No Work Experience: How to Get a Job
Many people entering the work force worry that they are at a disadvantage. One of the most common reasons is that they don't have either work experience or work experience in their chosen field. Yet, there are solutions both for your resume and for your interview to this problem. You won't get the job of CEO, but you can get your foot in the door and work your way up.
The first step is to look into your past and see what experience that you do have. Think about any volunteering that you have done. Think about work you have done that wasn't compensated. An example of unpaid work might be caring for an elderly relative, housework, child care. Recently I talked to a woman that owned an elder care company. She told me that she looks for people that have done exactly this type of work. Interviewers use prior work experience to show that you will show up, and act responsibly. While a paid job is an easy way to show this, it isn't the only way. Regular vounteer work, unpaid work, and even showing up for school demonstrates maturity and commitment. In the case of someone pursuing a higher degree, interviewers frequently will look past not having any work experience.
Interviewers also use prior work experience to look for increased responsibility assigned and a high level of trust that employers might have in employees over time. You can demonstrate this by showing leadership experience in clubs or volunteer or school assignments. Interviewers want to see that you don't have people-problems like fighting with co-workers, attitude problems, dishonesty or laziness. You can demonstrate that people trust you and prefer working with you a school or in social organizations.
The second step is to consider expertise that you may not have considered work related. Hobbies and interests not only show that you are a well-rounded individual, but can teach you valuable skills and build important networks that can be used at work. Many hobbies can demonstrate important enthusiam as well as aptitude and skills. An example might be an enthusist of computer games may have improtant technical familiarity that could be used by a software tester or help desk worker.
Other hobbies may suggest important social skills. An interest in writing or an interest in public speaking could be used to demonstrate communication skills. Perhaps you were captain of your soccer team? Finally, look at how your resume is organized. Don't represent unpaid work as paid employment, but instead group it under a heading that represents it more correctly. So instead of 'Work Experience' you might have a heading 'Work Related Experience' or 'Unpaid Work Experience'.
If appropriate have a section about 'Leadership' where you can demonstrate increased trust and responsibility. Now practice the 'stories' that relate to these resume entries. You want stories that play up the expereince you have; ones that demonstrate your dependibility and examples of increasing trust in you; and you want stories that show your aptitude for the skills needed in the job. Showing your qualifications have less to do with the workexperience than understanding and communicating how your experience applies.
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