How to get the job you want, even if you don't have the right qualifications. Where to get work experience: if you have never worked anywhere

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This problem is faced by most young professionals. All potential employers prefer to hire employees with work experience, but where can they get it if they don’t hire anyone without experience. It turns out a classic vicious circle. Let's figure out how to get out of it.

Prepare a sled in the summer, and work experience - as a student

You need to prepare for a career start while still a student. Try to find part-time jobs in your free time, ideally related to your specialty. You can even earn money in your specialty for free, because now you are working not for your present, but for the future.

Don't neglect student practice, try to get on it in those companies in which you want to work in the future. If you perform well during the internship, there is a good chance that you will be invited back there for a full-time job. Work experience as a student will immediately give you several advantages over other graduates: important entries in the resume for the employer and an understanding of the principles of work in this area. In addition, having gained work experience as a student, by graduation you will already understand what exactly you want to do and in which company to work. BUT Clearly defined goals are already half the battle.

How to search?

Even if you were not so pragmatic as a student, this is not a reason to get upset and give up - you should actively look for a job, looking through all recruiting sites and professional communities. Don't turn down internships or positions that don't seem right for you - think not about what you'll get now, but about what this work experience will give you in the future.

Usually, the employer first gets acquainted with the resume, and only then, if you're lucky, with the candidate himself, so A well-written resume is essential. Since there is nothing special to write in the “work experience” column yet, tell us more about the courses in the specialty you are interested in that you took at the institute, add information about term papers and theses close to this specialty, about your own achievements, the implementation of some non-commercial projects . For example, if you want to get a job as an event manager, it may be useful for you that as a student you played KVN or organized general holidays for your course.

To demonstrate your skills, it would be nice to create a portfolio for yourself - prepare some projects for self-presentation (in any case, if the specialty suggests such an opportunity). Please send a short cover letter along with your resume explaining why you want to work for this company. Indeed, often employers do not want to hire young specialists for fear that they will learn from them, gain experience and leave for another company, that is, the company will spend time and effort on training a specialist, and as a result, they will be left with nothing.

If the job ad lists the phone number of an HR manager or line manager (depending on who reviews the resume and conducts the first interview), feel free to call this person in a few days and find out if your resume has been considered. Perhaps, thanks to this perseverance, you will receive an invitation to an interview.

By the way, never turn down an interview. Even if you understand that you are not suitable for this vacancy, spend two hours of your time - the experience of communicating with the employer will not be superfluous. In addition, there is always a chance that the interviewer will like you so much that he will offer you for the first time not this, but another position.

It's no secret that many managers prefer to look for employees not by ad, but by acquaintances. The fact is that in some specialties it is quite difficult to draw a conclusion about a specialist solely on a resume, and an employee who was advised by friends, in any case, should turn out to be an adequate person. Therefore, tell all your friends that you are looking for a job, no one knows where an invitation may come from.

How to start?

Most likely, you will have to start either with assistant positions or with small salaries. There are several approaches to starting a career. You can go to work in a low position in a large company in which you want to develop. During work, take on extra responsibilities to show your bosses what you can do, prove yourself and leave your initial position for the desired one as quickly as possible. As it often happens in journalism, young specialists get a job as an editorial assistant, and at some point they offer the management to write an article. The editors usually don't mind, and if the article turns out to be good, the assistant begins to write regularly and gradually grows to the position of a journalist or even an editor. But the same assistant may not write anything, and remain at his uncreative work.

Raghav Haran, who has worked at major companies including Shutterstock and TrueVentures, has written about how you can get the job you want even if you don't have the diplomas and certifications you need.

If I had to name three main traits of New Yorkers, I would say:

• they hate tourists
• they hate every other city in the world
• they ALL look good.

Maybe the problem is that I'm from the Midwest. But it seems to me that in New York everyone looks like they go to the gym.

I have tried many times to lose weight, but to no avail. Being around all these beefy guys made me make another attempt to shed those extra pounds. But I had to come up with a new way, so last summer I hired a personal trainer in New York.

