Having no experience is not a bad thing unless you cannot prove that you can do the job. If you are able to show that you have done similar jobs in the past or that you received good reviews, then it is proof of your skills.
But even if you don’t have any professional experience, that doesn’t mean you can’t write a great resume. You may be able to pick up some things here and there because there are people with less-than-perfect credentials who still landed their dream position.
Here are some tips to help you along when you don’t have much employment history.
Connect with the company on LinkedIn
One of the easiest ways to get job experience is by connecting with the companies you want to work for via LinkedIn. Companies use this social networking site to look up candidates or recruit directly from within their network.
By creating an account on their website, you can then connect with others in the workplace through matching departments or positions. If there are no matches, you can still apply, but you will have to include more information about who you are and what skills you have.
The way to do this is by linking yourself to each skill as a supporting document (PDF, VTT, etc.) and including it in your application. By doing this, the recruiter can read that documentation and determine if you are indeed able to perform the tasks being asked of you.
Maintain an online presence
Having a personal website is one of the best ways to get new employment opportunities. Yours can be your own domain name (i.e., google.com, youtube.com) or at least hosted on a free platform like WordPress or Tumblr.
By creating an online presence you become more accessible to potential employers. Since most companies now require their employees to have access to social media sites, putting up a profile isn’t as out-of-the-way as it was before!
Your profile can also contain links to other websites and/or blogs that portray who you are as a person. This helps create the context for what people may know about you already.
Making yourself available through various mediums creates an opportunity for exposure which could lead to interviews and even job offers.
Write and edit your resume
Even if you have no professional experience, you can create a great resume that makes an impressive first impression. You do not need past experiences or formal education to write a strong resume.
The key is to be honest but not too detailed with what you list on your resume. Do not include jobs that did not pay well or positions that did not fit your current career goals.
You do not want to appear like someone who made poor decisions in their job searches before! Hiring managers will likely assume that you failed to find other jobs due to bad leadership or lack of effort. People with few work experiences may seem unprofessional or unprepared.
However, employers look at past accomplishments and workplace relationships when deciding whether to offer you a position. If you have these qualities that show that you are motivated and able to learn from life’s lessons, you might not need to be a seasoned professional.
Proceed with caution
Even if you have no professional experience, that doesn’t mean you can’t write a great resume. It does require you to be able to articulate your strengths and weaknesses, however.
It also requires you to be honest about what you don’t know so that you can learn it as you go along. Don’t try to fake your way through by saying you’re familiar with something when you’re not!
In fact, don’t even start writing until you're certain that you understand the basics of whatever job you are seeking- there is no use wasting your time trying to sound like someone who knows what they're talking about if you don't.
Iterate on your website and/or socials
It’s totally normal to feel nervous when you are applying for jobs with no direct experience under your belt, but there is something that can be done to boost your confidence.
Many employers look at social media sites like LinkedIn to see if someone has posted about you. They also may do some research online to determine whether or not you have published material about yourself, such as through a LinkedIn profile or via your own website and/or YouTube channel.
In this case, it is very important to make sure that your online presence does not come across as fake or exaggerated. If possible, use sources such as Google to verify what you say about yourself.
Your online persona can easily be checked out by potential future bosses so keep an eye on things to ensure your authentic self comes through.
