7 Ways to Gain Work Experience Before Getting Your First Job
You’re seeking your first job, but every application you send says that they’re looking for someone with experience. That’s understandable since many jobs tend to ask for it, but where are you supposed to get that work experience if you don’t already have a job?
You might only need a little bit of help getting started with gaining work experience before getting your first job, because there are plenty of different areas that you can research and practice in.
Here’s some easy ways to jump start your path.
1. Do Mini Projects
Anyone would have a hard time finding jobs if all they could do is say that they're somewhat skilled in a field.
The most important thing to do for those times when you don’t think you’ll have any experience yet is make your own projects.
Whether that’s blog posts as a writer or making some pretty posters as a Graphic Designer
whatever it may be, just try making some work that represents and highlights your skills;
you can always throw it away or revise it as needed later.
Try doing this exercise
- Find one ability you want to improve in
- Then pick what you're using to practice with and just start working on it!
- When it's done, throw it up on your portfolio or save the best examples in one neat folder somewhere.
It will never hurts to do this a little everyday!
2. Find an Internship
Internships are a way to learn about the environment that you would hope to be working in every day
Before you accept any internship, learn exactly what the position entails. Ask questions about their hours and environment. Even if you're not working much or even getting paid to be an intern, you'd be surprised at the amount of knowledge that you'll learn over the weeks about the business and how business itself works!
If you cannot find anything in person,
try asking around about remote internships that you'd be able to fulfill in the comfort of your home.
3. Volunteer Wherever You Can
Finding a place to do some free work in return for experience could be more helpful than you think!
Many local places can offer things like:
- Social Media Management
- Writing experience
- Computer/IT assistance
- Graphic Design
- Administrative assistance
Whatever you decide to pick, always highlight what skills you're demonstrating, instead of only focusing on what the job needs in you.
Let's say you wanted to become a Social Media Assistant, you could do something like helping one of your local favorite business keep their accounts updated and organized.
4. Get Some Freelance Work
You don't necessarily have to jump right into all freelance work, but maybe trying some easy jobs for people could help
Anybody who knows anything about freelancing would tell you that building up enough experience for the bigger jobs can be really hard! Try asking around or see where you'll be able to find small but fulfilling projects around your town, or online if there are some jobs anywhere close by.
Freelancing is a great way to help build skills that could last a lifetime like
communicating better, negotiating well, being punctual, making edits, and delivering final work!
Be sure to save your best works and always ask who you've done projects for in the past if you ever need more past examples for a new employer.
5. Enroll in Online Classes With Projects
It might not always be easy to practice what you learn, while knowing that it's incredibly important to practice a skill to get better at it.
When trying some new classes online, just make sure to always keep an eye out for any classes that require you to actually make something at the end of their course.
Instead of just learning about web development, try building a basic website after learning the introduction to it. That way, you'll always have something to show when it comes in handy!
6. Help Out Anyone You Know
There might always be projects that come your way when offering assistance in some fields of work.
Any relative or small business owner you know might need some help out with work like organization, design or even writing pieces like product descriptions or updates.
If you’re truly doing something that needs to get done, you could always pick something up that helps you out at the same time!
Make sure to keep track of whatever work you’ve done before, how and what it was used for, and what you learned to help you talk through your experience later on.
7. Make a Simple Portfolio
Making a place for your work to live somewhere you can easily access it will always come in handy.
Anybody at any point in their life has wondered what they could do to show off their work or practice more with what they like to do. You can start by either printing it or putting it up online, you might not know what’s next for you but just showing a few good works can be enough. A nice and simple portfolio could include some writing samples, design pieces from all sorts of areas, web projects, research projects, even certificates or other accomplishments that you are proud of!
Make the list unique to your practice and keep it short.
The Most Important Thing When It Comes to Gaining Experience
You mightn't be that skilled yet when your starting off in a field, but that's understandable since nobody knows anything at all when they start!
If anything, always keep in mind to show how willing you would be to learn new things and how hard you work to stay punctual, especially during the work you're practicing for the job you hope to get! Don't downplay the little amount of experience you think you have. The smallest things could turn to be your favorite or most important works and skills!
Final Thoughts
With any new job come new environments, skills, and new everything in general. When seeking your first job it would never helps to just hope that work from everywhere falls on your lap, just to get your foot in the door somehow! Remember to always focus on the tiny things around you and take them step by step.
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