All the Experience Needed to Qualify

With graduation right around the corner, it seems like everyone is under pressure to find a job. 

On my job search journey I have discovered a few things. According to these job posts I have absolutely no experience, I don’t have enough portfolios or websites, and I need to know a set salary. This salary will most likely determine the path of my future income and what I will be making for the rest of my life.

Now, although some might be exaggerations coming from me there really are jobs out there expecting you to graduate college with all the knowledge in the world. What ever happened to the learning process of it all, how do these job postings and companies know I am not qualified when they haven’t given me the opportunity.

This is how I see it. I am a radio/television major and my four years of college I have been taught by being thrown into the pool. That is just how we function, by we I mean mass communication majors. We learn to think on our feet this way. As a communications major you have to be ready to go out onto the field and report, record, and recognize what is going on.  So, they throw you into the pool. Now we count this as experience, because we have learned and gained all the skills needed to continue on and eventually get our degree. Now that we know how to swim, we all just need an opportunity to join a team.

Please someone, let me on your team!

I know what you are thinking. Why aren’t you applying to entry-level jobs? If you see a job post that says years of experience needed to qualify then don’t apply. No, but you see I am applying to entry-level jobs. Because I understand that graduating from college is still entry-level and I am no expert. 

These “entry” level jobs still expect you to have 3 plus years of experience under your belt. How does that make any sense, when I know they see recent grad on my resume. I was working on my undergraduate degree the past 4 years thank you very much. And all the internships still technically don’t count as experience. 

Most people are lucky to get one internship, like me. Now for those that have done multiple internships I would love to see how their job search is going. Are you still struggling like I am, with only one on my resume.

Should I have done more internships? Should I have started applying to jobs a year ago? Or is the pressure of graduating and stepping out into the real world slowly crushing me and making me believe I have done everything wrong the last four years of my life?

I assume just like everyone else that coming to college was the best decision I have ever made. Although up until a week ago I was still very sure of it, the whole graduating and trying to adult thing is very difficult on me. I can definitely go on and on about this topic, but instead I have decided to turn this energy into positive energy. And I have gone out and done some research. And I would like to share all that research with all of you.

I am currently using Indeed to find jobs suitable for my degree. And recently I have discovered through a collegue that you can also apply to jobs through your LinkedIn. So, LinkedIn isn’t just a “wanna be” Facebook it’s a great tool for applying to jobs. It helps with connections; you can even see the alumni that currently work at positions you are trying to apply for. This is always great, because some might say it’s all about the hands you shake in the media industry. Connections are grand.

So if anyone out there is pursuing a career in communications feel free to connect with me and we can both struggle together. 

I just want all of us to be successful and thrive. But I especially want someone to hire me.