What to Do When You Have No Relevant Experience

When you're changing careers or applying for a job outside of your field, the lack of relevant experience can seem like an impossible hurdle. Before you write off the job as unattainable, take a moment to consider an alternate strategy. By finding ways to frame and supplement your existing experience, you can position yourself as a desirable job candidate.

Consider Non-Professional Experience

On a job application, most companies ask for relevant experience in the professional sphere, but your nonprofessional experience can be just as important. Consider unpaid experience, such as volunteer work, professional development courses and personal passion projects. These activities demonstrate enthusiasm, dedication and valuable insight into the new industry. They can also set you apart from other candidates; a person with a long-term volunteer history with a single company often has more insight than a person with one year of relevant professional experience. Add these experiences to your resume under a general "Experience" heading, and be prepared to explain how they have prepared you for changing careers.

Start Building Credibility

In the age of the Internet, a digital footprint can help overcome a lack of relevant experience. Consider the industry or position you want to work in, and identify ways to build a relevant online presence. Start a blog on the topic area, and publish posts that showcase your passion and expertise. Use Twitter to start thoughtful conversations with leading industry experts or key executives at your dream companies. Start a freelance consulting business on the side; even a few small clients can give you adequate material for a convincing portfolio. If you want to work in a creative industry, make mock projects for an imaginary client, and use the imagery to build a professional website.

Reposition Your Professional Experience

Before you toss a job application because you lack relevant experience, consider your definition of "relevant." While you may not have experience in the same industry, chances are that you have transferable skills. If you want to be a creative project manager but you spent the last 10 years as an accountant, sell yourself based on your skills with budgeting, financial management, organization and sticking to tight deadlines — all crucial skills for a project manager. If you worked as a journalist, you can provide valuable press connections and an in-depth knowledge about how to get excellent promotional coverage. By identifying the skills that benefit the new company and transforming them into relevant experience, you can get an edge on other candidates with narrower career histories.

A lack of relevant experience forces you to become an expert in self-promotion and personal branding. By framing past experience in terms of the new job, you can convince the employer that you would be a valuable addition to the team.

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