Searching for a Job without any relevant work experience can be very hard and frustrating but not entirely impossible; think about it, in order to get 10 years of experience you must have started somewhere right? So how do you get started, here are a few recommendations;
1. TARGET WISELY
Understand that it is a very BRUTAL job market where employers are always bombarded with highly qualified applicants; this means that they will rarely take a chance on a candidate with very little or no experience.
As such, you must carefully target jobs you truly can prove you can succeed in–not just those where you think, “I could do that,” but those where you can excel with the strength and skills you already have. Frustration often comes from over estimating outcomes. It’s great to be ambitious and aim for the sky but it’s dangerous to lose sight of reality. In this case, your reality is that you have better odds chasing after entry level positions; anything higher will just be a bonus (a miracle even)
When you’re applying for entry-level jobs, most employers will not expect you to have a colorful resume full of experience however you need to emphasize examples of your dedication, curiosity, and commitment to learning and professional growth. Most business owners with entry level job positions are looking to employ young people who are ready to work hard and are eager to learn.
2. IDENTIFY/ENHANCE YOUR SKILLS
Sadly, even entry level jobs will require you to have skills; in fact, you stand a better chance if you get recognized certification to back these skills you claim to have for example computer skills, technical skills, communication skills, research skills, problem-solving skills.
Identify what skills people (friends and family) trust you with then enroll for professional training, get certified and ensure every potential employer knows you have these skills irrespective of your experience.
Remember to show off inter-personal qualities like friendliness, professionalism, responsiveness, and follow-through. Strong soft skills are a strong seller for an inexperienced worker especially if they are relevant to the company’s culture.
3. GET IN SOMEHOW
If you can’t find a paying job, hound your “dream” employer and see if they can let you work for free. This can be for 1 month, 3 months or 6 months. This strategy has valuable outcomes that may not be obvious when you first think about it for example, at the end of this period you will have actual job experience and whether they keep you or not, your resume will still reflect that experience. Secondly, you will meet and connect with many other people who can potentially open doors for you elsewhere. A “free” period in a company is not a very bad thing if you know how to make the most of it.
4. CLEAN UP YOUR NETWORK
There’s an old saying, “your network is your net worth” and a similar one that says “you are the average of the 5 people you spend most of your time with”
The first step to building a success driven personal network is to audit your list of friends; you must acknowledge that your days of abrupt partying and oversleeping are behind you, get rid of toxic, negative people who are not as visionary or ambitious as you are. After renewing your friend list, aggressively connect with everyone you know–and in turn with everyone they know–through social media, social events, dates, outings and make sure you make an impression always so that they remember you when it’s time to “hook you up” with jobs from their uncles, dads, friends or bosses.
There you have it! Don’t be discouraged by your lack of job experience, you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve with the right strategy and mind-set. Good luck!
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