It can be frustrating to search for a job knowing that you don’t have experience to begin with. If no one will hire you, how are you supposed to get experience? If you have plans to enter the workforce, here are eight tips you may want to consider to help you combat that lack of experience:

Figure out why you’d excel at the job. Use your personal traits as leverage. It doesn’t always have to be about formal experience, especially if you have other less formal qualifications that are essential for the job.

Don’t worry about not being the perfect match. Keep in mind that you don’t need to have every single qualification listed in the job advertisement. Believe it or not, most people get hired without being the perfect fit for the job. Focus on writing a good cover letter and include your achievements during the past few years.

Create an outstanding cover letter. Writing that cover letter shouldn’t be taken for granted — it’s your way to convince a hiring manager to call you for an interview. Simply rehashing the contents of your resume won’t cut it. Include explanations as to why you’d excel and why you’re excited for the opportunity. (Remember that your cover letter cannot be a form letter to use for every job you apply for.

Pay attention to soft skills. Though you don’t have the work experience needed for the job, focus on soft skills to display to an employer. This includes your friendliness, responsiveness, professionalism and follow-through. Your lack of experience can be counterweighed by these traits.

Highlight your skills. Perhaps you have excellent communication skills that can be beneficial for the company. Do you have a hobby that demonstrates your compelling writing ability? An absence of traditional professional jobs shouldn’t stop you from developing your skills.

Strike the balance between humility and confidence. Being overconfident can make you look cocky or naïve about your experience level. But not having confidence won’t help you ace the interview. Strive to find a balance somewhere in the middle where you have an understanding of your strengths and weaknesses while being confident at the same time.

Get more experience. If you’re not having any luck getting full-time jobs, look for ways that you can get more experience for your resume. You can volunteer or take on projects on your own that can make you a stronger candidate.

Face the reality. Be realistic about what types of jobs you’ll be considered qualified for. Target jobs where you can prove you can succeed and excel.

Try to put yourself in the interviewer’s shoes. What should make him or her excited about employing you? Include these details in your cover letter, resume and interview.