Without any job experience, why should we hire you?

"You should hire me because of my advanced tech capabilities. I am self-taught in all of the popular industry-related applications and am currently learning about cloud computing. I am a self-starter who will benefit your company in many ways, including less time training me since I have already started training myself!"

"I am the top candidate for you because of my natural ability to take the lead. I am a coach at heart. Through University I was the captain of my football team while also volunteering as an assistant coach for the local high school's football team. I look forward to showing you my leadership capabilities."

"I am an ideas machine! Social media, advertising, and print marketing are all areas of extreme interest for me. To prepare for my start in the workforce, I have been tuning into a variety of marketing related podcasts but major influencers in marketing today. My knowledge may not be from on-the-job experience, but I can assure you that it is vast."

"I realize that a job in retail will be challenging and that sometimes the public is not the easiest. I am, however, very thick-skinned and able to make quick connections with even the most challenging of personalities. I did a lot of traveling after high school which also opened me up to many new experiences and cultures, making me an excellent conversationalist, a much-needed skill in a retail sales job."

"As a recent graduate with my Bachelor's in Education, and having now completed my practicum, I have come to a strong understanding of myself and what drives me to be an excellent teacher. I know that I am a natural encourager, and will do what it takes to make sure that no student falls behind in my classroom. Also, with my recent education, I bring fresh and unique approaches that I look forward to sharing with you."

This question offers you a clear opportunity to sell yourself! Think about your strengths and qualities that make you an excellent candidate. Confidence is vital when answering this question. Just because you don't have any work experience doesn't mean you're not the best person for the job. You have character traits that others may not. You have skills you may have learned from school that could be extremely helpful for this role.

If you feel unsure about the qualities that set you apart from others, then consider taking a free and in-depth personality test like on from 16Personalities.com. You can gather a considerable amount of personality and character related keywords that will make you stand out to an employer.

Some strengths to point out may be:

- Knowledge of a particular computer program or app
- Your volunteer experience
- Your ability to be an encourager, even when times get tough
- Your natural penchant for taking the lead
- Your tenacity in challenging situations
- Your creativity and ability to generate new ideas in a snap

Community answers are written by other candidates practicing this set. Reading how others frame the same question is one of the fastest ways to sharpen your own.