I was incredibly pleased with the result. So much so that I thought about having my own coach in my hometown when I got back. I told my intention to the coach in NYC. “Are they skilled in strength training and nutrition?” - he asked. I didn't know what to answer.

How many people do you know who say, “I want to pump up. I need advice from someone who is qualified in strength training and proper nutrition!”?. The only people who can say something like that are themselves "qualified".

Consumers don't care! They just find the people with the best body and ask them what they need to do to get there.

Many years ago, I interviewed for an internship at a startup. I had a decent resume and the employer knew I went to a great school. I thought the internship was already in my pocket. But they never called me back.

Later, I learned that a guy from an unknown college, located in a town I had never heard of, got the position. The new employee did not have much experience in this job.

How is this possible?

It turns out that people who are looking for a job are worried about their achievements and certificates. A company that hires an employee cares if he can solve her problems. The situation is actually like this: diplomas, certificates and other papers are important in some industries - for example, in medicine or law. In other areas, the requirements for a future employee are sometimes surprisingly flexible.

If you prove to a future employer that you can solve their problem, your certificates will no longer play such an important role. This is how I got job offers that required a candidate for a degree or years of experience.

How can you prove your ability to solve the company's problems?

Start doing work before you get it. I call this the "interview project".

A simple example: if you are applying for a job as a designer, try developing a new design for the company you want to work for and explain to the employer why you made certain decisions when creating the project.

I'll go into more detail about "interview projects" with real-life examples, who you should send your work to, and even show templates for such emails.

Step 1: Limit your search to a few jobs that are of particular interest to you.

Keep in mind three rules to keep in mind when reviewing job offers:

If you are a little short on the number of years of work experience, this is normal. If not for too many years. For example, with a year of experience, you can get a job that requires three years. But on the one that requires seven years, it is hardly possible.
- If your level of education is lower than stated in the vacancy, this is normal. But only not if we are talking about vacancies that require professors of science.
- Make sure you can actually do the job. You may not have the necessary papers, but you must have the skills.

If you have found 3-5 such positions, go to the second step.

Step 2: Understand what you will be doing in this job.

If you understand what is expected of you in your new job, it will be easier for you to make a suitable "interview project". To do this, you will need a job description. Determine which future responsibilities do not require inside company information that you do not yet have access to, and do it.

Step 3: Make a separate project for each company you want to work for.

This way you can show specific employers that you can solve their problems.
When I applied for a product development position, I tested the company's products, created design proposals based on the results, and sent them to the company. Developments like this got me interviews at big companies like Quora and Airbnb, and Shutterstock created a position just for me.

My friend did a big project for Dropbox and is now working there.

Step 4: Submit the project to the company.

To do this, you need to find the right person who will pay attention to your work.

If you are submitting a project to a small company, you can directly contact the CEO or head of the department you are interested in. You can reach them through social networks or mail.

Template example:

Hello [name]!
My name is [your name], and I noticed that you are looking for an employee, and I was interested in your vacancy. I thought it would be helpful [here is a brief description of your project] to show my interest and value to the company.
[Submit your project]
A little about yourself: [a short description of your experience that will help you get this job: 2-3 sentences]
Thank you for your attention, I hope to hear an answer about further actions!
Sincerely,
[Your name]

If you're submitting a project to a large company like Microsoft or Amazon, it's more difficult. I advise you to first schedule an interview, and then send the project to those who will communicate with you when applying for a job some time before the appointed date.

Here is a template for such a case:

Hello [name]!
[Employee name] informed us that on [date] we have an interview for [position] in the company.
[submit project]
I figured it's best to submit the project now if you'd like to discuss it at the interview (and if that's acceptable, of course).
Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, [Your name]

Whenever I followed the steps above, the interview went super-smooth and most of the time I got hired.

“But it doesn’t work in my field! My sphere is different!” - you say.

No, it's not. It's just human behavior. People want their problem solved, so they prefer to hire someone who is already working on it.

Try it. It works.

And if your project never got a response from the company, think about its corporate culture and whether you want to work in such a place.

