Need a job to get experience… or do you?

 

Your job search can be frustrating, especially if you’re lacking the skills and experience that are crucial when attempting to compete with the thousands of other job seekers out there – but how do you get the experience without a job? How do you get a job with no experience?

Start from the beginning. 

Make a choice – start with the skills and experience you already have, and buffer them to impressive standards -or- start with the job description of the kind of work you’d like to be doing. (Skip to step X if this is what you’d prefer.)

1. Buffering. 

If you’re just looking for work -rather than something specific- you’ll benefit from filling out your CV with as much experience and as many qualifications as you can. If you are looking for something specific, tailor your content accordingly.

Take a look at your CV – what is listed under work experience? If this area is looking bare, volunteering can be an easy way to fill in the blanks. Not only does it provide you with new skills and experiences, it can open the door to new employment prospects.

What qualifications/licences do you have? Anything you’ve acquired at work, such as Health and Safety qualifications, Forklift licences or even a driving licence – list it. If you have the qualification/licence but have had no experience, then again, volunteer. You could try  St. Johns AmbulanceDo-it, and Prospects to begin with, but also approach businesses and ask if they would be willing to accommodate you in exchange for free labour.

2. The job in question.

Take the job description and analyse it. We’ll use this Customer Service Agent vacancy as an example.
———————————————————————————————————
Customer Service Agent required to work for a logistics company in Fradley park. This will be working in a busy customer service environment dealing with customers enquiries and requests over the telephone. The ideal person will have a good telephone manner, ideally have worked within a customer service environment but not essential. To be computer literate and be able to work under pressure. 

This is an IMMEDIATE Start for the right candidate, work until Christmas and may lead to longer. 

hours of work 
mon – fri 9:00 -18:00 based on a 40 hour week. 

Due to location you must have transport.

———————————————————————————————————-

Yellow: This section emphasises the importance of telephone manner, yet states that it is not essential to have worked in customer service before. If you’re lacking experience on the telephone, a voluntary call centre or administration job would be perfect for experience. If this is the kind of work you’re looking for, this is the action you will need to take,.

Green: Proving computer literacy may not require a certificate, but it should be emphasised on your CV. Imagine the recruiter/employer receiving your application, and immediately seeing that you tick all of the boxes.

Blue: Working under pressure is again something that you could prove with a degree – or is it? Gaining qualifications means working under strict deadlines, and at times very serious consequences for doing badly!

Orange: State that you have a full driving licence and access to own transport in your covering letter.

Recruitment agencies help a great deal, as we can assess enthusiasm – you may not get chance to interview directly for a company you’d like to work for, but here at Essential we pre-screen all our candidates, and it is our impression of you that decides whether to send you to work for our client. First impressions count!

Essential Recruitment is a Recruitment Agency specialising in the supply of temporary and permanent staff to Industry and Commerce sectors. Visit Essential Recruitment’s website to find out how our staffing solutions can help you.