5 min read
"Two years' experience required." It is the most frustrating line in any job advert when you are just starting. How do you get experience if nobody will give you a job to get it?
Here is the truth: you probably have more experience than you think. It just does not look like a job title yet. This guide shows you how to find it, build more, and put it on paper.
Employers hiring for entry-level jobs are not really asking "Have you done this exact job?". They are asking:
You can prove all of these without ever having had a formal job.
Transferable skills are skills you picked up in one part of life that are useful in work. Think about:
Write a list of everything you have done in the last few years, however small. Next to each one, write what it shows about you. That list is the raw material for your CV.
Volunteering at a school, clinic, NGO, community centre, animal shelter or church gives you real tasks, a real supervisor, and, most importantly, a reference. A person who can say "she came every Saturday for six months and never let us down" is gold to an employer.
Even a few hours a week counts. Treat it like a job: be on time, be reliable, and ask for a reference letter when you leave.
Short, cheap or free courses show you are serious and can learn. Useful options include:
Choose courses that match the jobs you are applying for. Be careful of expensive courses that "guarantee" a job afterwards. No course can promise that.
Look for jobs that clearly say "no experience needed", "entry level" or "training provided". Retail, call centres, fast food, hospitality, general work and security often hire beginners. Also look at learnerships, internships and youth employment programmes, which are designed for exactly your situation.
Holiday retail staff, stock-taking, event work, harvest seasons, promotions. Short jobs still go on your CV and give you a reference.
When you do not have work experience, you change the order of your CV so your strongest parts are first.
Be honest and positive. Say what you have, not what you lack.
Instead of: "I have no experience but I am willing to learn."
Try: "Matriculant from Kwa-Thema with strong maths results and a basic computer skills certificate. Experienced in handling cash and serving customers at my family's tuck shop. Looking for an entry-level cashier or admin role where I can learn and grow."
Give informal experience a clear, honest title and describe what you did, like you would with a formal job.
Assistant, family tuck shop, Kwa-Thema (2023 to present)
Volunteer, community food garden (2024)
Do not exaggerate or invent job titles. Employers check, and a simple honest title is far more believable.
Include your school, the year you matriculated, and your subjects if they are relevant. If your marks are good, mention your strongest subjects. If you are still studying, say what and where, and when you expect to finish.
Looking for your first job can be a long, discouraging road. That is not a sign you are not good enough. It is how the job market works right now for millions of young South Africans. Keep learning something new, keep adding to your CV, and keep applying. Every small bit of experience makes the next door easier to open.