fbpx
I’m Graduating Soon, How Can I Apply for Jobs that Require 2 Yrs Experience?
I’m Graduating Soon, How Can I Apply for Jobs that Require 2 Yrs Experience?

Earlier this week, when I was the guest lecturer in an undergraduate / 4th-year psychology class, one student asked how she could get an entry-level job when most employers require 2 – 3 years of experience.

Recent Grad for HireThis is a great question since it probably applies to many students who are in their final 5 – 6 months on campus. For all those students out there who have worked part-time while taking classes, you may soon be perceived as “lucky.” You’ll be seen as lucky because over the past 3 or 4 years, you’ve probably worked enough hours during the summers and other breaks from school, and during the regular term that you probably have sufficient experience. No doubt it’s been tough to work during most of your “free time”, but you’ve probably reduced the amount of student loans that you needed, and now your resume may have more depth than it would have if you hadn’t kept working. For everyone else who only worked during the summers, you should have about one year of work experience if you add up all of your summers. That’s not a bad place to start either.

As a next step, think about any volunteer work that you have done while a university student. If those volunteer roles add up to more than a month or two, they are also worth listing on your resume. First, this will show other skills and experience that you may have gained. Second, some employers may count this toward your work experience. If you’ve done any co-op or internship hours, definitely add those too since you should have developed some transferable skills while a co-op employee or intern.

So what’s the takeaway? Try not to sell yourself short. It’s likely that you have learned something from each job that you’ve had so give yourself credit and help your future employer screen you in for further consideration since you have some experience.

Need help dealing with a delicate or high-stakes career or HR issue? I invite you to contact me privately. I offer a free 15 to 20-minute initial consultation by phone. Or, if you prefer, you can contact me by email, or via direct message on TwitterFacebook, or LinkedIn.

 

More than career coaching, it’s career psychology®.

 

I/O Advisory Services – Building Resilient Careers and Organizations.™

 

Easily share this article using any of the social media icons below.

Latest Posts

The Importance of Trust in Remote and Hybrid Workplaces

The Importance of Trust in Remote and Hybrid Workplaces

Many professionals are still working remotely or in hybrid work environments. While this type of arrangement can be great for convenience, productivity, fostering creativity and better use of resources, one issue I keep thinking about is the challenge associated with building trust.

Leaders and the Self-Awareness Gap

Leaders and the Self-Awareness Gap

Leaders: how accurate is your understanding of your impact on others? According to the Industrial/Organizational Psychologists at Psychometrics.com, 95 percent of leaders believe they are self-aware, while a shocking 10-15 percent actually are. Ouch, that’s a big...

Self-Awareness is Crucial for Leaders

Self-Awareness is Crucial for Leaders

Do you know how others view you as a leader? Regardless of where you are in your career, self-awareness is a key building block for effective leadership. Being conscious of our strengths and weaknesses helps us develop and provides insight into how others perceive us.

“The Great Work Breakup” and What Women Want (Part Two)

“The Great Work Breakup” and What Women Want (Part Two)

Women are demanding more from work, and to get what they want, they’re switching jobs at the highest rate possibly in history. The pandemic kicked off the Big Quit; now we’re into “the Great Breakup.” Women are no longer putting up with conditions that don’t work for them. Some of them are even “rage-applying” …