Amy Lindgren

In last week’s column I described a common and frustrating job search phenomenon: The no-experience-no-job cycle. That’s where a lack of experience seems to be the block to getting a job — which is where you would get the very experience employers are requesting.

Argh! Luckily, there’s a loophole in this equation. It’s not really the lack of experience that blocks opportunities, but the lack of relevant ability. That is, employers don’t care what your last job title was; they care about your work-related skills and knowledge.

Job seekers who identify the skills needed in a targeted role and then fill the gaps in their own skill set are going to be viable candidates, at least at the entry level. As noted last week, that can happen through any variety of immersive experiences, such as volunteering, internships, apprenticeships, part-time jobs, side hustles, certificate programs, and even self-training / self-employment.

That’s where we pick up the trail: Choosing what to learn, learning it, and communicating that.

• 1. What to learn. This one is easy — learn anything needed in your targeted job. Sticking with last week’s example of a nonprofit communications wannabe, and using information gleaned from postings for these roles, we can build a list of what to learn: social media, newsletter and blog writing, grant writing, website management, and building external relationships.

• 2. How to learn what you’ve chosen. In addition to ideas listed earlier (volunteering, etc.), don’t forget about DIY options. Even a concentrated day spent with a college textbook or perusing online YouTube videos can expand your skills and knowledge in surprising ways. You still need to prove and communicate your abilities, but any starting point is better than none.

• 3. Communicating what you’ve learned. Not counting interviews, there are only a few ways to communicate skills in job search: In your online media (specifically LinkedIn), in your application materials (résumé, letter, application), and with a portfolio or demonstration.

Starting with LinkedIn, our nonprofit communications hopeful would create a headline that includes the words “Nonprofit Communications,” while also adding key skills to the summary statement and crafting sentences for past jobs to ensure they feature communications.

For example, a summer restaurant job can be described as “Building relationships with diners to encourage repeat business; helping non-English speakers understand the menu; training new co-workers in effective ways to communicate with customers … ” As long as it doesn’t go overboard, this level of directed description is always better than “Served customers and trained new staff.”

The same concept applies to résumés. The point of choosing a job target (nonprofit communications) is that you can build as strong a résumé as possible and not just alter a few words. In this case, the résumé would feature a headline, a profile statement, a skills section, and possibly a section for “Notable Achievements” or “Representative Communications Projects” — all on page one, ahead of the job experience.

The strategy is to frontload as many relevant items as possible, rather than leading with whatever non-relevant job experience would otherwise open the résumé.

As for the skills section — this is a key piece of real estate on a targeted résumé. Based on the related job postings, our nonprofit communications candidate might use bold, left-margin subheads for these categories: Writing / Editing; Social Media; Websites. Following each of the subheads would be a list of items in plain text. For example:

Writing/Editing: Newsletter articles – blog posts – reports – correspondence – press releases

Even if your experience in these areas is DIY, remember that the section is called “Skills,” not “Experience.” You’re not claiming years of background; you’re only saying you can do these things. It’s up to employers to decide how well.

To get them hooked, consider a final subhead to describe yourself. For example:

Personal: Outgoing – deadline-oriented – accurate and thorough – quick on project turnaround

Once you’ve revised your résumé and drafted a letter that can be templated, you’ll want to ensure your portfolio is in order. For most work, an inexpensive or free website can be used to showcase relevant samples. In the case of non-experienced workers, the samples could come from classes, volunteering or DIY efforts. The point is to demonstrate your skill level, and to generate conversation about what you can do for the employer.

Nothing is guaranteed, but if you follow at least some of the strategies above, you have a decent chance of breaking the no-experience-no-job cycle.

Related Articles

Working Strategies: Breaking the no-experience-no-job cycle

Working Strategies: 17 tips for getting unstuck in your job search

Working Strategies: Making the case for real human writers

Working Strategies: Communicating more powerfully at work

Working Strategies: The Power of Yes in job search

Amy Lindgren owns a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com.