Work experience without proof – how to show what you can do

You regularly checked deliveries, put stock away and counted items again when the numbers did not match at a small business. Your paperwork simply says ‘assistant’. Now you are interested in a warehouse role and wondering how to explain that you are already familiar with many of the tasks.

Perhaps you do not have an employment reference. Perhaps a colleague taught you how to do a task and you never took a course that awarded a certificate. In either case, it helps to be specific. What did you do yourself? How often did you do it? And how did you know the job was done?

What makes your experience relevant to the role

A job title often tells people very little about what you did from day to day. ‘Assistant’ can cover anything from occasionally unpacking boxes to checking deliveries regularly. When you explain which tasks you took on, the person reading or listening can better judge which processes you already know and where you will need training.

The same applies to experience from other settings. If you regularly kept inventory lists and recorded expenses for a club, that may be relevant to a role involving basic administrative work. Make it clear that you were volunteering and describe what you actually did. When you read current job listings, you can compare the duties with your own examples, even if your previous role had a different title.

How to turn a vague statement into a concrete example

‘I helped out in a warehouse’ leaves a lot open. Pick a typical task and describe it so that someone else can follow what you did. Four questions can help:

• What was your task? For example, checking incoming deliveries.

• How did you do it? You checked quantities against the delivery note and counted items again when the numbers did not match.

• How often did you do it? For example, several times a week during six months as an assistant.

• What were you responsible for? You reported any discrepancies. The shift supervisor decided what to do next.

On your CV, this can become a short bullet point. ‘Checked incoming deliveries against delivery notes several times a week and reported discrepancies to the shift supervisor.’ Adapt the sentence to reflect your actual experience. If you only have a rough idea of the quantities or dates, stick to a description you can explain in an interview.

You can also record points like these in a talent profile. If your job title was broad, listing your duties helps show which processes you already know.

What you can say if someone asks for proof

If someone asks for an employment reference in an interview, you can answer directly and then give an example. ‘I don’t have an employment reference for that role. I checked deliveries several times a week. When the quantity didn’t match, I counted the items again and told the shift supervisor.’ If you only performed a task under supervision, explain which steps you carried out yourself.

Sometimes you can still ask for a brief written confirmation of your duties. Someone who has worked with you and knows what you did might also be able to act as a referee. Check whether they are willing to do so before passing on their contact details. If you are preparing for an interview, looking at the application process can help you have your examples ready for the next steps.

When to check whether formal proof is required

Look at how the requirement is worded in the advert. ‘Goods-in experience desirable’ gives you room to describe what you have done in practice. If the advert specifically asks for a qualification, certificate or authorisation, check whether you need to provide it when you apply or whether you can obtain or submit it later. Ask specifically about the document mentioned and the task it is needed for.

If formal proof is essential for the role, an example of your practical experience cannot take the place of the document. You can still ask whether you could start with other duties or what qualification would allow you to take on the work. This can help you decide whether to pursue the role and understand what would be involved.

Conclusion – start with two tasks you know well

You can explain what you have learnt in practice even if some of your paperwork is missing. For a first draft, two tasks you know well from your day-to-day work are enough. For each one, write down what you did yourself, how regularly you did it and when you needed support. This gives you bullet points for your CV and examples you can talk through in an interview.

If you first want to work out what kind of work your experience might suit, you can explore job search and career options in the Trenkwalder candidate section. Keep your two examples to hand and see which duties they would help you explain your experience for.