Job related work experience---what is that ???
http://9gag.com/gag/aOq0ZpD
All of us know this expression in our faces when we read several job announcements, which require many years of job related work experience.
But how should we get them? With internships you are normally not able to get the required years of expertise.
How do you deal with this issue??
Do you think that employers are seriously demanding that much experience??
How would you argue at a job interview??
Looks like this real dilemma young well trained people are running constantly into (vs. the "being too old, overqualified, difficult to integrate, too expensive . . . etc. dilemma people my age run into ;) ). Well, anyway, I wouldn't take it that serious, since one of the main issues we keep forgetting when applying for a job simply is the competitiors! It's just like any other products, at this point in time any applicant is a product as well. I would just apply and think very hard how I can market my experience to fit to this job. And then a lot is simply depending on who your competitiors are! I really believe one of the main reasons why recruiters list all these difficult to fulfill requirements simply is to make it easier later on to argue against your application.
AntwortenLöschenI guess everyone of us experienced this, when looking through certain job offers, everything seems to be just too good to be true: the job profile they are looking for fits perfectly to your skills, talents and knowledge. but then you come across the line where it says that several years of expertise is required. GREAT!
AntwortenLöschenTo be honest, in such a case, I always refused to apply for this certain job as I think when they read that only an internship and several summer jobs are offered, the application will be declined anyways.
However, it depends on the job/department you are applying for, the company you choose (is it a big one that receives hundreds of applications a day and everyone is just a "number" or a small one that handles every applicant respectful).
I think this issue really depends on the specific field of business. For recruiters in a, say, more "practically oriented business" (hospitality, etc) such practical experiences are essential, since the applicant needs at least some time to get used to the task. However, in businesses, in which more soft skills and theoretical knowledge is required and the main aim is to add value, this issue eases a little in my opinion.
AntwortenLöschenOf course I also came across a lot of those job offers (at least 3 years of experience are welcomed for a junior analyst -.-), but in this regard we should not take it too serious :)
I also believe that one should not take it too serious and not let oneself scare from the phrase "job experience required". It's simply something that goes into every job description. Of course, for some positions (especially in the managment field) it is necessary to have worked in the area before and can prove your theoretical skills and knowledge with working experience. But on the other hand, the usual jobs that you get as a graduate from university won't be a senior analyst, consultant or whatever.. And also during university and school you can gain some work experience from summer jobs or internships. Of course, these jobs might not fit 100 % to the position you want to have afterwards. But at least they show that you are willing to work and have a general working experience.
AntwortenLöschenI think this is a very serious issue because for me it seems like a vicious circle. It is hard for young people to enter the professional world as most employers request job experience. In my opinion, universities or schools should already do the first step as they can organize their students certain internships in order to gain more professional experience. I think at a Fachhochschule you have a big advantage concerning this as there is a particular amount of work experience necessary in order to finish successfully its studies. However, employers need to give also people with less experience the chance to fulfill the job.
AntwortenLöschenI totally agree with all of you. It really seems like an vicious circle to us, as many of us do not have "enough" job experience.
AntwortenLöschenBut on the other hand I think that many processes and workflows are different in each company and you have to get used to them and learn about all this anyway.
So I think this all should not keep us from applying and giving it a try.
I totally agree with all of the above mentioned. Like Tanja I think Universities should try to add a mandatory internship into their students' studies. Sometimes it might help if you had at least a little job in the respective field. Also, when applying for the first job, it might be easier to apply for smaller firms and then look for more prestigious enterprises (P&G, Henkel, Coca Cola etc). Also, of course it is always good to do some networking and try to get a workplace through vit C.
AntwortenLöschenIn any case, applying never hurts. What is the worst that could happen?
And since we already used 9gag: http://9gag.com/gag/5305264
I guess it also depends on the applicants expectation. Many firms also offer entry level positions, which require (almost) no experience or traineeships. Especially the latter could be very interesting for graduates, as there is usually a lot of training included and/or a personal mentor. This way you gain the valuable and desperately needed job experience, but you also have some kind of a "newbie" status. That might be a good transition step between university and a fultime employment. The downside obviously is the salary.
AntwortenLöschenI also agree with all of the above mentioned and want to add something. Yes, it is a big advantage of the "Fachhochshule" - System, especially when you are applying in Austria or Germany where these kind of eduucation is well known. Like in our case, the reputation of the university plays a major role and is normally well known. But a friend of mine, who finished the export-program in Krems, tried to apply in Australia at least 50 times for several jobs and was not able to get one. Although in the job-description was only written "assistance of a HR-employee with kitchen-duties". Normally you would not need any experience for this kind of tasks, but 3 years of previous experience in this field was required.
AntwortenLöschenSo I also don´t think that we have to be scared too much, just apply for the jobs you want to do, because the more "no" you get - the higher the probability that the next one will be a "yes"! ;-)
A really great discussion so far! I really like the statement of Markus which says the more "no" you get - the higher the probability that the next one will be a "yes"! It is true, we shouldn’t care too much about refusals, we have to see it more as a practice for future applications. Even though you can’t fulfill all aspects of a job description, especially when it comes to work experiences, you shouldn’t be too scared of sending an application. If it is a job you really want and it is in a field you feel comfortable in, just do it and try to convince the company why you are the perfect person for it! If you experience no luck it was maybe not the right time or simply not the right company.
AntwortenLöschen