Life hacks for first time job seekers

First-time job seekers face a classic employment Catch-22: You need experience to qualify for most jobs, but how do you get experience if you can’t qualify for a job?

Newbies, don’t fret. For those job seeking novices, here are a few hacks to make an inherently stressful process just a little easier.

Problem: You have nothing to wear to an interview
Solution:Wardrobe starter kits from Of Mercer

In theory, putting together a fabulous outfit for an interivew is no sweat. In practice, the word ‘outfit’ makes you break out in hives. If you don’t have money to invest in a full work wardrobe (and why would you — you don’t have a job) consider one of Of Mercer’s three starter kitsat escaling price points: The Intern, The Graduate (Business Casual) and The Graduate (Business Formal).

Each kit comes with a classic dress available in different colors, and a few key accessories. Choose from a cardigan or blazer, or earrings and a card case.

Problem: You don’t meet all the job requirements
Solution: Cram with online tutorials

Job specs that read like short stories are not uncommon: Are you a self-starter who knows how to problem solve, code, create spreadsheets, climb mountains, speak Mandarian and make espresso? We kid, we kid. Sort of.

Sites like LinkedIn’s Lydia, or the poplar MOOCs (massive open online courses) can help you brush up on various skills from using InDesign to speaking French, all to give you a competitive edge. Learning after you’ve graduated shows you’re a quick study and an independent learner, and what’s more, when you’re on the job you’ll be asked to do things you won’t expect. If you respond with “that’s not my responsbility,” you’ll probably get shown the door. Welcome to the real word.

Problem: You hate looking for a job
Solution: Job search apps

The job search requires multiple applications, sometimes over a long period of time. Want to streamline the process and apply for multiple openings at once? There’s an app for that — actually, there are lots of them. If you’re still in school, thenLinkenIn students might be the way to go. There are also tons of apps like Switch, JobSnap and Jobr that mirror Tinder’s approach and allow job seekers to connect directly with employers. Look who’s multitasking now!