Whether you are returning to work after a career break or taking your first step into the working world following university or school, finding a job with no experience is overwhelming! It can be incredibly frustrating going through job adverts to be repeatedly met with “requires five years of experience” or “must have worked at a certain level.” Although this can seem disheartening, there are many opportunities for you to gain some quick and valuable work experience to help you land the job of your dreams!
Start With LinkedIn
If you don’t have any work experience, you’ll need to use social media sites like LinkedIn to build your professional network. LinkedIn is excellent for connecting with other professionals with similar interests and skills. It’s also a fantastic place to find potential employers.
A great way to build your confidence using LinkedIn is to comment on other people’s posts and create your own posts just once or twice per week. Doing this will gradually build your profile – and your network.
If, for example, you’re interested in pursuing a career in marketing, follow and learn from other marketers. Comment on their posts to build your network. For your posts, you could talk about something that interested you that week – perhaps an advert you saw, a company tweet, or a billboard. Spending just 15 minutes writing content about an issue you’re passionate about can help you develop success on LinkedIn, become known as a ‘go-to’ expert and lead to some invaluable networking opportunities…
Build Your Professional Network
If you don’t have any prior work experience, you might think networking won’t help you. However, it’s one of the best ways to find jobs. Start by joining LinkedIn, then follow up with other social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. You can use Twitter and Facebook, like LinkedIn, to discuss an issue you’re passionate about related to the type of job you are looking for. Perhaps you’ve created an Instagram portfolio of your graphic designs or artwork to share.
Whatever approach you take, you aim to talk to people and demonstrate your skills and knowledge, even if you lack professional qualifications or formal experience. Finally, reach out to friends and family who work at companies you’d like to apply to, and ask if they have any tips for making it there and any contacts they could introduce you to.
Write Your CV
Once you’ve established yourself as a candidate, you’ll need to put together a resume. Ensure it includes relevant details about your education, training, and career goals. Include links to online portfolios where possible. If your chosen career path is more creative, perhaps in design or fashion, think outside the box and share your portfolio in new, engaging ways. Don’t think you just have to list your skills for these roles. Use your imagination to catch a potential Employer’s eye.
For careers less centred on creativity and design, highlight academic experience. Remember when you’ve delivered presentations, completed projects and internships and solved problems. This doesn’t have to be at school or university, it can be managing a sports club, etc. For more tips on how to write a CV, read our blog post – How To Write A Great CV In Six Easy Steps.
Be Open to Volunteering
Many companies are keen for volunteers to work a few hours per week to help out. This is an incredible opportunity to gain experience and help a company with its workload, particularly if you’re working for a charity or social cause, which can be rewarding. Sites such as wemakechange.org list hundreds of opportunities to work for startups or Non-Profit Organisations. Completing a month or so of voluntary work a few hours a week can give you a great understanding of how a company within your sector operates and give you more experience to add to your CV/discuss in interviews.
Find a Mentor
Mentorships are a great way to learn new skills and gain experience. Many employers will offer mentorship programmes, so ask your current employer if they will.
You can also reach out to a hospitality staffing agency to connect with mentors and industry professionals who can provide guidance, advice, and potential opportunities in your field.
Alternatively, you can seek out mentors online through sites like UpWork.com.
Tailor your Applications with Job Keywords
Now is the time to apply for jobs online. This means creating a resume and uploading it to job boards like Investing In Women if you are looking for part-time, remote or flexible job opportunities, Indeed and Monster. Make sure to tailor your resume to each job advert. Be sure to include relevant keywords because larger companies, in particular, often utilise AI software that filters applications based on keywords. You can find these within the job description or by researching your intended role in more detail and seeing which keywords appear the most.
If you have made it to the end of this blog post, we have every confidence that you have what it takes to find the job of your dreams! There are many ways to gain experience quickly online and help others. You’re at a great starting point if you’re armed with passion, commitment, and a good understanding of your responsibilities!
Good luck!
Investing in Women is a leading UK job board helping you find your dream part-time, flexible or work-from-home job with the UK’s most family-friendly AND forward-thinking employers. Click here to find your dream job today.
Plus, get your free professional CV template and land an interview for your dream job here. Get ready to get hired!