No Job Experience? No Problem!
One of the major obstacles that Gen Yers encounter in the career search process keeping them from getting the job is their lack of previous “real-world” work experience.
Now employers and recruiters seeking younger job candidates understand that college and graduate student job seekers don’t and can’t have the same years of experience under their belts that their older, more veteran counterparts may have; however, they are looking for candidates who have taken advantage of the years they do have and have used them to gain experience to prepare themselves for their future careers.
Therefore, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know exactly what you want to do for the rest of your life; however, I can’t stress enough the importance of gaining as much experience as possible during your high school, college and grad school years. Experience is experience, even if it is not directly related to the job you are applying for, and will no doubt help you build your personal brand and your credibility as a potential new hire.
So don’t let your lack of full-time job experience be a threat to your brand or your job search success, because it truly shouldn’t be. Here are some of the ways you can pick up valuable experience to put on your resume and LinkedIn profile and share in your interviews:
1. Summer internships: Summer employment is essential to most Gen Y’ers. We need the money, and it gives us a little structure to our vacation. However, an internship may be much more valuable to you and your career than a traditional hourly gig. Summer internships often have full-time hours, last multiple weeks and/or months and provide you real accomplishments, professional contacts, references and opportunities for full-time employment. If your financial situation allows it, do consider unpaid internship opportunities, for there may be more of them in this job market than usual. No one will ever ask you if your internship was paid or unpaid, and unpaid internships can offer just as valuable experience and can also lead to full-time paid opportunities.
To find internships of interest to you in this tough economy, I recommend using job aggregators, like Indeed, SimplyHired and LinkUp. Craigslist is also a great place to search local opportunities, so check out the internship listings under each city or area of interest or proximity to where you live or go to school. Lastly, never forget the power of the almighty Google. Try Googling specific companies or types of internships. You might be surprised by how much you find.
2. School-year internships: Companies and organizations are always in need of interns even after the end of the summer, so if your academic schedule allows some flexibility, consider using the search tools listed above and also checking with your career center for opportunities. This again gives you some valuable experience, references and contacts — and potentially can count for academic credit if unpaid.
3. Extracurricular clubs & activities: Whether you’re in college, grad school or just launching your career, get involved with as many extracurricular groups, organizations and activities of personal interest or relevance to your career as is manageable for your lifestyle. These are often more fun than work, but also help you build up your resume and provide you valuable leadership experience. Invest yourself in your clubs and activities, and pursue more responsibility and leadership positions when opportunities arise.
4. Volunteer work & mission trips: Community service of all types, including domestic and international service trips through church and school groups, offers you a way to give back. It also provides you leadership opportunities and looks really good to employers. You can find these opportunities by asking friends how they get involved, calling up and volunteering for a local animal shelter, serving as a tutor for local students, or joining service fraternities, charitable organizations and/or churches in your area. You can also search online using Idealist, a global directory of volunteer opportunities and other resources and is a great place to start.
5. Social media & blogging: As more companies and organizations get more involved in social media channels, employers are increasingly seeking social-media-inclined employees. Become an expert on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and any other social media networks in which you are interested, especially from the business perspective. If you have the interest or the ability to blog on topics related to your career, this is also a great way to really establish your personal brand and expertise and use it to sell yourself in your career search. Google’s Blogger and WordPress are two great platforms to help you get started and launch your own blog.
6. Entrepreneurial ventures: If you are creative, entrepreneurially-minded and have launched or will launch a business of any size, don’t forget to play up your efforts and accomplishments on your resume and across your LinkedIn and social media profiles. Employers really value entrepreneurs as employees, for they not only find new innovative ways to grow their businesses, but also tend to have a strong general business skillset.
Don’t let not having full-time job experience be a reason that keeps you from getting your first opportunity, because you have options and if you take advantage of them, you will not only clear all of those hurdles, but you and your brand will also stand out from the rest of your fellow job candidates.
Related articles:
- Internships Help Us Predict the Future (Your Future)
- Paid vs. Unpaid Internships…What is Right?
- Achieve Career Goals Through an Internship “Golden Ticket”
- 3 Ways to Start Defining Your Personal Brand
- 3 Ways to Promote Your Personal Brand
Category: Classroom to Cubicle Transition
