How to Get a Job with No Experience: A Job Seeker’s Guide

Whether you are a first-time job seeker or a career switcher hoping to pivot to a new field, the job search can be equal measures exciting and nerve-racking.  A new career is in sight, but how do you get it, especially when you lack relevant or no experience?

If you’ve been asking yourself this question, this article is for you.

Here, you will find eight tips on how to get a job without experience, including actionable explanations and concrete examples to help you get started. 

Your next job could be right around the corner. Read on to explore how to land it. 

How to get a job without experience: Tips and examples

A lack of experience doesn’t mean you can’t land a job. It just means you have to go about the job search strategically. The following eight tips can help you do just that.

1. Aim for entry-level positions.

Entry-level jobs are the earliest positions on a career path. Unlike more senior positions, entry-level jobs don’t expect applicants to possess years of professional experience. As a result, focusing your search on entry-level positions will improve your chances of getting a job that can lead to something even bigger. 

Check out a few ways to find entry-level positions online: 

• Go to a job platform and search “entry-level [job name].” For example, someone looking for an entry-level marketing position might search “entry-level marketing” on LinkedIn. 

• Research the title of a specific, entry-level position in a field that interests you and search a job listing site for that title. For example, someone might search “junior marketer” on FlexJobs. 

• Go to the job listing page of a business or company that interests you and search for any available entry-level positions.  

2. Tailor your CV. 

Your CV is your opportunity to highlight the value you can bring to your next employer. However, not all employers require the same skills, experience, or qualifications—even when advertising for the same position.

Employers have different needs and will highlight various aspects of a position in a job description. As a result, it is essential to tailor your CV to each specific position you are applying for to improve your chances of getting an interview. 

To tailor your resume, follow the steps below: 

1. Create a “master” CV with the qualifications, experiences, and skills you need to highlight for the type of position you are interested in. 

2. Once you have identified positions that interest you, read through each job description and highlight the skills, experiences, and qualifications that match your own for that specific position. 

3. Tailor your “master” CV for each job by highlighting the specific skills and experience emphasised in their job postings. When possible, mirror the language used to help you get through automated hiring tools like applicant tracking systems. 

4. Customise your cover letter by highlighting the skills and experience you highlighted in your CV, again using similar phrasing to the job.

5. Apply and repeat for future positions. 

3. Highlight your transferable skills.

Your transferable skills are the skills you bring from one job to another. These can range from technical skills like coding and wireframing to sought-after workplace skills like communication, problem-solving, and the ability to deal with complexity and ambiguity. 

When you lack prior work experience in a field, highlighting your relevant transferable skills is a good way to demonstrate your value to an employer. For example, someone applying for an entry-level IT support job might highlight the communication skills they previously developed in a sales position or as a high school debate club member. 

Whether you realise it or not, you likely already possess some of the skills you need to do your next job, even if you haven’t worked in the field before. 

4. Emphasise your education and extracurriculars.

Work experience isn’t the only thing that prepares us for a job. Our previous education and extracurricular activities do, too.  

If you need more relevant work experience, consider emphasising the skills you developed through your studies or as a part of an organisation.  For example, someone applying to an entry-level UX design position might emphasise the specific skills they learned in design-oriented courses they took as an undergraduate. A recent high-school graduate applying for a job as a server might highlight the communication skills they honed as a member of a community leadership organisation. 

5. Build experience by interning, volunteering, or doing it yourself. 

If you are still trying to identify any relevant skills that prepare you for your dream job, consider interning or volunteering at an organisation that could provide the necessary experience. 

Through internships and volunteer opportunities, you can familiarise yourself with the field and understand day-to-day tasks while padding your resume with relevant experience.

For instance, someone looking to find work as a project manager might volunteer at a charity that organises citywide cleanup efforts to gain experience working on large-scale projects. Meanwhile, an aspiring social media manager might intern with a start-up's marketing manager to get hands-on experience handling a business’s social media accounts.

You can take matters into your own hands by working on a portfolio that showcases your abilities. Doing so can be an excellent way to highlight your abilities to potential employers with real-world examples. 

6. Build a network. 

Your network has the potential to be one of the best ways to find job opportunities and meet face-to-face with employers. Your network is anyone you know, whether in a personal or professional capacity, such as a friend from school days, an ex-colleague, or someone you know through a social club. 

Network contacts can provide references and inform you about openings before they are advertised. Social media, including professional platforms like LinkedIn, is a great way to connect.

Whether you already have an established network or not, you should take time to build and nurture relationships with contacts throughout your career. Some common ways to connect with people in an industry that interests you include: 

• Attending industry networking events

• Reaching out to companies or individuals in the industry directly

• Creating your group focused on the industry

7. Take courses to build in-demand skills.

Another way to build your skills and qualifications is to take educational courses, obtain credentials, or pursue a degree. 

Today, you can find various options to develop your skill set further. While colleges provide cost-effective courses and work-based qualifications, universities offer the opportunity to study a subject in-depth and obtain a degree. Professional Certificates, meanwhile, train individuals in specific skills such as cybersecurity. 

Many universities and organisations also offer online educational opportunities. Coursera, for instance, has partnered with over 170 leading organisations and universities to provide over 7,000 world-class courses, hands-on projects, and job-ready certificate programmes. You can earn a degree online from world-class universities like the University of Pennsylvania. 

8. Keep at it and evaluate your tactics. 

Every job search is different. While some might land a job in a few weeks, others find it can take many months. It takes an average of 3.8 months to get a job in the UK, which includes 6.5 hours per week dedicated to your search, but in some cases, it can be even longer or much quicker [1]. Many factors can impact the job search, so remain positive, even if it takes longer than expected. You can get a job.  However, you might consider adjusting your strategy. For example, perhaps you should spend more time growing your network. You might also consider getting an internship or taking an educational course. 

Take the next steps on Coursera

Despite lacking experience, getting an exciting position to begin or advance your career is possible. Highlight your transferable skills, emphasise education and extracurriculars, and work on building your network. With determination and a proactive approach, you can overcome the challenge of how to get a job with no experience.

Empower yourself by being proactive during your job search. Consider taking a flexible online course as you prepare for your next job. Through Professional Certificates, you can develop job-ready skills for such in-demand jobs as social media marketing and project management.