How to Get a Job with Little or No Experience

You need the experience to get a job, but you need a job to gain this experience. So how do you get your foot through the door when you don’t have relevant work history? This is a common question that people have when they’re fresh out of school or starting a new career path. Fortunately, there are ways to land a great job without experience and start yourself on the path to success.

Address Gaps in Your Work History

• Don’t brush over the fact that you have limited or no experience. Address the reasons why in your cover letter. Perhaps you just finished school or have been dedicating your time to something else. Let the potential employer know why your experience is lacking so they don’t assume the worst.

Focus on the Qualities You Have

• Even without work experience, you have certain skills, talents, and characteristics that will help you land a job. Be sure to share your other qualities in your cover letter and resume, such as your attitude to work, understanding of the company, and essential life skills. Some job listings in Jackson MS even ask for this type of information because it’s so important. People want to hire employees that will fit in with their company culture.

Find Out-of-Box Experience

• Just because you haven’t worked in the field doesn’t mean you don’t have any experience. Don’t sell yourself short – find experience that you didn’t know you had! Think back to past jobs, volunteer opportunities, and experiences that have helped shape you. Find links between them and the jobs you are applying for. Have you led meetings? Created marketing fliers? Increased profits for a retail job? These all count!

Create New Experience

• If you truly feel that you don’t have much experience to go on, use this time to create new opportunities. For example, you can do volunteer work or take part in an internship. You don’t need to get paid for it to count, just be sure that the experience you are getting is somehow relevant to the jobs you are looking for.

Show Your Intent

• While you apply for jobs, show your dedication to entering a particular industry. Get involved in discussions on LinkedIn, join relevant groups, and connect with people in your preferred industry. Also, attend networking events in your area. Many people still land jobs the good old-fashioned way – through word of mouth!

Partner with a Staffing Firm

• Because it is hard to apply for online jobs without work experience, it’s worth working with a staffing company. These agencies will get to know you and your qualities so that they can match you to a relevant position. Many of the employers they work with do not feature their open positions on the job listings in Jackson MS, which means you won’t find them on your own. Plus, your recruiter can help improve your resume, prepare you for interviews, and more.

Once you land a job in your industry, you will start gaining experience right away. You can then choose to move up within the organization or expand your services to another company. Either way, it helps to have a staffing agency on your team. Capitol Staffing works with people to help them find jobs, even those with little or no experience. Contact us today to learn more about our personalized solutions.