Career Questions and Answers
How do you gain experience in a job if nobody will give you a chance?
Asked by ozshaz1985
I am a recently qualified Graphic / Web Designer. Every position I have applied for I have been unsuccessful due to my lack of experience in the industry... but how do you get experience if nobody will employ you ?!? It's frustrating having spent so much time, energy and money for a qualification I can't use ! Any advise?
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Best Answer:
Too many times, people apply for the job they eventually want. In many industries, you have to work at an entry level job gaining the experience necessary for the job you eventually want.
Good luck...perhap, you should apply to a print shop where part of the job is graphic design for print (ads, letterhead, even t-shirts). Part of this job will be computer based graphic design.
A:
Yeah, i know the feeling...
Well all i can say is trry and work for yourself and be successful, especially in your field i think it would work well.
Maybe get another qualification...
More qualifications the better.
Home Learning College, put you into a job after qualifying so it's much more easier in the long run.
There more options than you think...
Answered by David The Visionary
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its seriously tough...but the only way is to begin on a lower wrung work ...which may not be of any other value addition but still shows as an experience. any day better than being unemployed for a lack of experience
Answered by anshu
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Work on a portfolio of your work and practice with your free time and look for a lower level job or a part time job while you practice at home.
http://jobs.yahoo.com is also a good choice.
Answered by synxz001
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Yes try and gain experience by doing some volunteering perhaps for a local magazine such as the local nature club who might require graphics imported into their monthly or weekly newsletter. Lots of opportunities to gain experience if you look about your local area. Even advertise in your local rag.
All good experience to show on your CV. Potential employers love to see folk who use their initiative.
Madcap is wrong you will get found out eventually bad advice from him.
Retired careers guidance adviser.
Answered by star
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try useing spare time to volinteer to make web pages, graphics for chairtys or freinds and familys.. then use them to show what you can do...
Answered by msmomofmany
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Look for small contract projects to work on. Like for instance, maybe you find a church or a small business in need of a website. You don't have any real world experience, but you can do the job for them for less money, so you'll have that going in your favor.
Also, when looking for permanant positions, look to the smaller companies first. Like small mom and pop print shops and the like. And don't apply for your dream position. You have to start lower and work your way up to the dream position.
Answered by firstythirsty
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Maybe try volunteering?
Answered by joy_hardyman2003
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Do a few months work experience with only expenses paid and the prospect of being hired afterwards. Use the time to get to know people in the industry. Go for good companies that you would want to work for, though.
Answered by Jules
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No disrespect to any of the other answers but if you want a real world sollution to your problem, try this...
Lie on your CV, make sure that the company cannot be traced, fake a reference and make sure you look your prospective employer square in the eye when you bullsh*t them.
Only claim experience for things you know you can handle and once you've lied your way into a job, stay there for 12 months and take your real experience somewhere else for more money.
It's the way of the world sadly but if you cover your back it'll work and it'll give the start that no-one else will
Good luck
Answered by madbagcat
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That's a "catch 22"... my daughter had the same problem, she's a fully qualified beauty therapist. But she contacted the salons & offered her services for free for a few hours a week to gain experience. One salon accepted, now she has a full time job.
Answered by daveboyUK
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Volunteer!
There are thousands of businesses out there who are not in a cashflow position to be able to hire someone full time in graphics and web design, but they still have needs that you could fill and build a name for yourself.
You really don't want to be working for someone else anyway. What you want is to have people paying you on your terms for your work.
So here is my recommendation. Find an internet business that has an ugly website and offer to give it a makeover in return for a link on their site to your web design service. You can even do this on a local basis. Tell them up front that you are doing this to build up your portfolio and to get a testimonial.
They will be so pleased that someone took an interest (please, do not tell them that their website is ugly, they may have been the one who originally designed it...lol) in their business and that there is no pressure for them to pay for something that they knew that they needed.
Put up your own website that shows off some of your successes.
Second recommendation:
Build a package of graphics that are generic enough that anyone could easily include into their website and sell it for $35 from your website.
This will help offset the cost of your doing the volunteer work.
Have an amazing day!
Micheal Savoie
http://softwarerebel.com
PS - Special Report details the way one man gets hundreds of opt-in leads for 10 minutes of work per day!
http://ourwiz.com/10minuteoptin/ya
Answered by Micheal S
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Start at the very bottom. A lot of people get degrees etc and expect to go straight into a fully fledged job. It can happen but it is very rare. Apply to all the local design companies offering you service doing anything in the company. Even making tea.
If they see that you are keen and have the relevant qualification it won't be long until you are doing something more in line with what you want to do.
I speak from experience of working in the tv industry where hundreds of people who have media based degrees apply for jobs each year and get rejected. Practically all of the people start off as runners (the lowest paid job) before moving on to the bigger jobs. So be prepared to earn minumum wage for a year or two.
Answered by John D
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Do some temporary work just to get your foot in the door.
I worked at a company once helping out with a mailshot for a few days. I got on really well the manager there and she offered me a job, a job that I would never had got if I had applied for. You have to start at the bottom sometimes, but if you are good it will show and you will be rewarded.
Answered by Annie M
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Well, you need to start building a portfolio of work yourself. I would imagine that most graphic designers are self-employed or work on a freelance basis anyway. You could advertise your services locally and on the Internet. You could also consider doing one or two free jobs, perhaps for local charities, as a way of getting yourself established?
Answered by Tufty Porcupine
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I agree with star, when you see that its tough to get into the market, then find ways to volunteer for companies in a purpose to get experience. Also work for yourself to promote your skills with in the community. I can share your feeling because you invest energy and after all you deserve is earnings. But not everybody can just go through, your field has a lot of return on investments, once you will be in you will forget about this up and down experience. Good luck!!!
Answered by Nomimi
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I know 7 people with Graphic/Web Design degrees. Only one of them has ever been able to get a job where they're actually using their degree aside form freelance work, and it was a lucky break of being referred.
Honestly, you'll probably need to start out in a part-time or freelance position. Once you build up a portfolio, you'll be able to go into interviews more easily. Graphic & Web Design openings have a *lot* of competition for the few open positions. There are many more people with degrees in Graphic Design than there are jobs.
Answered by Ari
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I am also a graphic designer. I also do web and commercial photography. I work for a rather large e-commerce company. I never went to college a day in my life. I started from the bottom at a magazine and worked my way up to assistant to chief editor. You have to start very small. In this field, experience means the most. Try a small company or do freelance to build up your experience. You'll get there.
Answered by Melanie
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