Hunting for Valuable Job Experience

In this economy, finding a job is difficult, and getting a job you want is even harder. Because so many places require experience in the field before you even start, it is necessary to look for opportunities where you can gain applicable experience and work your way up to the career you have your eye on.

Don’t Be Afraid of Experience

Even if a job does not seem very glamorous, it can give you some excellent experience and knowledge that can be used in a variety of situations. For instance, some of my underbelly jobs have been working for Wendy’s and a window tinting company.

At Wendy’s, I learned how I should treat customers, which is important in almost every career field. At the company that did window tinting, I worked as a secretary, which gave me valuable office experience.

All I am saying is that you should not decline a job or neglect to apply because it seems too low for you. Every job will give you valuable experience, even at fast food and window tinting companies. Everyone has to start somewhere.

College

Many places want you have a college degree, and some places really are not picky about what you got your degree in. They just want to know that you were dedicated enough to finish college and that you are at least semi-qualified in lots of different areas.

College is also a great place to find employment opportunities and internships. They usually have some sort of career help department that can help you find the right position so you can start heading in the right direction. Sometimes, they also offer help with building your résumé, which is a really important part of the job hunting process. If your résumé does not look good, you can be almost positive that the job will be denied to you, regardless of your experience.

Types of Internships

Non-paid internships that are for college credit are often easier to get than paid internships. If you can possibly set aside the time to do it, I would highly recommend it. Having an internship to put on your experience list is invaluable to you when you start hunting for careers.

If you are going to accept an unpaid internship, I would highly suggest looking into the company thoroughly. Ask lots of questions about what you are going to be doing and what you will be learning. Yes, interns have to do a lot of the grunt work that no one else in the company wants to do, but you should also be finding out about what it is like to work in that particular industry.

When you finish, you should be able to say that you have experience and maybe even some sort of portfolio of your work that you can be proud to show potential employers.

With internships, there is another perk. If you do really good work for the company you are interning for, there is a possibility that they will hire you on, which can be a stepping stone to get you closer to the position in the industry that you actually want.

The same is true of volunteering. If the company you want to work for has a way for you to be involved through volunteering, I suggest you take it. Not only do you get to see if it would actually be a job you would enjoy, but you get to know all the people in the company who could vouch for the work you have done as a volunteer when you apply for a position.

Don’t Give Up!

Job hunting is difficult and takes a lot of perseverance. Employers want to know that you will go that extra mile before they hire you. So, even if you get turned down many times, commit to getting up and trying again.

By Kassandra Konecny

Bio:

Though Kassandra Konecny has only begun writing professionally about six months ago, she has been writing creatively for years. Recently, she has worked to become an expert at writing blogs for different companies that do window tinting in Utah.