Many employers are looking to hire candidates with experience, which can be difficult if you don't have any. If you're new to the workforce, or just looking to make a career change and don't have any industry experience, don't worry. There are a few things that you can do to make yourself stand out from the competition and convince potential employers that you're worth hiring and will be a good fit for the role.
Here are some tips on how to sell yourself in an interview if you have no professional experience.
Look up their website and read their press releases and industry news articles. Find out what they've been up to lately and why it matters to them (and therefore, why it should matter to you). If you can't find any information online, try calling their office or emailing them directly for more information about job opportunities for recent graduates or inexperienced professionals.
Studying about the company before applying or attending an interview shows hiring managers that you've done your research and you're a dedicated person. Employers are not only looking to hire someone who can do the job well but also someone who cares enough about the organization's success to do their homework before applying. It also shows that though you have little to no direct experience you're willing to understand what it takes to succeed at this job before taking it on (which is an added bonus).
What kind of experience does your dream job require? Do you have any of those skills already? If so, list them on your resume and explain how they relate to the job description. If not, find out if any other skills are transferable from previous jobs or internships to this position.
Transferable skills are the abilities that are useful in any business environment, regardless of the specific industry or job function. They include:
Communication skills: Being able to communicate clearly, concisely, and accurately is essential for success in any job. Employers want employees who can explain complex ideas clearly, listen actively and respond appropriately when someone else is speaking.
Organization and planning skills: Successful employees need to be organized and plan ahead so they can complete their tasks on time — even if unexpected issues arise during the day that rock their schedule.
Critical thinking skills: Critical thinking involves analyzing problems logically and creatively so you can come up with solutions
Teamwork skills: Teamwork is important in every workplace because it helps people collaborate effectively on projects and achieve goals more efficiently.
You might have gained some, or all of these skills from past jobs, internships, volunteer work, or projects, though it might have been in a different field of endeavor. Use examples of past projects or other accomplishments from outside of work to showcase these skills.
The trick is to show that you have the knowledge and skills that you'd need for the position you're applying for, even if the knowledge and skills were gained from your experience working in other fields of endeavor.
"The most important thing is to demonstrate how you're going to perform the job," said Alexandra Levit, author of Blind Spots: The 10 Business Myths You Can't Afford to Believe on Your New Path to Success, and former leadership coach for Google. Showing that you have transferrable skills — like being able to analyze data or solve problems — will go a long way toward convincing an employer that you'll be able to do the job.
Think about what skills you may have that can be applied in a new job. Is there anything you did in college or during internships that can be transferred into your new career? Did you take on any leadership roles? Did you manage projects or teams? Did you volunteer on campus? Did you start your own business? Even if your answer is no, it's likely that there were some valuable experiences that you've had that will make you a better employee.
For example, if you've volunteered at a nonprofit before, and a job position you're applying for requires someone with strong organizational and leadership skills, you can demonstrate competence for this new role by emphasizing how you've used those skills to achieve results during your volunteer work at the nonprofit.
Another example: If you were a customer service agent, then show how your past experience helped you develop excellent communication skills and how that translates to an ability to work with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
With some thinking, you can establish these connections between your transferable skills and what recruiters are looking for in the new position you're applying for.
When you're applying for a job with no experience, it's important that you show recruiters how your skills could help them achieve their goals.
If you've worked anywhere in the past, use those job descriptions as proof of what you can do — even if they aren't related to the job you're applying for now. It's hard to quantify soft skills like customer service or time management unless you've actually done it before. So, identify these types of skills that you currently have in your arsenal, and connect them with skills or requirements that recruiters want in the position for which you're applying.
For example, if they want someone who's organized, be sure to mention how well-organized you are and provide examples from your past work experience or school projects where this was evident.
Or, if they're looking for someone with marketing experience, show them how your proficiency in writing and editing will be useful in creating content for their website and blog posts. If they want someone who's familiar with social media marketing campaigns, explain how you've used Facebook ads or Twitter marketing campaigns successfully in the past.
Listing these types of experiences on your resume can give hiring managers an idea of what you're capable of doing and what kind of person you are (i.e., someone who gets things done efficiently).
Your resume should highlight your skills rather than your lack of experience. Don't just list any job you've ever held — focus on experiences that relate directly to the position you're applying for.
Highlight your transferable skills in your resume. If you don't have direct experience, look for ways to demonstrate transferable skills that can help you perform on the job, such as leadership or project management abilities. If there are gaps between jobs where you weren't actively seeking employment, explain what you did during those periods in your cover letter or interview.
