What to write on your resume if there is no suitable work experience

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Found the perfect job and realized that this is the job of your dreams? There is just one small problem: you have literally zero experience in this specialty. Maybe you decided to drastically change the field of activity or just graduated from the university without having a single normal internship behind you. And you need to design your resume to look like a worthy candidate. How to do it?

There is no cause for concern. You can include a few interesting points about yourself, use a couple of styling tricks - and present yourself in the most favorable light.

Relevant and broadly applicable skills

Most resumes begin with a listing of previous jobs in the same field or an indication of a specialized education. This becomes a serious problem if you can't boast of either.

Instead of first pointing out that you were a waitress or selling luxury real estate and thus confusing your employer, start by listing your skills and abilities.

Don't say you don't have any skills. There must be a reason why you thought you could do the job. Perhaps you can use the skills you acquired in a previous job, or you learned something while at university by pursuing your own projects. In any case, if you are changing the field of activity, briefly talk about all your skills at the very beginning of your resume. If you are a graduate, then post a block listing your skills immediately after graduation.

Suitable third-party and academic projects

Academic, student projects are also serious achievements, so they should definitely be included in the resume. The same goes for third-party projects that you did while working. List them and indicate what you did, what the task was and how you coped with it.

Don't feel like you can only list paid full-time work as an experience on your resume.

If you had several interesting projects, select a whole section for them in your resume. Think about how the experience gained can be useful to you in your professional life. Was it a study related project? Or did you agree to help someone for free and realized that in this direction you want to continue to grow as a professional? By separating projects into a separate section, you will help the employer quickly understand that this was a valuable experience that he needs to consider when considering your candidacy.

Enthusiastic or unusual cover letter

Of course, the cover letter is not part of the resume, but you need to remember that the resume must be supported by strong copy from yourself. And this is especially important if you do not have relevant experience or an outstanding career path.

Find a way to connect your passion and life experiences to the company, and then explain how this will help you jump-start if you are hired. And you will find that this is exactly what employers expect from yesterday's graduates.

Ryan Kahn Employment Expert

This is true for those who are changing industries, but you have the advantage of having a little more experience to get you started right away. A cover letter is a great opportunity to find connections between the needs of the company and the skills you already possess. And more specifics! After all, you really want to explain to hiring professionals why your unusual experience is an advantage. By reading your cover letter, they will give you an accurate idea of why you should be hired.

Mastering a new profession is not easy, especially since employers are mainly looking for people with two or three years of experience. These requirements can be overcome: list your skills, include academic and side projects, ignore the standard resume rules, and don't forget the cover letter. Then you can be sure that you will soon attract the attention of employers.