The 9 ways to get a job in your field of study (with little local experience)

You are currently enrolled in or have graduated from university and have started applying for jobs related to your field of study. However, you find yourself competing with hundreds of other people who have more years of work experience than you.

Maybe you are an international student who has worked in the industry back in your home country, but you lack local experience and have been unable to secure an interview.

These two situations are quite common, but don’t worry, there are strategies you can use to get a job in your field of study even if you have little experience.

Here are 9 ways to get a job in your field of study with little local experience.

1. Focus on your soft skills in your job application

In a job description, a company usually lists technical and soft skill requirements for the job. Technical or hard skills are industry or role-specific, but soft skills (also known as transferable skills) can be applied to every industry and job in every country.

You develop soft skills throughout your studies and previous work roles.

Examples include:

• Creativity
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Dependability
• Problem-solving and
• Adaptability

The good news is that many employers view soft skills as being more important than technical skills as they have a greater effect on productivity. Technical skills (e.g. coding) are still important to have. While on-the-job training may be provided, it is an advantage if you work on your technical skills together with your soft skills (via internships, team projects etc).

In your cover letter and resume, if you have little technical experience, then focus on the list of soft skills (in the job description) and provide relevant examples and results. Here are two examples:

• Job requirement: Dealing with challenging situations

Answer: My last company released a faulty product. We received hundreds of customer complaints. Even though it was a stressful day, I answered their questions in a calm manner and provided different solutions. The next day, I received a number of positive comments from customers I’d helped via our Facebook page.”

• Job requirement: Multitasking

Answer: I was working as a marketing assistant at an e-commerce company back in my home country. My team had 3 product marketing campaigns launching in the same month. To ensure we delivered them promptly, I created a calendar that broke down each campaign into priority tasks, resources needed, people responsible and due dates. It provided clarity for the team and the campaigns were delivered by the deadline.

2. Apply for entry-level roles

Unlike middle or senior management roles, applicants are not expected to have a wealth of experience for entry-level roles. If you have worked part-time during your studies and can demonstrate the soft skills they’re looking for, then you will be a strong candidate.

3. Practise your interview skills

During the interview process, being able to communicate and present is essential. If you can clearly explain your experience (whatever the level) in a way that will impress your potential employer, it can place you in front of other candidates.

Communicating and presenting is not just about what you say, but how you say it - your tone of voice, facial expressions and body language.

Get in touch with your Careers Advisors to practise interviews and gain confidence with live feedback. Or ask a friend to pretend to be the potential employer and provide feedback.

4. Widen your job search

When you cannot find a job related to your field of study your search may be too narrow. Widen your search for other types of roles. Even if they’re not related to your field of study, they can be an entry into a full-time job at a good company and could lead to an industry job in the future.

For example, you could start as an Administrative Assistant in a large bank which could later lead to job opportunities in other finance departments. Or you could start as a junior associate then become a Project Manager.

5. Upskill with free online courses

Just because you have graduated, does not mean you stop learning. Learning is a lifelong experience. Employers are looking for people who are willing to learn and have a wider set of skills.

While you are looking for a job, research online courses where you can learn updated industry insights and skills. Many can be completed within a short period of time and provide a certificate upon completion that you can include on your resume.

If you graduated with a degree in Marketing, you could complete an SEO Content Marketing Certificate. Or if you studied Business Analytics, you could take a short course on software engineering or data science.

Gaining new or updated skills can help you stand out from other applicants.

6. Networking

There is a saying: ‘It’s not what you know, but who you know.’

Over 60% of jobs are unadvertised. This is the hidden job market. Networking is one of the main ways of accessing the hidden job market. According to Hubspot, 85% of jobs are filled through networking.

You can network online through sites such as LinkedIn where you can make new connections or strengthen existing ones. Ensure that your LinkedIn profile is up to date and written professionally. There are companies who search and contact potential employees on professional networking sites.

You can network face-to-face. Have a look at Meetup where you can join industry groups to learn and share insights or Eventbrite for a range of events. Getting your name out there increases your chance of learning about job opportunities that many people have not heard about. These opportunities may not require you to have a wealth of work experience.

7. Talk to your school’s Careers Service

Talk to your Careers Service at your education provider. They can connect you with graduate jobs with their industry partners or internships where you can improve your industry knowledge, gain work experience and add to your network of professional contacts. An internship may lead to a paid job after completion.

Your Careers Service could also have access to a range of Careers or industry events targeted at future graduates across different industries.

8. Talk to your lecturers

Many lecturers at higher education providers are industry professionals themselves. You could have a chat with them to see if they know of any companies or individuals that are hiring people with your level of knowledge and experience.

9. Volunteering

If there is a particular company you want to work for but do not have the level of work experience required in their current list of vacancies, see if they have events at which you could volunteer. You get the opportunity to work with their current employees, build your network and learn of any internal job opportunities.

Volunteering is another way to gain industry experience that you can include in your job application. Someone looking to work as a project manager may volunteer to run a community event to gain experience managing a large project. A social media coordinator could volunteer at a charity and manage their social media accounts.

A few more words of advice

Finding a job takes patience and resilience. Many factors can impact your job search (e.g. economic factors), so don’t get disheartened if it’s taking longer than expected. Try a variety of strategies, not just one, to build up your work experience and progress in your career.

Interested in more career advice? Read our Business Career Guide and download our 'How to find a job' guide.