i'm a final year phd student and i'm currently applying for some jobs however i'm in my 20s and have never had an academic position. My previous jobs have been retail assistant and a waitress.

How can early career researchers get employment without previous experience?

On my CV I have noted successful grants and awards, research experience during my MSc and PhD, 2 publications and that's all i've got. i've tried tailoring my cv and cover letter to fit the post (I do believe i would be good for the job) but I feel I am lacking in experience.

Any tips and advice on this?

I think it is expected that most PhD students do not have prior experience apart from their PhD. Many PhD graduates were in your shoes and got Postdoc positions. A career advisor advised me to start my CV with most important details rather than my post code, etc. You may start with your publication list, then education, then awards (PhD scholarship). Nevertheless there is usually career counselling service at the university. Use it and you will get useful tips for filling CV and cover letter. All the best.

I don't think it will hinder you if you write a really great personal statement. The main thing is to do your best to demonstrate how you meet each of the criteria, with specific examples etc. Applying for jobs is a bit like other things, like writing a paper... I think you get better at it each time.

What specific experience are you / do you feel you are lacking?