The job application process can be long, arduous and tiring even for the best of us. However, it can become overwhelmingly daunting especially when you want to apply for a job that doesn’t fit the internship or work experiences you’ve had thus far. Fret not—the key is to make sure that your resume or cover letter submissions are a good fit to the position you intend to apply for. Here’s how!
- Emphasise your skills
Instead of emphasising your experiences, which may not be helpful in applying for a position in an unrelated field, emphasise the skills you learnt instead. These skills don’t necessarily have to come from past work experience either—for instance, Photoshop skills gleaned from managing your own personal website, or event management skills learnt from handling various school events are all useful skills that can assist you in your job hunt. Think about your experiences holistically and draw relevant skills from there.
- Carefully read the job description
The job description is an incredibly important aspect of the job application process. It is a mistake to think that resumes or cover letters do not need to be tailored to the job description you are applying for—a generic CV or cover letter does not showcase why you are the best fit for this position. Look through the job description, note down what hard and soft skills the company is looking for in this position, and craft your CV and cover letter to showcase that you possess these skills.
- Showcase your motivation and willingness to learn
This is especially so for most entry level positions—if the job description already mentions that they are open to hiring fresh graduates, it’s quite clear that hiring managers are not expecting resumes with lots of past work experience. However, there are other ways to make sure that your resume stands out. Indicate a desire to learn more on-the-job and grow with the company instead of trying to list the various ways in which you can benefit the company. Remember, it’s all about being realistic—if you don’t have that much work experience, then play up the different character and personality traits you have that will make you the best candidate for the post.
By tweaking your resume and cover letter in the right ways and making a good case for why you should be hired despite your inexperience, you’ll be able to present yourself as an ideal candidate and get that job you’ve always wanted!