Can’t get your dream job because you haven’t got experience? Many first-time jobseekers find themselves in a vicious circle of not being able to get a job because they haven’t got experience, but not being able to get experience because they can’t get a job. Fortunately, there are many ways to still chase your dream career without experience.

An education can sometimes be enough if it’s specialised towards the role. Nowadays, there are much more options for seeking out the necessary qualifications. There are courses that you can take over the web such as online digital marketing courses. There are also accelerated courses and short courses that don’t require as much time to complete.

There may be hobbies and interests that can show a passion for the field and help convince employers to hire you. If you’re trying to get a job in journalism this could include starting a blog or writing for a school/university newspaper. Certain hobbies may be able to show proof of job-related skills – being a member of a sports team could show teamwork, whilst learning an instrument could show self-motivation. Even having a large social media following could be proof of marketing skills.

Many employers may not hire you on a paid basis, but many may be willing to offer you some voluntary work. A week’s voluntary experience could be enough to offer you an advantage against candidates with no experience whatsoever. Volunteering could even give you a chance to prove yourself to an employer who may even be willing to give you a paid role afterwards. You can find voluntary positions advertised online or you can simply try contacting employers directly.

Sometimes it’s not what you know, but who you know. By knowing people in the field, you may be able to convince them to put a good word in for you or you may be able to learn tricks of the trade to help you get a job. You could try attending networking events – if you’re trying to get a job in web programming, this could include attending hackathons and digital trade fairs or going to conferences and launch parties for new software companies. You can also use social media to branch out and make new connections.

One way of gaining the necessary experience could be to freelance your skills. This could include offering to do photography at someone’s wedding, writing a press release for a company or designing album artwork for a band. Sites like Fiverr and Gumtree are great platforms for advertising these skills. Alternatively, you may be able to use your network to find clients.