Short answer: Apply for roles that train on the job, build your resume from school work, volunteering and everyday responsibilities, and show employers the two things they want most from a first-time worker: reliability and willingness to learn.
Which jobs hire people with no experience?
- retail sales associate and cashier
- restaurant crew, dishwasher, host and barista
- warehouse associate and order picker
- general labourer in construction or landscaping
- cleaner and housekeeping attendant
- call centre and customer support agent
Browse no-experience jobs and entry-level jobs to see what is open now.
What do you put on a resume with no work history?
You have more to list than you think:
- Education: your school, program and any relevant courses or projects.
- Volunteering: community events, places of worship, sports teams, food banks.
- Informal work: babysitting, yard work, helping in a family business.
- Skills: languages, computer programs, a driver’s licence, first aid.
Describe these the way you would a job: what you did and what came of it.
Which certificates help?
Short, low-cost courses can set you apart: first aid and CPR, food handling, workplace hazardous materials training (WHMIS), and the responsible alcohol service course for your province if you want to work in restaurants. For construction, ask which basic safety tickets local employers expect.
How do you make a good impression?
- Offer flexible availability, including some evenings or weekends.
- Apply in person where it is welcomed, dressed neatly, at a quiet time.
- Arrive ten minutes early for interviews.
- Prepare one example of a time you were dependable or solved a problem.
How can you build experience quickly?
Volunteer a few hours a week, take a seasonal job, or register with a staffing agency for short assignments. Three months of any steady work gives you a reference and a proven record, and the next job becomes much easier to get.
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