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If you haven’t got a job, how do you list experience on your
resume? And if you haven’t got experience, how do you land a job?
Jasmeet has just
finished an MBA from an Institute in Delhi. Each day he opens the appointment
pages of the papers with a lot of hope, but closes them a disappointed man.
He knows he can't do much about it: he just doesn't have the experience. But
that's not something which should run him down.
Like the best of corporations that have been built from scratch, the best of
careers can also begin from zilch. So what do you do if employers stonewall
you simply because you do not have experience? After all, you have to begin
somewhere. Give these hints a go if you’re a first time job seeker, ‘with no
experience’.
PEG
LOWER
- If you have to take
a job a peg lower than what you expect, take it. Just make sure the
company you join has equity. That way whatever you do here will add to
your portfolio. You can get ahead in time, even if you have to start
lower.
- A lot of people are
disappointed in their jobs because their expectations were too high to
begin with. You'll get to the job you want. But you can't skip the necessary
steps that will take you there.
- After a point, what
you’re doing is as important as your qualifications. Get good remarks
entered in your record book. It’ll all make up for your temporary
compromise.
MAXIMISE
YOUR 'TRAINEE' EXPERIENCE
- Many companies hire
freshers only as trainees. Most trainees are not paid. The situation
isn’t ideal, but it’s at least quid pro quo—you get your experience,
they get an extra hand.
- A traineeship isn’t
the most exciting prospect, but it isn’t the dumps either. You work with
a peer group, learn team values, and work impossible deadlines—perfect
fodder for future success.
GATHER
PROJECTS
- The more
projects you have on your CV the better. Work on challenging projects,
it's the best way to learn.
ETIQUETTE
MATTERS
- Persuasion prevails.
Don’t take a 'no' at face value, at least not always. Your
persuasiveness will add a plus point to your profile. Especially in a
marketing/sales opening.
- Always remember to
write in to say thank you after an interview. It increases recall. It
also tells your potential employer you have etiquette. For all you know,
this might fill in for the lack of experience.
BE
INFORMED
- Research the company
where you go for a job interview. It says that you're not hanging out
for just any company that comes your way. You've taken the trouble to
learn more about the company you want to work with. That makes your
coming for an interview an informed decision.
APPLY
AT THE RIGHT PLACE
- When you're
researching prospective employers, find out what qualifications a
company prefers when they recruit freshers. Do they show a preference
for a particular qualification sequence or specialisation? Apply to the
companies that show a partiality to the qualifications you have. After
all, a person who seems to be not getting a job anywhere may not be
applying to the right places.
STRESS
THE LEARNING FACTOR
- Stress that you're
just raring to learn as much as you can. Companies like enthusiastic
youngsters who're ready to fit in with their way of working, who don't
come in with rigid mind-sets.
KNOW
WHERE YOU'RE GOING
When an
interviewer asks you where you see yourself in 5 or 10 years don't say you
don't know, even if it's true! Make a course for yourself, realistically
ambitious. You don't have to say exactly what you'll be doing and in which
company, but you can outline the kind of work of work you'd like to be doing
or the challenges you see yourself as facing.
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