It can be pretty difficult and frustrating to get hired when you are a fresh graduate with very short or no years of experience. When the job description says, “five to eight years of experience” or “at least 12 years’ experience” you seem to wonder if you are employable.
However, many recruiters put years of experience in a job description because it is a good way to screen out unqualified applicants. Smart applicants, however, give it a shot, despite the obstacle of short years of experience. If you are a fresh graduate with few or no years of experience, here are five tactics you can use:
NATURAL APPROACH: Don’t hesitate to show your recruiter the progression of your growth. Reveal your ability to take on newer and more challenging work, by making reference to previous related works you have dedicated your life to learning more and increasing your expertise. For example, if you have sold things or doe some freelance jobs while in college or perhaps you are committed to women’s health developed through college leadership roles, summer internships and your choice of study. A recruiter will respect your dedication, signs of skill, and passion and willingness to learn more.
ENTREPRENEURIAL TACTIC: If you are someone with a history of conceptualizing and implementing new projects or products that create new revenue streams, that’s fantastic. Talk to the recruiter about how many people you have engaged in and the result you achieved. Mention environments you walked into and how you were able to make a difference.
SOCIAL MEDIA APPROACH: If you are the type of person who has displayed impressive skills in building a network of leaders or you have established yourself as a “thought leader” on social media. If you are the social media geek who has run a conference, or a meetup of like-minded professionals on social media, this is the strong points you should show your recruiters. Social media is an avenue for you to build your personal brand, thereby developing yourself to be someone who knows everyone in the field, who can begin to help you know everyone in the field.
ANTI-EXPERIENCE. There are certain fields in which a lot of experience can actually be detrimental, particularly in fields where rapid change is a constant. If you have little or no years of experience, you’ll need data to show why your fresh approach and lack of experience are important. There are some fields in which this is more likely to work than others. “I know I can do this job because everything I have delivered, from a metrics perspective, shows that I’m prepared for it” this is a good statement to make.
