You're embarking on a job search but you think you have no experience. Remember that everyone has some type of experience though! Your job is to evaluate your past life and identify the skills, knowledge, and experience you have gained throughout the years. Turning that information into a resume to find entry level jobs may initially be a challenge, but once you begin the process you will find that it is fun and exciting to identify your many skills and experiences.

Think about some of the experiences you have enjoyed in the past and your resume will start to come to life:

• School - Just finishing school is a time when many people are frustrated about the job search. They have been receiving education for the past thirteen to eighteen years so how could they have experience in the work world! With a little thought and creativity, you will find that you have significant experience. Consider any part time jobs you held while in school, clubs or groups in which you participated and offices you held, school events you organized and planned, sports events or clubs in which you were an active participant or member, and other school activities. For most of these you gained significant experience in organizing, planning, leading, creating and/or participating on teams, and evaluating data or information. Use this experience to your advantage.
  

• Volunteer Organizations – Many people discount the experience gained from volunteering but this is a critical job to include on your resume. You most likely were involved in planning, organizing, fund raising, writing, public speaking, leading meetings or events, and collaborating with others.
  

• Family Matters – If you’ve spent time raising a family, you have a wealth of experience in many areas including financial planning, organizing, event planning, negotiating, decision-making, contractor or vendor management, and time management! Multi-tasking and coordinating services and activities for several people simultaneously is an art in the business world! Leverage this experience on your resume.
  

• Travel – Whether you’ve traveled nationally or internationally, you’ve learned much about organizing schedules, time management, travel planning, and financial management. For international travel, you’ve most likely learned other languages or learned to communicate in some way with people who speak other languages by overcoming the language barrier. Travel broadens your horizons to the multi-cultural differences within our own country and across the world and gives you a broader perspective on needs of different people.
  

• Caring for Parents – If you’ve taken care of older people, then your skills in communication, geriatric medicine, health insurance and benefits management, physician interaction, negotiations, planning, organizing, financial management, and directing are strengthened. You’ve learned to balance multiple priorities by managing two households and your decision-making skills are sharpened in many ways. Any business can benefit from these skills and real experiences.
  

• Clubs or Groups – If you’ve been actively engaged in clubs or group meetings, you have experience in group dynamics, team player or leader, civic activities, and possibly fund raising. If you held an officer position, you have leadership and strategic planning skills to add to your list.
  

Finding an entry level job when you have life experience is a challenge, but when you position yourself as a person with varied experience through these multiple channels, you will find that your resume is quite impressive. An employer who is looking for an innovative, creative, experienced, and ambitious individual will see the potential in you!

When you write your resume, write for success!

Labels: Entry Level Jobs