Youth employment 101: How to get a job with no experience

Entering the workforce for the first time can be an overwhelming thought.  Especially with the classic catch-22, you need to get a job to get experience, and every job position seems to need previous experience in order to get the job. Well, the good news is that there are lots of ways to get your first job without having any previous experience!

Show them how keen you are!

The fact that you are even looking at this post shows that you are motivated to find your first job and that is the most important step. Lots of employers don’t expect you to come to a job interview with your resume filled with experience, so embrace your inexperience and show them your willingness to learn and commitment to this potential job. People who are hiring are looking for enthusiastic people who will work hard, which previous experience can’t teach.

Find out what you’re interested in

One of the hardest parts of trying to get a job without having any past experience is not knowing what you might be good at to know what jobs to apply to. Thinking about your interests, skills and what you would like to get out of a job is a good place to start when starting about your working career. Talking to older friends and family who have already entered the job world is helpful to hear about their experiences and how they got their first foot in the door for their first job. If you are skilled in a certain area, doing some research to find out what jobs require your skill set and how to begin in this career path will help to give you some direction for the right next step to take.

Ever wondered what job you are most suited to?

Take our quiz and find out which job cluster best matches your personality.

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Take some courses

Even though you have no previous work experience, employers will be impressed if you have taken the initiative to put yourself through a course to make yourself more employable. Taking various courses to improve your professional and personal development will be a big tick from employers and you will also meet other young people in similar situations in your local area.  Courses such as improving your computer or people skills are relevant across many different jobs and industries and will help you get your first job despite having no experience.

And if can’t find any work straight away, make sure you stay busy and don’t lose confidence. Volunteer, participate in local community activities and be social. It can be tough for young people to break into the job world and not finding opportunities can be disheartening. But don’t worry, opportunities will come and you will achieve more, meet more people and find more opportunities by being out in the world than staying at home indoors. And this will make sure you are ready for when the right first job opportunity arises for you, remember enthusiasm and a positive attitude will get you anywhere.

If you’re a young person struggling to find work or know someone who could benefit from dedicated job search support, get in touch with us today. Through our network of local Service Partners, we deliver several youth-specific programs that can help you find the right job sooner.