How on earth am i suspose to get a job if i have no work experience?

Question

I got the qualifications in administration... but no work experience. Not even retail stores/cleaning operatives or bar/pub work are prepared to take me on. I've even offered to do free work for them - like a trial period to see how i go.. but they dont want that. Ive done volunteery work , but they wanted people with 'paid' work experience.

Ive been job searching for over 3 years now, must of had over 100 interviews, but nothing ... they always say that i dont have enough valid work experience, they decided to choose someone who is more experienced in this field...

Ive begged, cried, plead, even used tactics like a sales person would to try and sell my cv to them.. but no.. i dont enough work experience.

How on earth am i suspose to get a job if i have no work experience?

Its dragging me down..

Answer 1

Its unfortunate that you are caught in one of the two worst traps in jobs; If you are not working they dont want you, and if youve never worked, they don't want you. You'll be glad to know most people go there, and get through it.

Qualifications are good as it lays a foundation of knowledge, now you want to get out there. Try this:

1) Review your CV; I laugh at people who did their CV 2 years ago and claim its fine. Are the dates right, Are your referees up to date, have you gained any new skills etc. Recruitment websites will have a ton of stuff about this.

BTW: What are you doing now; "Unemployed" is a big turn off, but careful position planning for the right company" seems more positive. Think about showing things in good light.

2) Register with Temping agencies. Temp jobs provide you with a brief period of work at various places to fill in for staff who call in sick or who leave. This is a good experience builder, builds good contacts, and looks better on your CV than a blank slab.

3) Pay regular visits to the local Jobcentre. When I was on Jobseeker benifit, I went to sign on every second Monday, so whilst there I did lots of job searching. It was a good way to do something productive.

4) Read as many joblisting sources as you can, papers, websites, trade publications etc. Look for anything asking for Office Junior, Admin Assistant, Receptionist. These Junior positions are the best start. On the other hand, don't even think about Office Managers, PA, Exec. Secs etc. Aim your sights realistically.

5) Dont Beg and Plea. No employer will give you a job for the sake that you want a job. Make them think its the company you want to work for that draws you in. You may then be able to be a little hard to get. Make them want you rather than you want them.

6) Stay positive. Everyone gets into that trap, and people get out. I left school and was jobhunting for 2 years before I got a job as a telephonist in a hotel. Today I am a Hotel consultant, dealing with business running and recruitment matters. Before that, I was a Hotel Front Office Manager. All from a job answering a telephone everyday. Start small and work up.

Best of luck in your job hunting, and I hope this turns out positive.

Answer 2

You've had it hard there!

One of the biggest barriers to getting a job is .... not having a job.

It must be self-reinforcing, the more interviews you do and fail, the more you feel your going to do badly, which isn't a good state of mind to go for interviews in.

If you go for unqualified jobs, maybe they're worried you'd just move on.

On the other hand, a qualification is no right to a job.

Certainly don't hide inexperiece or be ashamed of it, but try not to appear 'desperate' - everybody's on a trial period to start with anyway, and only a rogue would expect you to work for free.

You need to develop a positive framework for interview. Pick out the negatives you may use in interviews, and try and replace it with a gently positive moving forward vocabulary, without going over the top.

Can job centres or some other agency help with interview technique support?

Good luck.

Answer 3

Lower your expectations for your first job. Since you've been looking for work for three years and no one will hire you I assume you know that you are getting nowhere fast and you've got to get some actual experience. That means taking jobs like McDonald's, Taco Bell, etc.
I know that this isn't what you want but you've got to get some actual experience and even this kind of job will fill that bill.
Start low and menial. It's not forever and will get you a lot further than not being able to find anything at all. Even bars and cleaning crews need someone who knows what they're doing unless they are willing to train.
They want to know how you handle responsibility. Do you show up on time, do you show up every day, do you back talk the supervisor, etc? Future employers DO check with these fast food places to see how you did so do not think that you can screw around because it's only Taco Bell.
Good luck and good searching!

Answer 4

No worry! experience and age is not the limit in internet business.
Here's how it works:

Go for the internet business, which requires less of your time and the one that will not make you feel headache with web designing, or which require IT knowledge. Second, choose the internet based company which offer you the opportunity and at the same time giving you the convenience to start the business. Third, choose the business, which does not require big money to start it.

All the above is only available from: http://www.website.ws/domainie
Honestly, I tried so many opportunities offered through the internet and this is the only one that really works.
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General Information:
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Remember, You CAN'T guarantee whether you will get many fish or not by spreading your net into the sea, but u CAN guarantee that there is no fish at all if you never spread your net into the sea.

Good luck!

Answer 5

You become a manager by showing you can manage, in most places if someone shows up in your area and looks lost everyone stares at them and does nothing, do you walk up to the person and ask why they are there? If you saw that a delivery was being made with a bad product, do you stop the delivery and get the boss? Remember being the manager means dealing with all the problems in a department or business and if thats what you want, show people that that is what you can do. Then when you go out looking for a managment job you have something to talk about.

Answer 6

It can be tough I think. I am an employer and freely admit that all things being equal I tend to select people who i like and who I think will fit in well. While you are desperate and very keen it may just show in your demeanor and that might be putting employers off. You need to be confident without seeming cocky.
One quite good piece of advice I read once is to try and visualise your interviewer as having a clowns red nose, or wearing silly clothes or even naked - you have to imagine them in a ridiculous light - this tends to relax you and you can then come across as confident. Practise on friends and then employ it at your next interview - if they like you they will hire you and a lack of experience won't be an issue

Answer 7

you could join a agency or try get a job that says no experience required. I wanted a job in a call centre but no one would give me one as i had no experience so i got one for a company that said no experience required stayed there for a year (even thought it was the worst job i have ever had) then once i had that on my CV i applied again and one company who had refused me before actually gave me a job, but i get you how are you meant to get experience if no one will give you a chance

Answer 8

You're probably just going to have to take some crappy temp jobs until you can get a permanent full time position and work your way through the company.

If you've been looking for 3 years then you're probably being too picky about who you apply to. No one should spend that long looking for work. Honestly, anything longer than a month is getting too long.

Answer 9

unfortunately that's just how the Field works. what can help is if you go to a temp agency. they can place you places without even having much experience or any...and while your working as a temp your getting experience.

Answer 10

I know esactly how you feel, as many other people do.
Join a temp agency, get a saturday job, even if you have to do a menial task like shelf stuffer... sorry shelf-stuffers, i didnt mean to offend