How to sell your skills if you lack experience

Highlight your abilities by creating a skills-based CV

If you have a varied work history, instead of focusing on the duties you have performed, base your CV around the skills you have developed. This will make your skills more transferable over to new industries. According to David Bond, a careers consultant at Birmingham City University, “A skills-based CV will help to draw together common threads in your work, skills and experience.”

Plug gaps in your experience with voluntary work

If you have a field in mind that you want to work in, look for voluntary work that can offer the experience you need to get your foot in the door of a fully paid job. Not only will you gain vital experience, it will look great on your CV that you gave up your time for free!

Begin your CV with achievements that you are truly proud of

Use these awards and achievements to demonstrate the sort of qualifications, skills or attributes that will impress recruiters from your chosen field. You ideally want a hiring company to see your achievements before they see your lack of experience.

Take advantage of your current job to gain the skills you need

If you are already in work, volunteer to do work outside of your role to build your skills. Or if there isn’t any scope to do that at work, you could always ask to volunteer at any organisation you are already a part of (such as a sports club).

If you have any relevant experience, put it at the top

You should always put your relevant experience at the top of your CV to make the best impression. Analyse the job advertisement, job description and person specification, then match your experience and competencies where possible. If you can do this, move it to the top of your CV.