Key Takeaways:
- No job experience means you never held a position similar to the one being, applied to or, more broadly, lack a traditional work history.
- You may be new to the working world, but that doesn’t mean you don’t possess the experience needed to land a role.
- The top attributes employers look for in entry-level candidates can be developed anywhere at any time.
Understanding how to get a job with no experience starts with confronting an absurd reality plaguing the labor market: postings labeled “entry-level” that demand a few years of work history as a baseline requirement.
You see it no matter what site you scroll – and the paradox leaves young people, such as recent college graduates and high school students hoping for a summer job, stuck in a frustrating cycle.
They can’t gain experience without a role and can’t land a role without experience. Breaking it requires a different approach than just blasting out generic applications and hoping for a callback.
In this blog, we’ll explore the strategies that can help you successfully kick off your career with little to show on a resume.
What Does It Mean to Have No Job Experience?
No job experience means you never held a position similar to the one being applied to or, more broadly, lack a traditional work history.
It generally applies to:
- Teenagers
- Recent graduates, and
- Career changers
Is It Hard to Get a Job With No Experience?
It can be difficult to get a job without any experience.
According to an analysis of three million postings across 25 different industries, more than one-third of entry-level roles required at least three years of work history.
But hard doesn’t mean impossible – and it certainly shouldn’t discourage you from applying.
That same study also found 42 percent of applicants lacked the desired amount of experience but that employers still considered them suitable candidates who they’d be willing to train.
What Jobs Can You Get With No Experience?
Some of the roles you might be able to land with no or little work history include:
Certified nursing assistant
As a certified nursing assistant (CNA), you provide basic care and support for patients, such as checking their vitals or cleaning medical supplies, under the supervision of a licensed nurse.
To become one, you must complete a CNA training program, which lasts four to 12 weeks, and pass the National Nurse Aide Assessment Program exam.
Certified nursing assistants make around $40,000 annually.
Receptionist
Receptionists perform administrative tasks for a company, including:
- Greeting clients and other visitors
- Copying, filing, and maintaining paper and electronic documents
- ·Answering the telephone and taking messages or forwarding calls
Specific responsibilities vary by employer. For example, if you work at a doctor’s office, you’ll be tasked with scheduling follow-up appointments as well.
Receptionists earn an average hourly wage of $18.
Sales associate
Retail shops need sales associates to boost business and ensure customer satisfaction.
They work the store floor, answering product questions, helping find items, and stocking shelves.
You don’t need a college degree or any formal training to become one.
Pay for most positions starts at minimum wage.
Construction laborer
Construction laborers assist tradespeople on work sites, helping them to keep projects moving along by:
- Cleaning work areas
- Operating equipment
- Loading building supplies
They provide training on the job. The average construction laborer takes home about $46,000 annually.
If you hold a bachelor’s degree, look for titles in your field of study with the terms junior or associate, which often indicate positions designed for candidates at the beginning of their careers.
What Do Employers Look for in New Hires?
You may be new to the working world, but that doesn’t mean you don’t possess the experience needed to land a role.
The top attributes employers look for in entry-level candidates include:
- The ability to work in a team
- Problem-solving skills
- Strong verbal communication
Each of those skills can be developed anywhere at any time – you don’t need to sit in a cubicle for them to grow.
Other qualities hiring teams value include:
- Strong work ethic
- Initiative
- Detail-oriented
- Interpersonal skills
- Flexibility/adaptability
How to Gain Experience Without a Job
When the description for an early-career position states “experience required,” employers don’t necessarily expect to see a resume filled with paid, full-time work. Instead, they look for demonstrated competency.
You can gain experience that demonstrates you possess the attributes businesses seek from a new hire without a job by:
- Volunteering
- Participating in sports or clubs
- Earning certifications
- Job shadowing or interning
- Working on personal projects
Then connect them to the skills employers value.
For example, if you lead a school organization, it highlights your ability to manage projects, coordinate with others, and take action.
Does Education Count as Experience?
Education counts as experience if you understand how to translate it into the qualities wanted by hiring managers.
Lean into group projects and major research papers that you aced.
