Top 6 Ways You Can Gain Experience When You Have None

Are you of the opinion that employers are not taking you seriously because you lack work experience?

As a fresh graduate, it has become hard to get a job owing to a lack of job experience employers are looking for.

However, do you just sit and mope around about how you will never get a job because others are more qualified than you are?

When I was still a job seeker, I remember lamenting to my friends how employers want job seekers to have experience when they won’t give them the jobs from where they can get this experience until I got to know better.

At that time, all I had on my CV, was three months of attachment experience and let’s face it, I wasn’t winning tenders with that.

I knew that I was competing for the same jobs with people who have been working for years probably.

I needed so badly to get a job and that meant that I had to something to change my odds.

After speaking to a career coach, I realized that I didn’t have to get a job for me to gain the experience employers were looking for.

From my own experience, here are simple ways you can gain experience when you don’t have any.

Related: 5 Tips On How To Write A CV With No Experience 

How To Gain Work Experience Employers Want

The high number of job seekers compared to the limited number of positions is making it almost seem impossible to land a job in this country.

You, therefore, need to stand out in both your application as well as interview skills.

Employers are likely to take you seriously if you have some work experience.

So how do you gain this experience if you haven’t worked? Here is how.

1. Freelancing

If you feel that employers are not giving you a chance to showcase your expertise, then it’s time you created these opportunities for yourself.

This will boost your CV in the long run.

For instance, if you are a communications person, you can create opportunities by becoming a freelance writer.

If you are lucky, you can even make money out of this, while still waiting for a job.

2. Involve yourself in a company’s activities

This works if a company is running a campaign. You may apply and act as the link between the company and its clients to market the products.

Some of these campaigns sometimes end up turning into jobs.

Think about it, imagine you helped run a certain campaign for Safaricom and you put that on your CV.

You are more likely to get a job if you apply for one than that person who hasn’t worked with them.

3. Create and online portfolio

There is something you are passionate about. Create an online portfolio for your work. This may include art or articles.

For example, if you are a writer, you can create a blog and be writing your articles there.

This in its own way is a form of work experience that may end up changing your destiny.

4. Taking additional courses

The mistakes many job seekers make is to just hold on to their degree or diploma without taking steps forward to add other skills.

As Ms. Muthoni Ndegwa, a recruitment manager says, taking short courses is a CV booster.

It puts you at an advantage over other job seekers.

5. Volunteering

This is one of the best ways of building yourself up for a lucrative career. Most job seekers shy away from volunteering because there is nothing in terms of salary to be earned.

However, the experience you gain from this is priceless.

And anyway, employers love a person who can be motivated by something else other than money.

The truth is that not everyone is lucky to land an internship, however, you can offer your services through volunteer work.

6. Internships

If you are a job seeker, my advice is to take as many internships as you can. Paid or not paid, you really need this if you are to have a future in the employment industry.

I myself held several internship positions both paid and unpaid and the experience I gained from them is something I am always proud to put in my CV.

So take a break from those movies and series you enjoy so much and apply for internships. You can thank me later.

They say the only limit to success is yourself. Make yourself indispensable by gaining work experience in some of the ways mentioned, without having to wait for employment. The only motivation should be that there will always be someone more qualified than you sending applications for the same job. How do you ensure the hiring manager has eyes only for you? Think about that.

Related: 5 Simple Tips That Will Guarantee You A Job In 2017 

The writer is a Communications Officer at Career Point Kenya. Email; lilian@www.careerpointkenya.co.ke