The first thing employers see in your application is your cover letter. Make sure it's well-written, professional, and shows why you are qualified for the position. Use bullet points and short paragraphs to highlight your skills and include examples from past experiences — even if they were volunteer or educational.
Pro tip: Even if the recruiters did not request for a cover letter, attach a well-written cover letter to your application package because it's your opportunity to make your case and show the hiring managers why you would be a great fit for the job though you don't have experience.
References aren't just for people with experience; they can also help support your claim that you can do the job well. If possible, ask people who know about your skills and abilities to write letters of recommendation for you (or at least provide contact information). These letters should be brief but professional, written on letterhead paper with contact information included at the bottom of each page.
Many people want to get into a career in which they can make a difference, but don't have much experience. If you're one of them, take advantage of your volunteer work to show how valuable your skills are.
Volunteer experience is a great way to show off your value and get the attention of potential employers. Whether you’ve volunteered with an organization on a regular basis or just once or twice, this experience translates into real skills and knowledge that can help land you that job.
Volunteer work can be just as valuable as paid work, especially if it's related to the job for which you're applying. If you've volunteered at an organization or event that has something in common with the employer's business or industry, highlight this volunteer work on your resume and cover letter. Use this experience to show potential employers what you can do by highlighting specific skills that helped make your volunteer efforts successful.
Instead of focusing on all the things you don’t know about your new career path or industry, focus on showing how quickly you can learn new things. This shows that you're an eager learner and someone who will be able to contribute right away.
Demonstrate your ability by sharing examples of past projects where you've had to learn something new in order to complete them successfully and efficiently. This shows employers that they won't have to spend time training you on basic tasks like using email or creating documents; instead, they can focus on helping you acquire new skills that will be useful throughout your career at the company.
You can also prove your ability to learn quickly by showing that you've taken an online course or completed an online certification program and learned a lot from it, and you were able to use that knowledge to achieve measurable results.
Or if you're applying for a sales position and don't have any sales experience, mention that you've learned about sales through reading books or watching videos online.
These are excellent ways to show your potential employer that you know how to learn new skills quickly.
If you're passionate about a particular career path, going beyond your day job to pursue something related can show an employer that your interest is real, says Mark Murphy of Leadership IQ.
For example, if you want to be an art director one day, volunteering at an advertising agency or doing freelance work on the side could help prove your commitment and skill set. If you want to work in marketing, start a blog about marketing or create content for marketing sites like HubSpot. If you want to work in sales, start selling something on eBay or Craigslist — anything that lets you build up your sales skills without requiring any formal training or certification.
Or you could even take an online course to equip yourself with relevant skills and knowledge.
When you're just starting out your career or switching to a new career with no experience, volunteering is a great way to gain some experience while helping others out at the same time. Volunteer work shows that you're willing to go above and beyond what's expected of someone in their normal day-to-day routine — something any employer would love!
You can look for volunteer opportunities through local nonprofits or community groups like Meals on Wheels or Habitat for Humanity, etc.
Another good thing about volunteering is you'll get to meet people within the industry you want to break into whom you might not have met otherwise. And these people could provide referrals or references that could eventually help you land your dream job.
You can also use your volunteer experience to show recruiters how you've put your skills to practice. It's also an opportunity to demonstrate your commitment and passion towards building a career in this new industry when applying for paid roles.
If there are any industry events or conferences happening near where you live or work, consider attending them because they'll give you valuable insight into what companies are looking for in new hires and what skills they value most highly. It will also give you insight into challenges and trends in the industry. And this information can help you come up with ideas and strategies that a potential employer might find interesting.
This is a great way to get your foot in the door. If your potential employer is hesitant about hiring someone without experience or if the job requires lots of training or prior experience, offer to come in as an intern first and then transition into paid employment after a few weeks or months. During this time, show your dedication by working hard and learning as much as possible about the industry. This will give both of you time to see if it's a good fit and will also allow you time to acquire any necessary training or certification.
Your excitement about working at a particular company is contagious — so don’t be afraid to show it! Showing an employer that you care about their business shows that you’re invested in their success as well as your own future with them.
While starting out on a new career path without direct industry experience might be daunting, with some creative thinking, resourcefulness, and persistence, you'd eventually get job opportunities. Use these ideas to make yourself stand out from the crowd, and convince employers to give you a shot.