They say the first job you get is always the hardest to acquire. That’s because you need experience to get a job but how can you get experience without a job? With this barrier, even the most impressive candidates will find it difficult to land their first role.
So, what can you do to get a job when you’re just starting out? Unfortunately, this will be no small feat and it may take you slightly longer than the average which is roughly four months in the UK.
To successfully land your first role, there are plenty of things you can be doing during your job hunt to increase your chances. Read on to find out more.
Search for the right jobs
With little experience, there isn’t much point in applying for jobs that require years of experience. Instead, search for graduate or entry-level positions. These are designed for those with little experience looking for their first role following education. You’ll impress the employer by talking about the transferable skills that you have learnt in school or university.
Graduate schemes are an excellent choice for younger people too with these jobs offering a £24,000 salary on average which is much higher than many other jobs at this level.
Take online courses to build skills you may need
The internet is filled with resources like courses which will give you the knowledge you need to impress during interviews and successfully complete the job you land. Very often these courses are free too which means you won’t have to fork out money whilst you’re unemployed.
Start networking
Many industries hold networking events all over the UK. These events invite companies of all sizes to come and talk to young and aspiring workers that are trying to get into the industry. If you decide to go along to these networking events then you’ll want to stand out to potential employers. A great way to do that is by handing them a well-designed business card with your contact details on it. This will invite them to contact you if they want to hire you.
Practice for interviews
Without much experience, you may not be invited to too many interviews which is why you must try to smash every interview you attend. A great interviewee will do the following:
- Be polite and respectful
- Think before you speak
- Come prepared with information about the business and the role
- Be positive
- Tell the truth
- Ask questions about the role when given the opportunity
When you do all of the above, you’ll provide yourself with the best chance of securing that first job. From there, future job applications should be a little bit easier with some experience under your belt.
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