Experience Before Experience? : How to Gain a Foothold in Your Profession
Ask any working design professional, and they'll describe the inner workings of an architecture firm's human resources: arrive to the interview like a green, overly eager intern, and they might gently nudge you out of the office. Arrive with sound professional experience, and you might have recruits eating out of your newly graduated hands.
Most 2015 graduates will learn that our profession can be highly competitive and that their new degree is merely the beginning of a very exciting and sometimes intimidating cycle of potential rejections and satisfying career advances. However, the starting line of your career path can be difficult to face, especially if you are getting few interviews because of lack of professional experience. When you're looking at indefinite months back home and an empty inbox, it can be difficult to devise a viable strategy with Netflix merely two clicks away.
After my own graduation, I had great difficulty gaining prospective job opportunities. My GPA was competitive, but my professional experience in my field was lacking. In today's fast-paced, globalized world, corporations are increasingly reluctant to pay for entry-level training. Companies are actively seeking already experienced workers who can grow revenue immediately -- but how does one gain experience if few companies are willing to hire inexperienced workers?
Here are five techniques I've learned to help me solve this riddle which you should keep in mind as you move through your undergraduate career are look forward to employment options.
Invest in experience: It's important to view internships, even ones that don't pay as much as you wish they did, as experience-building opportunities and investments in your future.
Network: With thousands of new faces in the job market every semester, it's crucial to stay connected, keep opportunities fresh and remain present among others in your field.
Be Vocal: I personally am no socialite, but I've learned that being vocal is a sure way to show confidence and drive. Spark conversations with other professionals and people you look up to, learn from their conversations, express your opinions.
Be Open: Companies seek to hire experienced professionals who learn and adapt quickly. Each workplace has its own way of operating, and our advantage in being young is that we can adapt quickly to our new environments.
Start Small: Don't be afraid to take a job in your field that isn't glamorous, if you feel it will pave the way to future success.
Tyrone Bunyon Jr.