How to get hired with no experience: Tips and strategies

Finding a job without prior experience can be a real challenge, and it’s commonly known as the experience paradox or the Catch-22 of getting a job.

Unfortunately, it can easily set your career back by several years, especially if you make the wrong decisions early on. However, there are ways to overcome this obstacle, and with the right strategy, you can break into any industry and earn what you’re worth.

Be the person you would hire

The reason companies prefer to hire experienced people is that there’s a big difference between someone who has the experience and someone who doesn’t. Even two years of experience can mean a lot in terms of learning the ins and outs of a job.

Be the change you wish to see in the world. (Mahatma Gandhi)

The first two to three years of college are all about learning to be a professional. Therefore, it’s important to take your career seriously and act like the person you would want to hire. The good news is that many companies are putting more emphasis on hiring for skills and character, rather than just experience.

Seek out these companies and make sure that you’re a professional with the necessary skills to do a good job. If you don’t feel confident in your skills yet, spend more time honing them.

Ask companies that hire for skills and character

If you want to find a company that hires for skills and character, you have to ask. Getting a job is not easy and requires a lot of manual labor.

Reach out to people in HR at companies you’re interested in and ask about their interview process. How does the application process work? What are the characteristics they’re looking for in candidates?

Use this information to apply for jobs you’re interested in, and make sure you’re meeting the company’s requirements.

Do free work

Demonstrating your skills can be more effective than talking about them. Offering to do free work for a company is a great way to demonstrate your skills in a real-life setting. Find a company you’d like to work for, be specific about what value you can provide, and identify a person you’d like to work for.

I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work. (Thomas Edison)

Reach out to them directly and explain your proposal. Also, send your resume along, so they can get an idea of your background. Be specific about what value you want to receive, whether it’s a reference, potential job, or experience.

Finally, be specific about the time frame you’re willing to work for free. In most cases, a few months are enough to demonstrate your skills, and it’s not something you should do forever.

Keep learning and improving

One of the key lessons for everyone launching their career is to consider themselves as learning machines. When you feel too proud to learn or work for free, you will get stuck sooner than later.

However, when you keep improving yourself and reaching out to people in the industry you want to work in, it will ultimately lead to a real job.

Therefore, never stop learning and improving yourself, and don’t be afraid to take risks and try new things. With persistence and the right mindset, you can overcome the experience paradox and achieve your career goals.