment and seek options at an organization or in the industry that aligns with your goals. Don’t make the mistake of only applying for roles that match up to your five-year plan. Look for job listings that are about starting and learning so that you can grow into your dream job. In addition to the benefit of entry-level jobs teaching you all of the unspoken and foundational details about the organization, this is where transferable skills are often honed. With skills like customer service and administration, you’ll genuinely need to call on this experience and knowledge in every single job nearly every day in your working life.
- Targeting every single application
Treat every posting you’re applying for like it’s the dream role. Not only does this increase the odds of your application being read (filters tend to remove submissions that don’t reference keywords), it is part of selling you and your skills. For recruiters and managers who are reading tens of applications, a tailored application is immediately recognizable and you will stand out.
- Preparing for and nailing that job interview
The final, and understandably terrifying, part is making it to the interview and showing exactly what makes you right for the role. While preparing for the interview, researching the interview format, and reading up on current organizational information, also ensure you prioritize time to rehearse a response to any experience gaps. Have a thorough and confident grasp of the skills you have and how to frame them in relation to the role requirements. This reassures the interviewer and you can highlight your motivation and commitment to the prospective job, too.
Find out more Tactics to Try & Learn More with this Infographic
Now it’s time to delve into this topic with even more tips and tactics. Read on to learn about how to survive the job-hunting process and make inroads in your journey towards a new job. Best wishes with your career goals!
