Community Employment Resource Centre

Trying to Land your First Job

Are you having difficulty finding that first job? Are employers saying they won’t hire you because you don’t have any experience? Are you getting frustrated because you can’t get experience without someone giving you a break?

Getting that first job takes a lot of persistence and effort. Probably most importantly though, is knowing how to present yourself to that potential employer.

In order to make a positive impression, you will need to decide what industry you would like to enter and research the skills that are needed. An excellent way to do this would be to visit corporate websites or to simply talk to someone in the field (an informational interview) and ask them which skills are valued, how they started their career and if they can give any advice. Once the skills are identified, you need to think through your experiences and figure out where you have picked the skills up.

Areas of your history to examine for the skills include education/training courses (coursework, samples of work, software programs) and previous part-time jobs (don’t think these are irrelevant!!).

Many people develop all sorts of desirable skills through various activities that are often overlooked. A prime example is a team sport. Skills that frequently result from team activities are time management, leadership and being a team player.

Another option that is worth considering during your job search is taking on a temporary position, completing an internship, volunteering your time, all within the desired industry, to gain that much wanted experience. In addition to the extra “meat” to include on the resume, these experiences also demonstrate your initiative to achieve your goals.

Once you are ready to put your skills into a resume, your best bet is to develop a functional style. Why? This style is designed to highlight your skills rather than work history. You will use main headings consisting of skills to demonstrate your strengths. Examples may include: Teamwork, Communication Skills, Leadership, Customer Service Skills, etc. The idea is to list specific accomplishments under each heading that could have been accumulated from all past experiences.

At the end of all this, you will surprise yourself at just how many qualities you do have to offer. You are now armed with both skills and experience that employers are seeking!! This will assist you by providing you with confidence for your interviews, which, in turn, generates a positive impression.

At this time it should be mentioned how vitally important appearance and body language are. In order to impress the potential employer, you must have a well-groomed, conservative look (this includes being conservative with jewellery, perfumes/colognes, etc). An excellent way to determine the appropriate clothing is to do a “drive-by” and see what employees are wearing, then take it up one notch.

With regard to body language, most of our communication is through the non-verbal channel. In fact, if you are verbally saying one thing, but your body language is indicating something different, it is the body language that will be listened to. Make sure you are always giving off vibes of interest, enthusiasm and eagerness through smiling, your eye contact, posture, gestures, etc.

Employers are seeking a candidate that will “fit” their organization. The fit is assessed on personal characteristics as much as, if not more than, skills. Often it is not the “experience” in the pure sense of the word that is key, but the proven record of basic skills combined with the personal/emotional attributes of the individual.