Or lab work and advanced classes that taught you a skill required for the job. For example, nursing majors could highlight their clinical rotations.
Enrolling in an accredited online institution could be a great way to build your resume as well.
Options such as Portage Learning offer high-quality, engaging courses. The self-directed format allows you to study at any time and from any place with an Internet connection.
Tuition remains significantly less than the average per credit rate a public, four-year university charges in-state students as well.
You could also register for Portage’s first-year package, which allows you to complete eight general education courses for under $5,000:
- English Composition I
- General Psychology
- College Algebra
- Introduction to Statistics
- Nutrition
- American History II 1877-Present
- Introduction to Sociology
- Foundations of Public Speaking
Beyond earning transferable credit, the package adds to your knowledge and creates additional examples for you to discuss with potential workplaces.
How to Get a Job With No Experience (Step-by-Step Guide)
You might be scared at the idea of getting a job with no experience – but you can do it. Here’s how to strategically land a role:
- Build a master resume
Create an ATS-friendly, one-page resume that emphasizes your education and transferable skills.
You’ll need to tailor it for each application, but this gives you a strong base. When you find a role you want to apply to, tweak the resume by mirroring the language of the job description.
For example, if it asks for someone with strong organizational skills, replace a generic bullet such as “worked on class projects” with “collaborated with a five-person team to plan and present a semester-long research project.”
You should repeat the process for cover letters as well. - Target a few job titles
You may be tempted to apply for any and all positions that welcome entry-level candidates.
Don’t.
This approach makes the search messy fast.
Instead, choose two or three job titles that fit your needs and focus on submitting applications to those roles. The requirements will often overlap and allow you to apply more efficiently. - Build your professional network and experience
Who you know can make a huge difference.
According to Zippia, 85 percent of jobs get filled through networking.
If one of your contacts works at the company you apply to, it can help your application get noticed. Alternatively, they can serve as a reference for other roles.
Some great ways to connect with people include attending industry networking events and reaching out to businesses or individuals directly.
You should also continue to get involved in opportunities that build your experience outside of a workplace such as volunteering or job shadowing. - Track and follow up on every application
Once you apply, log it in a spreadsheet.
It keeps you organized. Include the date, link to the posting, status, and next step.
When possible, reach out to the recruiter by sending an email or messaging them on LinkedIn. You should briefly introduce yourself and explain why you want the role. - Prepare
Once your application lands you an interview, make a powerful impression.
Review the company’s website and be prepared to demonstrate your skills with concrete examples.
Make it a goal to genuinely connect with the hiring team by asking thoughtful questions that display your commitment to the role.
You should arrive 10-15 minutes early and wear clean, appropriate-fitting clothes.
Follow up with a thank-you note or email reiterating your gratitude and your fit for the position.
Your First Job Starts With One Application
Getting a job with no experience at first seems impossible.
Especially when a posting labeled entry-level demands a few years of work history.
Other parts of the process add to the frustration, too, such as:
- The increasing use of artificial intelligence to filter through applications
- Competition from hundreds of other candidates
- Uncertainty about what employers actually want
However, the cycle can be broken.
By highlighting skills built outside of a traditional workplace and approaching the job search with strategy, you position yourself as a strong applicant.
Your first role doesn’t need to be your dream job or require a perfect resume. It just requires you to take the first step.
Still looking for answers?
Check out the FAQs about this article below.
FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions
Is It Hard to Get a Job With No Experience?
It can be difficult to get a job without any experience. According to an analysis of three million postings across 25 different industries, more than one-third of entry-level roles required at least three years of work history.What Jobs Can You Get With No Experience?
Some jobs you can get with no experience include a certified nursing assistant, receptionist, sales associate, or construction laborer. Some of these require a degree, certificate program, or high school diploma.What Do Employers Look for in New Hires?
You may be new to the working world, but that doesn’t mean you don’t possess the experience needed to land a role.The top attributes employers look for in entry-level candidates include:
- The ability to work in a team
- Problem-solving skills
- Strong verbal communication
Each of those skills can be developed anywhere at any time – you don’t need to sit in a cubicle for them to grow.
