When The Employer Requires Experience And You Have None
It’s tough for new grads to find a good job right now—but the very fact that they’re new grads makes it even worse. You’ll find yourself asking, “How am I supposed to gain experience if I’m constantly turned down for not having any?” Career experts Lynn Taylor, Dr. Katharine Brooks and Nicole Williams have some ideas for how you can avoid or overcome this catch-22, which almost all new college grads face.
Volunteer.
LinkedIn found that one in five hiring managers consider volunteer work experience a valuable asset when considering candidates. “For a lot of employers, it’s one part the initiative and one part skill development,” Williams says. “One of the major things that has been happening in the world of volunteering is that with limited funding, many organizations are expecting their volunteers to contribute real skill-intensive talents.”Most people think of volunteering in terms of providing services to individuals, such as tutoring a child or visiting an elderly person, Brooks explains. But that’s just part of the picture. If you want experience in accounting, see if any local nonprofit agencies would let you volunteer with their accounting staff. Want to learn marketing? Offer to create a Twitter feed, write brochures, or call prospective donors, she suggests.Find an internship or temporary work. - Forbes.com
Internships aren’t just for students. In this day and age, they are considered the new entry-level job, Williams says. “You need to think about how you are going to turn this experience into an income-generating opportunity, and there are three parts to this equation: passion, skills and relationships.” Find something you’re genuinely interested in and ensure that the opportunity will allow you to develop the skills you need to get the job you want. Also use the opportunity to network. “It’s all about the people you meet,” Williams says. “I promise that the majority of jobs come through the relationships you develop.”Don’t discount your college experiences. - Forbes.com
Williams says the biggest issue she sees with college students is that they underestimate their accomplishments and experiences from college. Fund raising for the sorority auction, developing a social media strategy for getting the word out about a campus event, writing for the school paper, and even organizing the yearly alumni gala can all be considered work experience, she says. “Make a list of all the activities you were involved with over the course of your college career. Consider all of the tasks that you performed and translate them into real work experience.” Brooks suggests thinking back on classes that required more than reading, listening and taking tests. “Did you have to conduct research, compile data, survey individuals, write an extensive research paper, conduct laboratory experiments, or present a report to a class? You can write up your classroom experience in the same way you would write up a job in your resume, with bullet points for the active skills you used or learned in the class.”Use social media. - Forbes.com
Taylor suggests using social media and LinkedIn groups to spread the word that you’re looking for a job. She also recommends visiting online career boards and temporary agency listings.Williams agrees. “I’m also a big proponent of using LinkedIn to connect with people you may not have the opportunity to come across in your everyday life. Build a profile and connect with people you admire with a personal but professional connection request that indicates that you’ve done your research and would like to connect with them. The combination of research and initiative is a great way into a job.”Highlight any entrepreneurial activities. - Forbes.com
What projects or activities have you taken on yourself? How have you made some money on the side? Do you mow neighbors’ lawns in the summer, babysit or nanny children, privately tutor students, place items on eBay for your friends, program or fix your neighbors’ computers, create your own greeting cards, or fix up your car or your parents’ car? All these activities have potential for the formation of a small entrepreneurial operation. Even better if you can get recommendations from people you have helped, Brooks says.Network as much as possible. - Forbes.com
When you don’t have a ton of experience to rely on, the key is to build relationships with people who can vouch for the fact that you’re the kind of person who an employer should take a chance on, Williams says. “I’m all about making connections with people in and around your everyday life.” Try to initiate conversations when you’re walking the dog, riding the bus, or standing in line at the coffee shop. This can lead to a conversation about what they do for work, and what you’re looking for. “Who knows who they know and if they have an opportunity for you?”Ask your professors for help. - Forbes.com
If you’ve never had a job before, you’ve never had a boss—which can pose a problem when it comes to providing references on a job application. If you did research for a professor in college or had a particularly good relationship with one, ask if you can list him or her as a reference.Take on a leadership role. - Forbes.com
If you belong to any groups or organizations, take on a leadership role by offering to organize an event or spearhead a project. Leadership activities are viewed positively by employers, particularly if your role has substance, Brooks says.http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/05/10/when-the-employer-requires-experience-and-you-have-none/
Some useful advice here for college graduates looking for work
