Previous experience essential

Leif Ericson

I'm filling out an application form and it has now come to this question - Do you have previous experience in a similar role? The truth is I don't but I obviously don't want to put down 'No'. Best way to go about answering this? My past jobs have been entirely different than this that it's hard to even work them into an answer!

Leif Ericson

Advice anyone?

callaway92

Well, if the company is any way reputable, if they are considering you for the job, they will want references, so don't lie. They will ask the references about the work you did etc . .

Leif Ericson

Oh I fully understand that - have no intention of lying about any of my previous work. My OP was more aimed at the situations where I have no experience in the job I'm applying for but have experience built up from a number of different jobs. I'm just wondering how exactly I should phrase it in a way that keeps them somewhat interested in looking at the rest of my CV!

Thanks.

sligoface

i would hope that employers realize that in the current economy a lot of people are switching fields as work is scarce. in ireland it seems people generally expect you to follow a straight and narrow career path but in other countries (with less social welfare benefits and no free college) it is generally more accepted that sometimes you just have to take whatever job you can get to make ends meet.

you said you are having trouble stretching duties of previous roles to be similar and you don't want to lie (which is wise, usually becomes apparent at interview), so you will just have to come out and say 'no, i'm trying something new,' but perhaps you can mention some of the duties of a previous job which are similar. if there really are none like you said, and if (as the title of your thread says) the ad says 'previous experience essential', then you're probably wasting your time as they will probably just hire someone who has the experience. but as they say god loves a tryer, yada yada yada

the_syco

List what you did in the last few jobs, and list what you'll be doing in the new job. Then get someone not totally clued into the two industries to see can they connect any of them; this has helped me in the past.