Being Entry-Level
I have recently been looking for work. For a college graduate with recent work experience overseas it should be easy to get a job right? You would be surprised. When you qualify and “Entry-Level” in the job market it can be easy to find a great deal of closed doors. So here are a few things I have noticed that should help others along their new career journey.
You are Missing Experience
Take some time and read those want-ad listings and Monster.com posts again. Now look carefully at qualifications. Probably 90% of the jobs you see will ask for 2-3 years of experience. This still applies to just looking at jobs that have been advertised as “entry-level” for almost the same portion of jobs.
Recent college grads tend to lack that little experience thing by definition. You just spent the last four years honing your skills and knowledge in order to become qualified only to find yourself not measuring up. It feels discouraging. But don’t let it!
You might not have any years of industry experience, but look at your education. Highlight why your education has prepared you for a job responsibility. Did you hold any positions in an academic club? Guess what, that can also count as valuable experience. You might not met the definition of experience, but you can still walk the line and use what you have done to leap that hurdle.
But I Found a Listing for Amazing Training With Zero Experience Needed!
Yeah, I saw those ads too. Check their websites; do they seem vague? are parts not finished? Check the job information very carefully; does it seem generic? does it ask for competitive sales drive? does it look like a large number of other similar job descriptions?
That should make you nervous. There are hundreds of companies with thousands of job listings that are made to scam you. If you see one company with more than five listings for the same or very similar positions use your email scanning tricks. If you get five very similar emails trying to sell you something, you call it spam. Most job postings like this will hire you for the job equivalent of spam email. Unless you love door-to-door sales with little chance of ever seeing any of those bold, multi-color, often scrolling promises.
Look for a company that has a real website. Put the company name in a search and see if news about the company comes up and not just more links to job ads. Be as careful about job listings as you are about email offers, both are just as easy to post and send out.
The Job I Trained for is Not the Job I Can Get
True. You tend to go to college in order to become a “decider” and not the decider’s secretary.
Almost every manager level and above door is closed to the entry level job seeker. You have two options to resolve this conflict. You can fight the door or check the rest of the hallway.
If you know you have the training and enough experience to do the job but don’t meet the listed qualifications… It will be an uphill drag-out battle, but people win those everyday. You will need to take a crowbar to that closed door. Persistence and bold bullheadedness will be the only things that pay off. If you are reaching higher further than the average candidate you’re going to have to put forth an aggressive can-do attitude to convince the hiring manager you deserve the position.
If you know what job you want but really do not have the full set of qualifications or needed experience to be successful then take a walk down the hallway. Try to find an ad for an assistant to your ideal position, or if you feel aggressive simply apply for an assistant position. There is not a manager on Earth who wouldn’t like to unload a bit of work on a new “trainee” so they can focus on bigger projects or on moving up another rung on the corporate ladder. There are tons of lower echelon jobs available. It may not pay great, it may not be the role you would prefer to be in, but it is a position from which you can jockey to others.
Now with a little extra advice, get out there. Show the job market that you are ready and willing to take it head on. I’ll be there fighting with you.
