How to Find a Job Without Relevant Experience
You’ve spent weeks scrolling through job boards, practicing for interviews in the mirror, listening to job search podcasts, and telling your LinkedIn network that you’re looking for work. And finally, there it is: your dream job. It’s aligned with you in every way except one—you don’t have the experience they’re looking for. While the job may seem out of reach because your degree and/or work experience doesn’t match what they’re looking for in the job description, don’t lose hope.
Learning how to effectively show off your experience and transferable skills through your résumé and cover letter can help you land jobs as an entry-level professional or career transitioner.
Read on for tips on landing a job without relevant experience!
Link Yourself to the Role
If you don’t have the experience employers are looking for, try to find something you can use to link yourself to the role.
Take time to reflect on your education, previous work experience, and your everyday life to find something that you can use to show that you’re the perfect person for the position.
If you’re applying for your first job after graduating, you may be able to use your cover letter to discuss coursework or extracurricular activities that helped prepare you for this position.
For example, if you’re applying for a Marketing Coordinator position that requires being able to handle multiple priorities at once, you can explain how your experience as the Communications Chair of your fraternity or sorority helped you to learn how to juggle multiple projects at a time while staying on top of your schoolwork. This will show that you are up to the challenge of sticking to deadlines and managing many tasks at once.
If you’re applying for that same Marketing Coordinator position as a career changer, look for ways that your previous work experience relates to the job description. For example, if the job description states that they’re looking for someone who can effectively organize and maintain the marketing calendar, you can discuss your experience with coordinating your boss’s calendar and schedule as an Administrative Assistant. This will show that you are capable of successfully managing your own schedule as well as that of other workers.
Use targeted keywords in your résumé to help you link yourself to the role even further. Highlight your experience that most closely relates to the job description by choosing keywords that align with what the job calls for to describe your previous experience.
Understand What The Role Really Calls For
Go beyond the job description and find out what sets those who excel in this position apart from those who don’t.
Talk to people who have jobs similar to the one you’re looking for. Ask questions like “What’s required of this role that wasn’t mentioned in the job description?” and “What do the people who are the very best at this job do that others with this job don’t?”
Think about their answers to help you deepen your understanding of the role and use your cover letter as a place to emphasize your knowledge of the job’s requirements.
Whether you’re an entry-level job seeker or a career transitioner, showing that you know what excelling in this role takes can help you set yourself apart from more experienced people who don’t take advantage of the opportunity to show their understanding of what the job calls for.
Don’t Forget to Mention Your Soft Skills
Soft skills are a combination of interpersonal skills, listening skills, time management, and other non-teachable skills.
While you can receive on-the-job training to make up for a lack of experience, soft skills are something we all have to develop on our own.
Every employer wants to know that their staff members are able to effectively community with coworkers and customers, so emphasizing your soft skills can help you distinguish yourself from other applicants.
If you’re an entry-level job seeker, you can discuss extracurricular activities and group projects in your cover letter to emphasize your great communication skills. This will show the hiring manager that you’re a team player and that you recognize the importance of strong communication in the workplace.
If you’re a career transitioner, use your cover letter to tell the hiring manager about how your soft skills helped you to facilitate communication, lead teams, and/or keep the office running smoothly. This will show that you’re an excellent communicator and that you have no problem getting along with your coworkers.
Let’s Get You That Job!
Don’t let a lack of relevant experience stop you from going after the job you want. Use your prior experience and soft skills to show the hiring manager why you’re the perfect fit for the role and worth taking a chance on.
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