When you apply for jobs without experience, always look at the job description and try to identify what skills and traits the employer wants. What’s mentioned first, or most often?
Even without experience… think about courses you’ve taken, projects you’ve completed, internships, volunteering, etc.
And think about how all of this relates to the job you’re applying to. What seems most important on the job description? Leadership? Problem solving? Ability to work without close supervision? Now highlight what they’re looking for in all of your past experience on your resume. You can do this by reordering items on your resume as well as adding bullets and other content if you notice a gap between what the employer wants and what you mention. While customizing your resume is going to make a job application take longer, you’ll get more responses.
Would you rather send 100 applications and get 1 response? Or send 20 applications and get 5 responses?
Plus, it doesn’t take as long as it sounds if you use this tailoring method.
Now, if you’re still thinking, “I don’t have any experience to talk about on my resume, so how can I customize my resume to fit the job?” then keep reading. In the next two points, I’ll share more ideas of what to put on your resume.