How do you get experience in jobs where you have none previously?

Question

I’m trying to change careers but struggling due to not being experienced. But how do I gain the experience? Volunteering isn’t an option for me as I need wages to live.

WindAtMyBack · Accepted Answer

Literally everyone out there starts out with no experience. Yet there are billions of working people in the world. So not having experience is not a barrier.

1) Find companies that will hire you without experience. People don't realize that companies are often more concerned about WHO the person is than their experience. That's especially true of entry level jobs.

2) Any experience, including unrelated experience is good. People think of minimum wage type jobs as dead-end job. They are not dead-end jobs. But more importantly they give people working experience. It doesn't matter if the experience is unrelated to higher paying jobs, it still helps in getting better jobs.

Also, if you are currently working, even in a completely unrelated low paying job, it makes it easier to get a job than if you are unemployed. Some managers don't like, or even refuse, to hire someone who is not currently working.

3) Attitude. This is huge. Be friendly, polite, enthusiastic and show a willingness to work and learn. Don't underestimate showing a willingness to learn.

4) With a career change, you need to accept that you will be starting over, or at least at a lower level than you were before.

5) At interviews, simply ask the interviewer for feedback. Ask what there are looking for in a candidate. Ask how you did in your interview. Ask for feedback on your CV or resume. Even if you don't get an interview, if you can get any contact at all with a company/manager ask them what they are looking for.

6) Ask others who are knowledgeable about your field of choice. Other employees, instructors at local colleges and universities, employment agencies, etc.

7) Ask co-workers and managers in your previous job (s) for feedback. Sometimes what you think was the most important experience in your previous jobs is not what a future employer thinks is most important.

8) Maybe the most important... be persistent. Apply for large numbers of jobs, even if you think you have no chance of getting them. Even if you know you don't want the job, apply for it anyway. The more jobs you apply for the better. Same with interviews. Never turn down an interview even if you think you don't want the job.

Job hunting and interviews take practice. So get as much practice as you can. Then when a job you really want is open, you will feel more confident and relaxed during the process. And hopefully you've learned from mistakes you made during previous interviews. Job hunting is an ongoing learning process - so don't let yourself get rusty at it.

FunkyMonkee · Accepted Answer

I've been asking the same question for decades!! They won't hire me because I don't have the experience but how can I get the experience if they won't hire me?
I've had over 60 jobs in my life, so far, and I've had prior experience in about 8 or 10 of them!!
Nearly every job I've ever had, I learned on the job, did so rather quickly and then, quickly figured out ways to get the job done faster and better!!
Just because someone has no experience doesn't mean they won't be able to learn how it's done rather quickly!
Best way to do it is, if they seem like they can do it, give them a chance for a day while you're still looking for good help and, if they manage to get on with it well, hire them and pay them for that first day! If they don't, pay them for the day, let them go and continue looking.

provokeesmokee · Accepted Answer

Add volunteering to your current job. The most successful people I know have volunteer commitments on top of paid work.

Don't do it instead, do it as well. Same with education or training.

Whatever you do to pay the bills now isn't where you'll always stay. Work to live, and then add extra time into building skills related to the field you want to work in.

Apply frequently, consistently, and network outside of your applications.

Spongebobssocks · Accepted Answer

You use your current experience from other fields/educations and highlight the areas in those fields that would benefit the field you wanna change too. Any experience you have that won't benefit the new field you limit down as much as possible. And you make it clear why you are intressted in the field and that you are eager to learn yada yada

sheikalana · Answer

I would advise you to have an impeccable CV and when applying for a job show how knowledgeable you are about the job role and the company you're applying for during the interview. Company's often do not want to hire newbies due to lack of experience but many companies would not mind. When you're not yet experienced you cannot be as picky when looking for a job I would send as many CVs as I could until I got a job. Good luck.

richardcory · Answer

Always tricky- but sometimes you can find a job that lets you use your existing skills but move into new ones as well. Without knowing what you already know and what you want to do, I can't make any specific suggestions.

OlderAndWiser · Answer

It might help if you told us where you live and what kind of job your seeking. How you go about becoming a brain surgeon is somewhat different from how you go about getting a job at the ice cream shop.

DextroShade · Answer

They should not allow jobs that are titled "entry-level" to require experience.

jahaims · Answer

The jobs I have had and I wasn't qualified for on paper I got through being the best at my job. I started in a low level and got promoted/cross trained. I then took those skills elsewhere and got paid more.

Anonymous · Answer

Maybe try looking for internships related to the job

KrakenAttackin · Answer

You find a job that specifically states "entry level".

Eelif · Answer

Meeting with experienced people

In_Trance · Answer

You want to be a cocksucker?

How do you get experience in jobs where you have none previously?

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What are some ways to land a job when you have no experience in that field?

How do you get experience in jobs where you have none previously?

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What are some ways to land a job when you have no experience in that field?

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