§ Enroll in a training class or vocational school. This will impress the interviewer because it shows initiative and proves you have a genuine interest in the career. This may increase your chances of getting the position. For instance, in some areas you can attend a bartending school for a few weeks in order to get experience for a bartending job.
§ Create a listing of past jobs, educational experiences or organizations with whom you have developed a relationship and share that with your interviewer. He may very well know the colleagues you mention. Highlight related experience on your resume or in an interview. For instance, if you're applying for a job as a server in a restaurant and have had a past position in the sales field, tout your ability to communicate with people and up-sell (getting customers to buy more--servers sometimes do this when serving) to increase the chance of getting the job.
§ Get a referral letter from someone who does have significant experience and a job in the field to add with your resume. Though you may not have the experience, you can mention that your friend or colleague is teaching you the ropes. If you've recently left school and have a close relationship with a professor or mentor in the field, get recommendation letters from these people to make up for not having experience yet. Knowing that you're getting guidance from an experienced person could give the manager more confidence in hiring you.
§ Provide an example of a time in the past of your ability to adjust to jobs quickly, even if you do not have experience, when interviewing. Reinforce the idea that you are a fast learner and recite specific examples when you handled a situation like one you may encounter in the field. Keep in mind that the manager is busy and does not want to have to hold a new hire's hand through every step of the training process. Anyone who can lessen the load for the manager is an asset to the office.
§ Volunteer with a non-profit organization in your community. Just about every non-profit from those helping kids with autism to animal rescue organizations have a wide variety of jobs inherent in them. Most organizations have managers, administrators, medical, educational or legal personnel, writers and sales professionals (for grants and press releases), IT techs, graphic artists and a variety of other positions. Volunteer experience counts as much as experience gained in a paid position and shows initiative. You never know when a position may open up in the organization and you will be perfectly seated to take a position when it opens.
