Every job demands 3-5 years of experience, so how am I meant to gain the experience I need to find a job? If you're a recent college graduate looking for work, you've definitely encountered this conundrum.
It can be annoying because even the majority of "entry-level" positions typically specify experience requirements. How should you proceed? Here’s How to Get It:
It's simple to read a job description and conclude that you lack the necessary experience. And in many instances, that is accurate in the sense that you lack the necessary experience to perform the task in its exact form.
But that doesn't mean you don't have any experience. You might have acquired the following kinds of experience while you were a student:
As we all know, college is more than just attending lectures, doing assignments, and passing tests. You can fill your leisure time with a variety of groups and extracurricular activities.
Additionally, the experiences you receive from being a part of these school organizations are frequently applicable to job opportunities.
In particular, if you held a leadership position in a campus group, then that’s absolutely something you could discuss in a job interview. Most (prudent) employers want to hire people who will stick around at the company and eventually move into leadership roles.
All that work you did as a student isn’t just “classwork” — it’s also a source of experience that you could bring up in an interview.
For instance, if you completed an ambitious project such as a capstone or thesis, then you could use it as an example of your ability to plan and stick with something challenging.
The project may not relate to the field you’re attempting to enter, but the experience you gained completing it is still transferable.
You don’t have to limit yourself to activities that are affiliated with your college or university. Projects you completed in your free time can also be great sources of experience for future jobs.
For instance, maybe you spent your summer researching your family history and then turned the results into a digital book. You could use this project to highlight your writing skills, persistence, and computer abilities.
Plus, it’s going to be a lot more interesting than all the similar internship stories the interviewer has heard.
It’s easy to overlook your student jobs, writing them off as work you did to earn “pizza money.” But while your reasons for getting a part-time job in college might be strictly practical, such jobs can still be a source of relevant experience.
For instance, my first job in college was at the campus post office. I helped deliver mail to various departmental offices, and I also came in to sort the mail on Saturdays. In a pinch, I would even sub for the person running the information desk.
I hope you read through the previous section and discovered that you have way more job experience than you thought.
But maybe you’ve done a few interviews and found that you still lack the experience for the job you want. In that case, let’s look at some ways to get the job experience you need.
Informational interviews are different from traditional job interviews. Instead of determining whether you fit a specific position, informational interviews are a way to learn more about a field or job.
Informational interviews are different from traditional job interviews. Instead of determining whether you fit a specific position, informational interviews are a way to learn more about a field or job.
They can be especially useful if you’re attempting to enter a new industry and want to learn more about the necessary qualifications.
So how do you set up an informational interview? Unlike regular job interviews, there isn’t an application to fill out or a hiring manager to talk with. Rather, you’ll need to take the initiative and set up informational interviews yourself.
LinkedIn is a great place to start these conversations, but you can also find contact info on the websites of companies that interest you.
Informational interviews are great for learning more about what you should do to get job experience, but they won’t get you much experience. For that, you should consider an internship.
Even if you did do an internship or two while in college, perhaps you still lack the required experience. Let’s say you majored in a humanities field, did a couple of internships related to that,
but now you want to work in a more technical role. In that case, you would likely benefit from doing an internship that lets you learn the necessary technical skills.
Certainly, it can be disheartening to realize that you need to do yet another internship if you already did one as a student. But the long-term benefits could still be worth accepting lower pay or weird hours in the short term.
Internships are a great way to gain experience and connections, but they aren’t always practical or even possible. In such cases, you can create your own experience through freelancing.
For some fields, freelancing is arguably a better (and faster) way to gain experience than interning. When you’re freelancing, you have a lot more risk, responsibility, and incentive to perform well than in an internship.
Therefore, freelancing will teach you as much about business in general as it will about specific marketable skills.
Freelance experience shows that you’re self-motivated, know how to meet deadlines, and can manage your time under pressure. All of which are things that smart employers will look for in a potential hire.
You should have enough of experience to discuss in a job interview if you heed the suggestions in the preceding section. You should be aware, nonetheless, that a job applicant's years of experience are typically not its most crucial component.
What matters far more are the results you produce and your ability to explain what you’ve done to a potential employer. Here’s what you should do:
You certainly have more work experience than you realize, but you shouldn't list every job you've ever had.
Instead, you should modify your resume to reflect the particular job for which you are applying. Only include your most pertinent experience; leave out everything else. This will not only prevent your resume from growing too long, but will also increase your chances of landing the job.
If you lack experience, you can often make up for it elsewhere in your job application.
First, be sure that all your communications with the company are professional and free of errors. Emails you send while you’re applying may not be a part of the official application process, but they could still influence your chances.
Next, make sure you’re punctual for all interviews (virtual, phone, and in-person). It sounds silly, but being on time can set you apart from other candidates before you even open your mouth.
Once you’ve arrived at the interview, now’s your time to shine. In addition to dressing for success, be friendly and courteous. If you can get the interviewer to like you, then that can sometimes make up for your lack of experience.
While an overall strong application can sometimes be enough to compensate for your lack of experience, it could still come up in the interview. So be prepared to address it.
First, don’t lie and claim you have more experience than you do. It’s tempting, particularly if you really need to get a job, but it will hurt you in the long run. Better to be honest about your lack of experience and then spin it in a positive way.
Although you don't have a lot of experience, we advise highlighting your eagerness to learn and quick assimilation. Many employers would prefer someone they can train to do things their way, even though this won't always work.
Additionally, a candidate with minimal experience might be simpler to train than a more experienced candidate with rigid habits. This isn’t a guaranteed way to get around your lack of experience, but it’s worth a try.
Additionally, a candidate with minimal experience might be simpler to train than a more experienced candidate with rigid habits. This isn’t a guaranteed way to get around your lack of experience, but it’s worth a try.