You need experience to get a job, but you need a job to get experience, sounds Ludacris right? Maybe you just graduated and you’re out in the market looking for your first real job. Or perhaps you’re looking for a career change and ready to try something totally new. But either way, you’re probably facing a major challenge for job seekers – trying to get a job without experience.
Good news – You don’t need magic, you just need to be creative. Follow these three tips to help beef up your application without making it sound like a bunch of nothing.
2. Promote your soft skills – Soft skills, for those not familiar with the term, mean those abilities that are not related to specific information or knowledge. Soft skills are more than a buzzword, these skills can help you get a job and keep it. Think of it this way, who would you rather hire – a good accountant who follows routine or an aspiring accountant who is hardworking, flexible and a critical thinker?
2.Employers look for proof you’ve got the right hard and soft skills. It’s cliche to include “Hardworking, Communication Skills, and Leadership Skills.” in your CV. Here’s how to do it-
Take a look at the Job description e.g Individual must have strong oral and written communications skills along with demonstrated team building and leadership skills.” – The employer just told you what to say. If you truly possess these qualities, then you can edit your CV properly e.g Effective decision-making skills (leadership), Listening skills (communication skills), Coordination skills (team building). This is more personal and direct, not common yet it steers towards what the employer is looking for.
Do your research to find out which soft skills are most valued by which types of jobs, for example, the soft skills important in sales are different from those in human resources. Want to learn more about Soft skills? Click here
2. Flatten the learning curve – So you’re fresh out of school or looking to change career paths, employers avoid newbies because not everyone has the time, money or energy to train one. What can you do? You can flatten the learning curve. Identify your career path and acquire the necessary knowledge to help employers know you’re prepared.
Imagine having key certifications for a role you haven’t even started, employers will know right away you’re a fast learner plus you’re ready and willing to take on anything they throw at you. You may have to start from square one, with a low pay package, lower position in the organization and so on. You will have to prove yourself to climb the professional ladder.
You have to look beyond the basic tertiary level education and acquire strategic and core skills for the path you want to choose. Understand and learn the tactics and fundamentals of your new career skills. It will help you develop a certain type of background to prove your competence in this new field.
3. Network – Yes, we know you’re tired of seeing this advice but trust us when we say, it can’t be overemphasised. Networking is key to ensuring recruiters know that you are hungry for a new opportunity, whether attending local networking events, jobs fairs or online events.
It is no secret that in many cases, it is all about who you know, so if you have an active social/professional life, you might be more inclined to rub shoulders with potential employers or at least someone who could put in a good word for you. Employers are more likely to overlook a gap in your experience if you come with a recommendation from someone they can trust.
Okay, you follow them on social media and you haven’t been able to get a response but what about online events? Virtual career fairs, live events and the likes? If you have time on your hands, you could even consider volunteering or interning. This will help to boost your CV when it comes to the application process. If you would like to work at a certain company, you could even offer your services free of charge. This shows real commitment on your part.
