Many are shocked to learn that apart from having good grades, employers also expect one to have undertaken some form of internship or volunteered their time.
When you are starting out, employers know that you have a lot to learn. However, as much as they are prepared to train you, they want individuals who can demonstrate initiative, leadership and are self motivated. When all you can show at the end of a four year course is a certificate (whether it’s first class or just a pass), the employer questions whether you have what it takes to go past his or her expectations
Getting an internship or an organization to volunteer is not easy. A lot of employers see young professionals as time wasters and few are willing to give them a chance even if it’s unpaid. Secondly, there are many distractions that keep young professionals away from focusing on what is important in their careers, from social media, peer influence to just being plain lazy. It takes a sharp and focused young mind to avoid these distractions and go out and seek an internship. A lot of the young people are also unable to handle rejection and will give up on the first attempt if it doesn’t work.
Another issue that came up during the training was on where to get an internship. If you talk to successful professionals, they will tell you that they first worked in places that had no relation to their area of training. If it’s an engineer, you might find that they got their first internship in customer service or other ‘odd’ jobs like sales and marketing. What is important to employers is that you can work with people and that you know how to behave in a work environment. They can train you on the technical aspects. Obviously, you are better off getting an internship or your first job in your area of training but if it’s not forthcoming and you have an opportunity in another field, grab it. They are transferable skills to learn.
The issue of job experience also affects experienced professionals. I have met individuals who would like to change careers but are facing difficulties because they don’t have the necessary work experience. For this group, my advice is for one to get a part time job or volunteer at their place of work. If you work for an accommodating employer, why don’t you volunteer to work in the department that you are interested in joining? For example, if you are in general admin and have pursued a course in HR, volunteer to work in the HR department and to assist in some of the duties. For part time job, they are many organizations and especially the SME’s who will give you an opportunity to practice what you’ve learnt. Other organizations where you can volunteer or get a part time job include i.e. churches, investment groups, schools etc.
This way, you will have something to write on your CV and be competitive when it comes to job applications.
If you are to get a good job without experience you have to plan all the way. Majority of us expect things to work out by themselves. Unfortunately that’s not how the world operates. You have to do your part and this includes hassling for odd jobs, volunteering, going out of way to get part time jobs, cutting on your social life and investing that time learning, etc.
Success will come your way but only if you are willing to invest your time and effort. It’s not enough to desire a good job when you have no experience; you have to prove that you have what it takes.
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