How to Demonstrate Your Relevant Experience to Employers

Obviously, when applying for a job, it’s crucial that you have the relevant experience, especially when you’re competing against dozens of other applicants. As employers—and applicant tracking systems—sift through countless applications in search of candidates with the right credentials for the role, your skills and expertise must come to the fore.

So how do you evaluate your experience in relation to a job opportunity and demonstrate that you’re perfect for the position?

Defining Relevant Experience

Relevant experience isn’t just whether you’ve previously performed the duties outlined in the job posting. The knowledge and accomplishments you’ve gained from previous employment show a prospective employer that you’ve got what it takes to succeed in their specific role, even if you’re coming from another industry. Remember that your soft and transferable skills can count as much as your concrete achievements.

Highlighting Your Experience

Every element of your personal brand, from your resume and portfolio to your cover letter and interview, should clearly reflect how the entirety of your background makes you the best choice for the job. At each of these contact points with the recruiter, you should make your experience relevant by aligning it with the specific requirements in the job description.

That means eliminating unrelated experience and emphasizing the skills and qualifications being sought. Also try to quantify the impact you’ve had in previous jobs rather than dryly listing job duties you’ve fulfilled.

Making Your Materials Relevant

Viewing your resume is usually how a potential employer forms their first (albeit limited) impression of you. Therefore, your work history section has to succinctly connect your previous responsibilities and achievements with the requirements of this job--with measurable results—to establish your value.

If you have the opportunity to provide a cover letter, use it to reveal your personality, enthusiasm, and communication style. This is your chance to expand on what’s in your resume and give readers insight into your qualifications and motivations.

If you’re going for a creative role like writer or designer, then your portfolio is an important way to demonstrate relevant experience. Determine the market your desired job caters to and curate your best pieces to show how you’ve put into action your expertise and perceptiveness in reaching that audience.

Finally, in your interview, wrap your experience into a coherent argument for your suitability for the role. By now, your resume, cover letter, and portfolio should have done their jobs. Your goal at this point is to capture the interviewer’s imagination with context and narratives about your achievements. They know what you’ve done before; now show how it’s truly relevant to what they’re looking for.

Every professional journey is unique. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting out, your diverse capabilities in life and career are what set you apart in a competitive job market. Harness the power of relevant experience to position yourself as a strong candidate worthy of consideration.