Job Matching Paradox - You can't get a job without experience, but you can't get experience without a job either. This difficulty haunts us when we first enter the labor market or are about to take a leadership position. Young ambitious professionals and recent graduates especially suffer from this paradox.

Such contradiction is paralyzing. However, professionals at all levels differ in that they find access to opportunities. The key to resolving this paradox lies in understanding that you will always be judged on two criteria: your potential to create value in the future, and your track record in an area that is key to your work. Depending on seniority, these two types of value will be weighed in different proportions. The general rule is that the less experience you have, the more weight the potential has.

Potential is best seen in attitude, enthusiasm, work ethic, communication skills, curiosity and questioning, willingness to learn, knowledge of the company and position. However, in addition to demonstrating potential, there are five other strategies that will overcome the paradox of fit for office.

1. Get empowered

One of the logically correct ways to find a job is to get the necessary qualifications. This may be education in a particular field or special training. One of the fastest growing industries today is computer programming. According to the forecast of the American Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2020, about a million vacancies in this field will remain unfilled. Traditional IT education will no longer satisfy this demand. Technology companies are already calmly accepting programmers without higher education. At Google, according to The Wall Street Journal , already today, 15% of the staff did not graduate from college. With trainings like codeacademy, which were approached by 24 million users from all over the world, passing one or more courses allows you to master professional skills in a month. With this knowledge, you will be able to qualify for an entry-level job, and after a while, compete with other experienced programmers. So decide on your interests - it can be programming, finance, aviation, art management and more. In almost each of these areas there is an opportunity to learn the basics of the profession. Find courses that are respected by employers and thrive.

2. Take the initiative

Laura Chambers launched a university program eBay which was aimed at improving the quality of recruited trainees. Laura's advice is to show creativity and initiative, which helps you stand out from the crowd. This method is especially suitable for those who do not have a technical or special education. Volunteering is a great career start. Think of it as your startup, Laura advises. - Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty. You will have the opportunity to try different activities to find out what you love and at the same time gain the necessary skills.” It is important to demonstrate what you can do, not just your potential. She also advises to come up with a special plan to win the company of your dreams. Whether you want to work for eBay, start a small business on the platform, or use PayPal, be prepared to talk about the pros and cons of the experience. It doesn't cost much to create a small video or blog about your experience. Perhaps it will be picked up and promoted by the media. At the very least, a blog is a great addition to your resume.

3. Be prepared to start from the bottom

If you have just completed your education, you may feel that you are too qualified for many entry-level positions. But you need to start somewhere. As Lao Tzu said, the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step. Chad Dickerson, CEO of booming online exchange Etsy.com, is convinced that the best position is to put your foot in the door. That's how people got jobs in his company's support desk. They understood the company's business well and made great salespeople, he says. These people have a special place in his heart, because this way of hiring has proven to be beneficial for him as well. “I took a low-paying clerk position at the Raleigh (North Carolina) city newspaper in 1993, and it became the first online daily publication in the United States. I just realized how websites work here. It doesn't matter what area of ​​the Internet industry you are in. It can be finance, trade, hotel business and any other business that works with a large number of clients. Start in a position that allows you to communicate with the customer, whether it's at the cash register or in the helpdesk, in sales or at the front desk. You will get a lot of valuable opportunities to understand what is really happening in the market. You can use this experience to develop your career or apply it in any other field.

4. Barter

Perhaps you don't have a job yet. But you have a resource of infinite value that you may not realize. This time. If you spend your time with energy, enthusiasm, and initiative, you can trade it for tremendous opportunities. A young college graduate with a degree in history was talking to the director of a real estate agency. He looked very busy and not in the mood for conversation, and then she thought to ask: “What would you do to expand your business if you had one day off a week?” He said that he would prepare a marketing study of the rental market for young people. She offered to do this research for free, briefly explaining how her analytical and writing skills would help complete such a project. He agreed to pay for this work at the rate of $10 per hour, and when it was completed, he was amazed at the quality of the analysis, the clarity of the applicant's thinking and the wit with which the facts were presented. She now holds a junior position in the marketing department of this company.

