by Deborah S. Hildebrand

Created on: November 15, 2008   Last Updated: November 01, 2011

One of the toughest parts of getting a job is gaining the work experience necessary to qualify as an applicant at least in the mind of employers. It's one thing to go to college for four years or to earn a 12- or 18-month certificate and learn what they tell you in books, it's quite another to put what you've learned into practice.

If you're a first-time job seeker, returning to work after a long absence or hoping to change careers and are wondering how you are going to get the experience necessary to follow your heart, here are eight tips on how to gain first-time work experience.

Tip 1: Go Straight to the Source

It makes no sense to reinvent the wheel. So one of the best ways to find out how to get the right kind of work experience is to talk to someone doing the job you want. If you know someone friend, family member, neighbor sit down and talk with them. Otherwise, ask around to the people you know to see if they can refer you to someone. The ask for an informational interview. I recently got a call from a college student who one day wants to work for a magazine. She wanted insight into becoming a writer. She found my resume on Craigslist where I keep it posted to attract writing assignments.

Tip 2: Start at the Bottom

To get the type of work experience you want you may really have to start in the mail room and learn the business from the ground floor up. Look at the television show and main character on Ugly Betty. She is the assistant to the editor of a large magazine, straight out of college, and this is her third "season" in her position. Finally, she is getting the chance to expand her wings and take on some new responsibilities. It could happen to you, too.

Tip 3: Get an Internship

Today college students are all about getting an internship. So whether you are enrolled at a university, community college, technical school or some other institution of higher learning, take full advantage of any internship opportunities. It's a great way to utilize your learned knowledge and see how it applies in everyday situations.

Tip 4: Volunteer Your Time

It's a given that volunteering your time not only gives you valuable work experience, but it can give you a feeling of pride and accomplishment, especially if you volunteer your time for a non-profit or philanthropic organization. VolunteerMatch offers information on volunteerism including volunteer opportunities by zip code, while GlobalVolunteers lists opportunities to combine volunteer service with travel abroad.

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