Applying for a job with zero experience

When you come across a job advertisement specifying x number of years of experience, and you don’t have that experience, it’s easy to write yourself off. You may think that there’s no point in applying, because you don’t meet the job criteria. Whether you’re just starting out in the world of work or you’re looking to pivot into a new industry, lack of experience can be seen as a stumbling block.

However, lack of experience shouldn’t be seen as a concrete obstacle. Employers may be flexible, or willing to train a candidate with less experience if they see real potential in you.

In short, a specific requirement for previous experience shouldn’t be seen as a concrete barrier to making an application. By highlighting your transferable and soft skills, your adaptability and your willingness to learn, you could still tick all an employer’s boxes.

1.??Highlight your transferable skills

Even if you don’t have experience in that precise industry, the chances are that your previous experience will be directly or indirectly applicable to the role. For example, if you’ve previously worked in retail, that customer service experience will be valuable in hospitality and sales roles.

When writing a CV or cover letter, you want to demonstrate to the employer why you’d be the perfect candidate for the role – so be sure to frame your previous experience in a way that is relevant to the position you’re applying for.

2.??Emphasise your soft skills

It’s important to give some thought to which “soft skills” you have built up through previous experiences, whether professional experience, volunteering or extracurricular activities. Whether you have particularly strong communication and interpersonal skills, good attention to detail, creativity, leadership or organisational skills, these are all strengths that will make you stand out to a potential employer.?

Rather than just asserting or listing these skills (“I am an excellent communicator and adept at leading a team”), have some examples ready to back them up. Using the STAR approach, flesh out your past experience and show how it has broadened your skill set.

3.??Explain your motivation

If you progress to the interview stage, a question that is sure to come up is: “if your previous experience/qualifications have been in x, why do you want to work in y?”

It’s important to be prepared for this question. Employers recognise that career paths are rarely linear, but they want to be sure of your commitment to the role, to their company and to the industry more broadly.

Think about what first sparked your interest in the role – was it speaking to someone, attending an event, reading an article? And how did you follow up on this initial interest? If your interest in the role appears random or unsupported by a genuine interest in the industry, it may be more difficult to convince employers of your suitability.

4.??Research, research, research

When applying for a role, research is always key. But this is even more the case if you are applying for a role which is a departure from your previous experience or educational background.

The more knowledge you can demonstrate about a role or industry, the more the employer will see your genuine interest and commitment. Some knowledge will only come from gaining experience within the industry, but there are plenty of other ways to build a basic level of knowledge to build on. These include:

-???Networking

One of the best ways to find out what it’s really like to work in a certain role is to speak to someone who’s already working in that role or industry. People are often willing to be generous with their time to support someone who shows genuine curiosity about a particular area. Sites such as LinkedIn can be used to tap into knowledge sources, broaden your network or even to find a professional mentor.

-???Work experience

Taking on low-paid or unpaid internships won’t be an option for everyone, but it can be a valuable way to gain real insight and practical experience. Consider making speculative applications to local employers to see whether anyone is able to offer work experience or shadowing.

Alternatively, there are a wealth of online resources available to learn more about your chosen industry. These can often be done in your own time and can be fit in around your existing time commitments. For example, Forage offers a wide variety of virtual work experience programmes with leading companies across a broad range of sectors.

-???Further research

Nowadays it’s easy to access a wealth of resources at little or no cost. You can learn a great deal by reading books and articles, watching documentaries or TED Talks, or listening to podcasts relevant to your chosen field. In addition to building your knowledge, this demonstrates that you are self-motivated, independent and curious – all attributes valued by employers.

5.??Show your willingness to learn.

When applying to a role with little or no prior experience, you’re counting on an employer seeing your potential. You can stand out to the recruiter by highlighting your existing skills and applying them to the role, and showing your proactive attitude through research and networking – but ultimately, you’re asking them to recognise your potential rather than seeking the finished product. In many cases, employers will be willing to do just that in order to recruit promising talent.

If you’re ready to leverage your existing skills, curiosity and eagerness to learn and find your perfect role, dive into the job hunt with inploi’s search tool.

Keep an eye on the inploi blog for industry news, advice and more!