How to Get Experience for New Graduates
A degree from a college or university is a prerequisite for many positions in many industries. However, so is some kind of work experience, which is where new graduates might run into trouble when trying to land a job. College is time consuming, making it challenging to hold down a job at the same time in the industry in which you hope to work.
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Instructions
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Intern with a company in your field. You don't have the work experience yet, but many companies will allow you to intern as a way to in the door. Many companies hire their interns after the internship so you get both the likelihood of a job as well as bona fide experience following this route.
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Start at the bottom. Perhaps you won't land a job as a lawyer just out of school, but a law firm might be willing to hire you to clerk or do paralegal tasks as you build up your work experience. This might not be where you anticipated starting. In fact, this position can be less than entry-level, but it gives you something tangible for your resume once you decide to move on.
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Network as much as possible. You don't have the experience to land a job just anywhere, but you can convince someone to give you a shot through networking. Even if you land a contract position in your field through industry networking opportunities, it gives you the experience to try to move into an entry-level position with another company.
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Land a job outside of your industry. While you might want experience specific to what you want to do in your life, sometimes it helps to at least have something in terms of work history. Take a job in an industry close to yours. For example, if you are trying to break into public relations, apply for a job with a media outlet. It might not be exactly where you want to be, but at the least it gives you relevant work experience.
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