The chicken and egg problem of gaining work experience

Dear Coach:


I just applied for a job I really wanted, but didn't even make the first cut because I didn't have experience. DUH! I'm a student - how am I supposed to get experience if no one will hire me?

Catch 22

Dear Catch:

New grads often complain about this chicken and egg problem. “Employers say they want experience, but to have a work record I need one of them to give me the job,” they say. Of course, in the best of all possible worlds, employers want exactly that - new graduates with leading edge academic knowledge and with proven work records to demonstrate they can do the job.

Most employers know they have to settle for new grads who have some work experience (paid or unpaid), who have demonstrated they can show up on time, do the tasks assigned to them and get along with other people. Fortunately, there are many ways a student can demonstrate those qualities.

Getting a work experience track record before you graduate can greatly increase your chances that employers will bet on you. Getting pre-career work experience shows initiative, and demonstrates that you are truly interested in the area of your pre-career experience.

Where can you begin? Start with your college or university placement offices, which, surprisingly, many students overlook. Look beyond summer break employment. Every office is likely to have co-op opportunities and internships. Many also list volunteer service opportunities. In considering which opportunities to take, look for ones that give you either experience in the industry you've chosen or that develop skill sets you know employers want.

If you're fortunate enough to get an internship with a company you're actually interested in, it may be a better investment than taking a low wage job with no career potential. In the best case scenario, an internship may translate into an entry level job with that company. But, even if it doesn't, you'll have industry specific-experience to put on your resume.

Of course sometimes economic need means you simply have to take any job you can get during your summer breaks. If you do take such a job, remember to look for skills and experiences you can mention. At the very least you should ask for a letter of reference at the end of your part-time or summer job that proves that you were a responsible and conscientious employee.

Where else might you find “experience” opportunities? Most major cities have on line volunteer listings on line such as http://www.govolunteer.ca/ or a United Way office you can call. In the course of finding your career focus, you may have also identified professional organizations that may need help with projects or member services. These are ideal ways for you to get to know your future colleagues and to prove yourself.

One student I know volunteered to maintain her professional organization's on-line job bank, which was fairly time-consuming. While she wasn't ready to apply for any of the jobs yet, fielding questions from companies and looking at their ads gave her invaluable knowledge when she was ready. She also got to know some of the job applicants who later became contacts she could talk to when she was actually looking for work.