If you’ve read the title of this blog, you may be thinking, ‘It’s impossible, I just can’t do it!’
Maybe you’ve never had a job before because you’ve focused purely on your studies, or maybe you have a Part Time role but you’re on the hunt for something different.
The key thing to remember is we’ve all got to start somewhere. Even though it’s hard to believe, even people like Steve Jobs start from zero experience – and Simon Cowell was once the person who fetched everyone’s coffee!
You’re not in this alone and there is hope. You don’t need several years of experience to make your CV shine, and here at Beam we wanted to list 5 ways we can help you dazzle that resume!
Volunteer
This is one of the best ways to get real working experience, immediately. The roles are unpaid, but the values and skills it could teach you are priceless. You’ll learn:
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Communication
- Time management
- Problem solving
- Organisation & planning
All of these skills look fantastic on a CV, and you’ll need pretty much all of them in the world of work.
If you’re thinking of volunteering in the UK, here are the sites we’d recommend:
- Prospects
- Do-it
- NCVO
- Reach Volunteering
- TimeBank
- Volunteering Matters
- Volunteer Now (Northern Ireland)
- Volunteer Scotland
- Volunteering Wales
Network
Get. On. LinkedIn.
We can’t recommend this enough. It’s full of potential employers and important discussions you could be a part of. You may not have all the skills employers are looking for, but you have a voice worthy of listening to, and you never know who you could connect with that may like the sound of your ideas!
As well as LinkedIn – if you have a passion – research any upcoming events that are on. Go out, meet like-minded people and see if you can make real human connections. You’ll be able to do a lot of this if you decide to volunteer, too. Sometimes all it takes is to bump into the right person.
Be Honest
Own the fact you have no experience.
The way you can do this is by writing an amazing cover letter. If there are gaps in your CV, or generally no work experience on there at all, explain why. Let them know other stuff you’ve been up to, your passions and why you think you’d be a good asset to the company.
You might not have work experience, but you won’t have been doing nothing!
In our blog 6 Common CV Mistakes and How to Avoid Them we discuss why you shouldn’t lie or make unproven claims on you CV. Being completely honest means you’ll never be put in an awkward situation where you’re asked to do something you simply can’t do.
Being honest and upfront about employment gaps is definitely the way to go.
Think about the skills you do have
You don’t need to have worked in an office for 3 years to have time management skills, communication skills or great writing skills. Yep, it can sure help us grow and strengthen that skillset, but you’ll find most people developed these skills back in school.
Think about your strong points. Are you a good reader/proof-reader? Are you great with Computers/IT?
We can promise you; you’ll have many skills you haven’t even realised; the workplace will just bring them out in you. (This is something you can mention on you cover letter and within your CV.)
Get creative
If you have no experience, you can always make your own.
Start blogging, create an online business selling bath bombs (or something else you’re passionate about), set up charity fundraisers and manage/organise them. Being proactive about this is the best thing to do.
It’s so easy to feel down, and wallow in self-pity, but you can do it. You’ll be surprised how creative you can get.
We hope this blog has helped you find things to dazzle your CV. Remember to check out our latest jobs page to see if any of our new opportunities are of interest to you!
