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mike_781 · New User Joined: 23 Sep 2008 Posts: 8 Career Advice: +0/-0

I want to get an opinion from some people please. I’m trying to figure out just what to do about getting into a long term position instead of working all these temp jobs. While I have been working, it seems as if I can’t build up enough work experience in any one field to get my foot in the door of a good employer. I keep being told I need to get more relevant experience; but to get the experience, I need the work. It’s a catch 22 for me. Does anybody have an idea what I can do about this?

agp_30 · Newbie Joined: 29 Sep 2008 Posts: 2 Career Advice: +0/-0

While not on the exact subject, here’s another twist to the work experience catch 22 idea. I have a degree in Biology. When I left college there were no jobs available directly in the filed for me because I had no experience. So I went for another option, working for a vet. Since I love animals, and did some volunteering with pets when in high school, I was able to use the Biology degree and that experience to grab a vet tech job. But even with 4 years of that experience I still don’t have enough to get into any type of Biology work. I’m beginning to wonder if I wasted money on college.

bilbo_30 · New User Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 8 Career Advice: +0/-0

One of the main mistakes so many people make when first starting out in the job market is to grab up the first job offered. Another mistake people make is to apply outside of their chosen field first. If you set up a list of employers who are in the field you want, then apply to every one of them, for any open position, you can get around the lack of work experience leading into the catch 22. Even at entry level, you can still get experience and work up.

alley_grey · Newbie Joined: 28 Sep 2008 Posts: 4 Career Advice: +0/-0

No offense, but when you have a college degree and there are no jobs available because there is no experience to get the work, that’s a catch 22. I have a degree in Business, and the best job I can find that has anything to do with my degree is Assistant Manager of a convenience store. And that pays minimum wage. I had to take a job working a factory just to make enough to pay the student loan and live. So I can see how Mike and AGP can’t find enough experience even though they have jobs. Having the wrong experience is just as bad as having no experience working.

camp_man · New User Joined: 30 Sep 2008 Posts: 7 Career Advice: +0/-0

So now maybe I’m reading this wrong, but I don’t think I am. You guys can’t get the jobs you want because you don’t have the exact work experience, and don’t think you can find experience without that work. That’s your Catch 22 right? Well, take it from a guy who has done everything from run carnivals to campgrounds and trucking companies; it’s not about having the exact experience, it’s about selling the experience you have. Mike, you can’t tell me that in all the temp work you have done, none of it ties together to provide some level of experience? AGP, you I honestly think should look into every job that Biology has to do with, and then go after those. Alley, you can use your management experience with the degree to show hands on training to get an entry level office job and go at it from there. It’s all about how to sell the product, which is what you have to offer the employer.

bilbo_30 · New User Joined: 26 Sep 2008 Posts: 8 Career Advice: +0/-0

Another approach to the no experience to get work catch 22 thing, is reworking the resume to show off all the skills the employer is looking for. Leave out anything which is not relevant to the job you want. I see people all the time come looking for work. I ask them what they can offer in the way of customer service, and they can’t tell me. I know what experiences they have, I have their applications. People don’t know how to tie their experience together into one valuable package that they can sell to employers.

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