How can a fresh graduate apply for a job that needs previous experience?

This is a question most fresh graduates often find difficult to address. You have the academic requirement for an advertised job, but no recognized experience as demanded by the advertiser.

Most employers prefer experienced candidates, people that have what it takes to improve their businesses. It’s only in few cases that you may see advert for graduate trainees. So, how can a fresh graduate apply and stand a chance of securing interview in the midst of others. This is a very tricky situation in which many with good academic qualifications and competent skills or even uncovered experiences face at times.

With my knowledge and experience, am poised to provide information that has helped most people that I assisted in writing their CV. Below are what you should do to stand out:

1. Uncover your hidden experience: You may have some experiences without valuing them. Think about little events that shows experience in accepting responsibility and demonstrate reliability. Experience is experience and must not only be from paid jobs. Use the following factors to identify experiences and skills you achieved before, during or after school whether from a paid job or not provided that the information match the job you need. Such experience can come from Volunteer service, internship programs, part-time jobs, summer jobs, campus jobs, self-employed jobs, campus leadership etc. What you need to do is to discover the duties you carried out then that matched your needed job. For instance, I once wrote a CV for a client (an applicant) who wants to get “an Account Officer Job”. When he sent his CV to me, he didn’t even state any experience apart from his NYSC (as a teacher). When I called him, he told me that he hasn’t worked as an account Officer in any company before. But when I interviewed him thoroughly to know what he is doing then, he said that, he was helping his brother to sell phones. I asked him for how long, he said, since he started schooling. With the information he provided, I created a very good CV loaded with over 5 years experience. When he saw it, he marveled and told me that he is capable of doing everything mentioned on the CV. That is how it works.

2. Tailor your CV: Apart from IM(connection), more than 80% of the opportunity you need to land interview depend solely on your CV. Your CV is you to prospective employers; it can make or break your chances of getting interview. You should tailor your profile, skills, and experience/achievements specifically to the position you want to apply. Don’t fatten your CV with irrelevant information that will bore anybody reading it. Only the vital information that relate to the applied position should be highlighted.

Firstly, you should start with profile; summarize the relevant qualification within 4 – 7 lines. Briefly introduce your skills, and experiences in best possible way; indicating what makes you the best fit for the job. Also include your academic performance (if you have at least 2.1; if not, ignore it).

Sequel to this, are details of your Education Certificate if you have a good result as stated above in a course related to the advertised position. If your academic performance is not good enough, you should state the education after your “Work experience section”.

Next are details of your outstanding skills. These should be highlighted in a very constructive manner to entice the attention of the reader and persuade him/her to see reasons why you shouldn’t be ignored.

Lastly is your experience. With my illustration in number one (1) above, your relevant experience can be discovered. You also need to be very constructive here and highlight duties that are relevant. Most importantly, you should indicate how you solved problems in your previous assignment.

You = (your) CV.

Its not the most technically qualified person that receives invitation for interview, but the person who has put together the most effective CV or resume and gives a good information to convince the potential employer that he or she is the best qualified person for the job.

Nice one. Esp no 1

Hmmmmm..... nice one Op, but what if the company decides to find out about your previous place of work, won't that be a mess

gabriellaleo:
Hmmmmm..... nice one Op, but what if the company decides to find out about your previous place of work, won't that be a mess

The objective of a CV is to land interview. Once you achieve that, you should do your home work thoroughly and understand every bit of the CV. Have a back up information or references that will enable you defend yourself efficiently.

Tanx OP... So can I include my experienced in d last year Election as a Presiding Officer (PO) to my Work Experience.

abtywo:
Tanx OP... So can I include my experienced in d last year Election as a Presiding Officer (PO) to my Work Experience.

What you should consider first is the relevance of the experience to the job you want to apply. If it is related to the job and you do not have superior experiences, you can include it. You just need to be constructive and indicate how your knowledge and impacts will enable you to excel in your next assignment.

A template might really help

I studied electronics and computer engineering. Currently teaching maths,physics and ICT.can i add it as job experience when appling for engineering position?

kingsleyugo41:
I studied electronics and computer engineering. Currently teaching maths,physics and ICT.can i add it as job experience when appling for engineering position?

This is actually the problem most applicants encounter. Stating that you thought the subjects mentioned above may not make a significant impression. While you may use the school as where you have worked, you should be able to highlight some relevant roles related to the position you want to apply as part of your experience in the school. The school may have some electrical or computer equipments and someone must be servicing it. Indicate in your CV that you played a very good role in keeping the equipments in good working condition provided you will be able to defend it during interview. This is not about lying, any information you provide must be something you can defend. You just need to be constructive in your descriptions.