Filling Out a Job Application With No Work Experience

Video Transcript

"So trying to get a job without any prior work experience seems like a catch-22, doesn't it? Don't worry, lots of us have gone before you and we have been successful in doing so. I'm Shannon Terry, a resume writer and interview skills coach with Resume Confidence here to give you some pointers on how to fill out a job application without any prior work experience. My first recommendation is going to be to fill out the application not as quickly, as thoroughly as possible. That means don't leave any blanks. If it doesn't apply to you, put a little line or N/A for not applicable. This way they know that you saw it, you read it, it's just you don't have anything to write in that space. Get some sample applications so that you can get an idea of what to expect, what kind of information they're going to want from you and write out a cheat sheet with the likely information you'll need so you have a reference to use when you go in to fill out a job application. Look for boxes that say something along the lines of any additional skills or computer and office machine skills, things like that where you can take the chance to include, computer skills are a big one that are always applicable in lots of jobs and they need you to use a sales register that's Windows based or an ordering system. So computer skills are always good. Also an opportunity to put any extra curricular activities, any academic merit that you may have, GPA's, honors society, being the president of the debate team, the captain of the football team, any kind of leadership like that. Find a place on, an appropriate place on the job application include that information. Now you get to the work experience section, I don't have any. You might have some and you just didn't realize that. Mowing yards can count, babysitting can count. If you are young, volunteer work that you may have done also can count as experience. It doesn't matter that it wasn't paid. Your job title for this type of work could be simply volunteer, raising money for the walkathon for breast cancer, anything that you did active in your community, put that on there. Most important probably for people without actual paid work experience would be your references. Talk to family, friends, your teachers, coaches, maybe a rabbi or your minister, somebody who knows your character and ask them if they'd be willing to serve as a personal reference for you. Bring their name, their phone numbers and their e-mail addresses on a separate piece of paper so that you can fill in that information. I'm Shannon Terry, a resume writer and interview skills coach with Resume Confidence helping you to fill out a job application without prior work experience."