How to Get A Job With No Experience

If you find yourself in the position of looking for a job and realize you have little to no experience, you may feel overwhelmed.

Be realistic about job opportunities. There are lots of entertaining movies about accidentally landing great jobs, but don’t be fooled. Trading Places is funny – but isn’t reality.

The key is to take the time to gather resources and references that will help you with your job hunt journey. Taking it one step at a time will help you feel more in control and directed.

First Things First

Before you have the chance to use your skills of persuasion in person, you need to create a ‘paper version’ of yourself – also known as a resume.

If you have little to no technical experience, there are ways to point to the qualifications or skills you have that will be an asset to the company.

For this crucial step in the job hunt, you want to focus on having a clean and relevant resume. Take some time to write out your ‘soft skills’. These are usually interpersonal skills important for success in the professional world. Employers value soft skills such as good communication and teamwork – those are hard skills to come by. This shows that you will be a good team player and have emotional intelligence.

Take some time to sit down and asses your soft skills, any relevant experience, and a list of references who could speak to your character and ability. Don’t be afraid to get creative with your resume – as long as it’s creative and not dishonest. Choose examples that best show who you are as a worker – your personality and ethic.

An example would be a volunteer job at a summer camp for kids. It doesn’t directly relate to the sales position you’re applying for; it speaks to responsibility and the ability to handle chaotic environments.

Check out this reference for creating a resume with no experience.

Showing Initiative in the Hiring Process

If you have packaged yourself well, you’ll soon have a foot in the door. Once a recruiter approaches you, make sure your communication style is clear, professional and shows interest.

If you take a week to respond to an interview invitation – it doesn’t look good. Return phone calls, emails or messages respectfully. Recruiters are busy and deserve your full attention… particularly if you have no experience to speak of.

There’s Never a Second Chance to Make a First Impression

Standing in front of the recruiter for the first time, you need to be certain that what they see and hear is what they want. Your goal here is to dazzle and convince a company to take you on, and that’s not always so easy.

Make sure you’ve put in an appropriate amount of time and attention to what you look like for an in-person interview. Dump the coffee, pop in a mint and make sure you’re wearing a wrinkle-free professional outfit.

Before you meet the recruiter, do your homework on the position and the company. Be knowledgeable about what you’ll be doing and how your skills can contribute to the workplace. Most interviews include cookie-cutter questions, so have some prepared answers to common questions that show your personality in the best light.

Be positive and show a can-do attitude. It does wonders for nailing an interview.

Putting yourself forward for jobs you’re unqualified for can be scary. If you experience some closed doors, don’t be afraid to get back on the horse. A recruiter will come by who sees the raw potential and will invest – as long as you do.

About the Author

Simon Chou is the Vice President of Operations and Growth at BCjobs.ca. Over the course of his career, he carved a niche in brand development,  marketing strategy, and online presence for startups. Prior to BC Jobs, he served as a marketing advisor for high-profile blockchain projects including Litecoin, NEM, and Ripple. He’s also worked with fortune 500 companies in the healthcare space.