How to find a job without past work experience?
Understand that interview doesn’t get tiring for you only, it’s equally exhausting for recruiters. The simple mantra should be to make it as easy as possible for recruiters.
One of the most incredible superpowers of this era is having the opportunity to connect with people worldwide. The Internet is a fantastic invention. I remember reading about our ancestors and how difficult it was for them to get a job - they worked for survival.
On the other hand, we are working for the standard of living. So, when someone recommends you for the unpaid opportunity because of your lack of experience, choose to say NO 99% of the time - the 1% YES is for the exceptional opportunities.
Today, the majority of companies look for self-motivated candidates. The top two on the checklist are the willingness to learn and the motivation to keep it up.
Once you cross them from the checklist, go for the below-mentioned steps.
No work experience? Do this👇
#1 Get ready for the ride
The one advantage of having no experience is you are up for different ideas & you are interested to know more. And that’s what you should be using as your strength. Apply for all the jobs you think suit you and go on the adventurous ride (read interviews). Understand doing adventures with calculated risk and the safety net is adventurous. Otherwise, it’s only a wasted chance.
It’s a bumpy ride because you will get plenty of rejections - some because you are overqualified, some because you are underqualified, some because recruiters just didn’t see your profile, and some because you didn’t prepare well.
The best advice you can get is - to know your worth, be open to change & keep trying.
#2 Get into the mind of the recruiters
Understand that interview doesn’t get tiring for you only; it’s equally exhausting for recruiters. The simple mantra should be to make it as easy as possible for recruiters.
The professional networking platform Peerlist is the one-stop solution for that. A Peerlist profile can be used as a simple resume or a complete portfolio to showcase your proof of work. When a recruiter finds everything you have done, developed, and written in one place - it will show how you have gone the extra mile compared to others.
Every recruiter will appreciate your effort; the bonus is that it hardly takes 5 minutes to make the profile.
#3 Preparation is the key
Hard work beats talent. Be ready to dive head first. Prepare thoroughly for the before & after of the interview process as well.
While applying for a job, keep these points in mind -
Job Application - Update your resume according to the company & the job role you are applying for. Make sure to highlight those traits which go with the role - your profile is the first thing that will make the mark.
Getting ready for the job hunt - Job hunting has gotten easy for you. From finding to applying to talking to recruiters & scheduling meetings, you can do it all in one place - Peerlist.
You can find verified job listings. Get noticed by recruiters by showcasing your work.
Make good use of the SWOT analysis - Understand where you need to work on and what strengths need to be shown/mentioned in your job profile.
Retrospect - Review what you have done until now; any grammar or punctuation error is a big NO.
Networking - 70% of the hiring gets done internally by references & networking gives you the option to know about those openings.
Read how networking is your lifeline, take advantage of your existing network, or start building one.
Be overprepared - Make sure to prepare thoroughly for the technical round - no, you are not stupid, but you need to brush up on your knowledge & skill.
For more tips, check out - Applying for a job? Here is your checklist!
#4 Interview -
Storytelling is important. From your accomplishments to your plans, everything should feel like a story that will not keep the interviewers engaged, but they will also remember for a little longer.
Ask questions, provide opinions if asked, and try to have a conversation with them. Use data to show your credibility; for example, tell them how your project has helped 2X more people than you anticipated.
Give “Tips to stand out in an interview” a read to understand how you can do better in interviews.
#5 Focus on the soft skills
Skills you need to do particular work can be different from organization to organization, but some skills will be constant in your whole career. Skills like leadership, communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills. You have won if you can show how a particular soft skill will make it easier to learn a complex skill. That’s the goal for your profile.
#6 Ask for feedback
This is important if you have given plenty of interviews, but you are only getting a negative response. Reach out to the interviewers through the mail. Send a friendly mail asking them for their honest feedback and do the SWOT analysis to make the required changes. This is the best hack to improve your overall performance.
Bonus #
Keep the growth mindset and make sure not to stop learning - this is how you will have something to add to the conversation while networking.
Surround yourself with the people you want to work with - send cold DMs and try to pick people’s brains whenever you can.