You may browse the pages of companies you are interested in with the thought that you do not have the necessary experience to work on open vacancies. You can leave the site and try to conquer other companies, but try to look at your skills differently. This is exactly what one young specialist did, who was attracted by a vacancy in a food company. However, “project management” was indicated as a key requirement, a skill that he did not seem to have, although he was suitable in all other parameters. At the interview, he spoke about his experience of traveling in Eastern Europe, which he made with his friends, and he was the initiator of the trip and was responsible for the entire group: he studied the route, found the cheapest tickets for transport and hotels, collected money from the participants and was the custodian and manager of the general cash desk. As a result, he was able to demonstrate the skill required by the company, even though he was not associated with the professional field. So you, if you think about it, will find yourself with much more suitable skills than you think.

Irina Silacheva , specially for executive.ru

Photo source: Freeimages.com

I want to continue the series of articles on building a career for young people with an article on where to get. No one wants to take a job without work experience. But nevertheless, does everyone somehow get a first job? This article will be useful to those who want to find the answer to this question, both young professionals and those who want to change their direction of activity.

Friends and acquaintances The first circle - friends, family and acquaintances can be those who will give you a job. There's no shame in working for dad or dad's friends if you're going to work there, not getting paid for being the son of your best friend. If you have a normal relationship with your parents and they have work related to the topic, you can turn to them for help.

The same applies to friends, classmates and acquaintances. It is easier to convince them that you are a responsible young specialist with no experience who should be given a chance. And then you shouldn't shout at all corners that the first place of work is the firm of your best friend's mother :)

Pitfalls: Don't overuse and don't want too much. The first few years you work on a resume - then it's on you.

Teachers at a university or college If the place of study is not quite provincial, then you have a wide circle of acquaintances in the subject. My first internship in television was the result of a recommendation from a teacher in whose classes I got the highest score.

Pitfalls: teachers are not always in the know and this place of work may not be the most advanced. But it's good enough to get started.

Summer internships and volunteering International and regional educational programs with practical work, grants and projects - this is what will decorate your resume with big names, and your portfolio with works that have received approval and feedback.

Pitfalls: do not play too much in social activities.

Freelance by topic Representatives of creative and intellectual professions can try their hand at small assignment sites. Along with the banal to write a text and make a website, tasks of any topic pop up there - draw a project, calculate the cost, design the interior and plan logistics.

Pitfalls: think not about money, but about experience, you should not be an eternal freelancer.

Student practice at your favorite university Many student interns want to get a print in the practice diary and that's it. Favorably stand out against their background and the employer will be happy to tell you everything and show you. I take interns for all my projects and many do not just stay working, but make a faster career than me :)

Pitfalls: low pay or free work, high risk of receiving below market wages for too long. But 6 months of work is quite possible.

Work as a secretary in a company of the required specialization Oddly enough, in the position or you can learn a lot about how the company works and learn a lot. In order to get into this position, you need to know the computer and look decent. They pay a little, but the tasks are not critical. An enterprising person can make a rapid career from this position, the main thing is to prove himself to the leader.

Pitfalls: get stuck in the post of secretary for a long time. Remember why you came here.

Free and paid courses with the possibility of practice and employment Many paid and free professional development courses, conferences and hangouts around the business offer subsequent employment and internships to those who graduate with honors. Sometimes these are intensives for 3-4 days, and sometimes evening classes throughout the year. In any case, this is a chance to get a job in your specialty.

Pitfalls: Good courses cost money. Sometimes it is worth saving up for unskilled work or borrowing from parents-relatives.

Positions of newcomers and apprentices in companies

Many companies take on newcomers both because a specialist needs to be trained for himself, and because such specialists are cheaper and suitable for unskilled labor. This is your chance to start your career.

Pitfalls: get ready to work for at least half a year for free and with illiterate management (a competent one has money for a professional).

Try different options, move to another city for work experience and remember: the first 3 years you work on a resume, and then it is on you. Good luck in your job search!

How did you start your career path? Share your experience in the comments!