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If you’re looking for how to get a job with no experience, you’re in the right place. While this isn’t easy for most people, you can do it if you follow the right steps. Keep reading for the best ways to find a job without any experience.
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Entry-level jobs are the earliest positions on a career path. Unlike more senior positions, entry-level jobs don’t expect applicants to possess years of professional experience. As a result, focusing your search on entry-level positions will improve your chances of getting a job that can lead to something even bigger.
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When you apply for jobs without experience, always look at the job description and try to identify what skills and traits the employer wants. What’s mentioned first, or most often? Even without experience… think about courses you’ve taken, projects you’ve completed, internships, volunteering, etc.
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And think about how all of this relates to the job you’re applying to. What seems most important on the job description? Leadership? Problem solving? Ability to work without close supervision? Now highlight what they’re looking for in all of your past experience on your resume.
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You can do this by reordering items on your resume as well as adding bullets and other content if you notice a gap between what the employer wants and what you mention. While customizing your resume is going to make a job application take longer, you’ll get more responses.
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Spend 20–30% of your job search time sending emails to companies that aren’t advertising the perfect-fitting job. Why? Less competition. You never know when a company is about to start hiring, or growing and open to adding new entry level people even if they don’t “need” it right away.
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One of my previous companies always did this. Sometimes they actively recruited recent graduates or people without any work experience, and sometimes they stopped or paused the recruiting efforts. But if someone great emailed us, or was referred to us, we’d ALWAYS interview them.
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That’s one of the most powerful ways to get into a company because if you come recommended, you’ll immediately be more trusted and seem like less of a risk to hire. If you’re a recent graduate, one of the best places to start is to ask former classmates and friends who already found jobs.
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Find out if their companies are hiring more people without work experience. Don’t be apologetic or timid when you ask them either. Sometimes these companies offer a BIG referral bonus to the current employees if they refer a new hire. So you might be making your friend hundreds or even thousands of dollars (seriously!)
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To be clear: You shouldn’t spend your entire day applying to a high volume of positions online. That alone won’t find you an entry level role. However, if you’re also networking, emailing recruiters directly, etc., (slower, more targeted, thoughtful method) then there’s also room in your job search for some quick online applications.
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It’s certainly possible that you land your dream job through an online application. And LinkedIn is the best place to do it, thanks to their Easy Apply feature, which allows you to apply in just a few clicks and often without a cover letter. And you don’t need a strong LinkedIn presence or many connections.
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Decide on set hours that you’ll apply each day (yes, it takes hours per day). Keep a consistent routine and hold yourself accountable. It’s like a job, but you’re the boss and you need to be honest with yourself about how much effort you’re giving, and if it’s enough you need to do something about it.
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None of the other steps in this article will help you get a job without work experience if you don’t put in the time. That said, there ARE some ways to save time…
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When you’re trying to get a job without work experience, your academic experience is your work experience. Think back to class projects, presentations, internships, and even individual work you completed as a part of your education. You can emphasize this on your resume and in job interviews to show employers that you’re a great fit for their role.
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You can use your academic work to highlight job-related skills (such as Python programming, Excel, or financial analysis) as well as soft skills like leadership, public speaking, multitasking, and more.
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You can use your academic work to highlight job-related skills (such as Python programming, Excel, or financial analysis) as well as soft skills like leadership, public speaking, multitasking, and more.
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Here’s another effective way to get a job with no work history: Enroll in some online courses and certifications. The right course for you will depend on your situation and goals, but don’t neglect to look at this option if you’re trying to get a job with no experience and feeling stuck.
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Beware of expensive certifications, though; you can often find a similar education for much cheaper on sites like Skillshare (mentioned above). And while some specific certifications are well-known and highly-regarded (Like the PMP certification for project managers), many are just used to entice job seekers into paying a lot of money.
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If you want to find an entry level job, it’s important to show a positive attitude in your interviews. Think about what traits or signals an employer is looking for as they search the job market. What could entry level candidates do to impress them, personality-wise? What might some entry level candidates be doing that’s a turn-off?
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To land your first job, or any entry level jobs, you want to seem like you’re enthusiastic, coachable, honest, and hard-working. Employers will hire an entry level candidate based on potential to learn and grow, even if you don’t have any prior job experience or relevant skills for the exact position.
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At the same time, hiring managers may not hire an entry level candidate with some relevant skills, if that person seems like they’ve got an attitude problem, is arrogant, not a team player, etc. So make sure you’re showing the right traits and soft skills to land your first entry level job.
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This is another place you can save yourself a ton of time in your job search. Track where you’ve applied, and send a follow-up email after the application if you haven’t heard feedback in five business days. It takes 10% as much time to follow up as it did to send the initial job application, or probably even less. Definitely worth it.
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But you can only do this is if you stay organized and actually track where you’ve applied and when. I recommend keeping a simple Excel spreadsheet with a few columns: – Company name – Position title – Date you applied – How you applied (email, online form, LinkedIn, job board, etc.)
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– Followed up yet? (yes/no) – Response? (no response, declined to interview me, interested in interviewing me, interview scheduled for __)