Get a Job with No Experience
Landing a new job in today’s tough economic climate is difficult enough. Securing a role in an industry where you have little to no experience can seem downright daunting.
Maybe you’re a recent graduate looking to get your foot in the door of an emerging industry. Or maybe you’re tired of your current sector and looking for a new challenge.
Whatever your personal situation, there are many ways you can better position yourself for a successful entry into a new industry, even if you have never worked in it before.
Follow our tips below to make sure you’re doing everything you can to market yourself for the industry of your choosing.
Sell Your Soft Skills
Some of the most transferable capabilities you have are soft skills. What are soft skills? Attributes like communications, relationship building, problem-solving and time management are a few examples. These are skills that can be difficult to measure, but impossible to replicate or replace.
By promoting your soft skills, you are taking some of the attention away from your lack of specific experience. Show a recruiter or hiring manager how you can fit into their company’s culture, and you’ll have a better chance of leveling up to competitors who may only be focused on highlighting their relevant industry projects or experience.
If you are able to secure an interview opportunity, be prepared to describe how your soft skills have helped your companies in the past. Were you able to revamp a customer account by offering better communications and relationship building than your predecessor? Were you chosen for special projects by your CEO or executive leadership team due to your unique knack for creatively solving complex problems?
Try to tell these stories on your personal branding materials to sell yourself in the most powerful way possible.
Leverage Your Transferable Experience
If you have been working professionally for a few years, you can have confidence that you have experience that can translate across industries. Today’s job market is more fluid than ever before, with companies looking past industry-specific experience for talent who can step in and make an immediate impact with their specific skillset and value system.
If you’re coming out of college, there are likely experiences that can be translated into a powerful story that can convince a recruiter or hiring manager to give you a chance. Maybe you were heavily involved with your sorority or fraternity, or maybe you played a part in an annual fundraising event for a university program.
Take a Chance
Holding out for the perfect job when you don’t have any relevant experience can dramatically decrease your chances of landing a new opportunity. Sometimes in the job market, especially during times of intense competition, we have to be willing to compromise some of the things on our new job wish list.
You may not be able to land exactly what you’re looking for in terms of location, pay, benefits, title and responsibilities. But the more willing you are to sacrifice some of these items, the more likely you’ll be able to get your foot in the door of a new industry.
Stay true to yourself and your goals, but realize that every opportunity is different and all possible job prospects should be carefully considered.