Has anyone else found a way round this problem?

I graduated from uni this year and I'm in the process of looking for a day job. I don't have a lot of work experience behind me as I didn't do any of the normal student part-time jobs during my time at uni. I don't know what I'd enjoy/would suit me long term, so I thought the best thing to do would be to get some work experience of some kind to build up transferable skills and not have a huge gap on my CV. I've just spoken to an agency who claimed to be offering temporary basic admin work (which didn't specify previous experience was necessary), and they've told me that they can't offer me work because I don't have previous experience! What am I supposed to do when I can't get a temporary agency job doing photocopying/filing in an office somewhere because I'm not experienced enough?

I thought of going to agencies because I've given up on anyone actually offering me a permanent job that I've applied for by myself - I've had a few interviews and they all said that I did really well at interview and said all the right things etc. but they didn't choose me because I don't have enough previous experience. I've got another interview next week but the chances of me getting the job are not great because, as with anything I apply for, there will always be more experienced people who also apply and will be chosen instead of me.

My degree was in modern languages (French/German) and there's not a lot of work for linguists in this country, and what there is seems to only involve speaking which isn't my strongest skill so I'd be reluctant to go for jobs that specify fluent spoken language. If I thought there was the work in this country I'd like to translate (did it as a work placement during my year abroad) but that doesn't look realistic. What I actually *do* is play music and sound engineer (which is what I did instead of normal student jobs whilst at uni), but I doubt I can make a living from it!

Sorry for rambling - well done and thanks if you're still reading! What I really need to know is: how do you get started in the world of work if no-one will employ you without work experience?

Thanks all

You could do some volunteer work to get your foot in the door. That would count as experience.

hiya
i think what you need to do is look at what skills you do have and make sure any potential employer is aware how your
experience through studentship or employment can be transferred to their environment.

Ie if they are looking for someone who can do word processing, say during your dissertation you had to word process, including using tables, data entry, graphs, pictures etc. Attention to detail with using references.

If you think hard you'll probably be able to come up with quite a list of transferable skills. if you need any help pm me

Hi.

I remember being in exactly the same position as you when I graduated from Sheffield Uni 10 years ago. Some suggestions I have are:

1) Try applying for temporary jobs at both Sheffield Uni. and Hallam Uni. I worked at Hallam Uni. on various temp. jobs as admin. assistant. Admittedly the first few weren't the most exciting of jobs, but they paid reasonably and you get pro-rata annual leave and often flexy time. Hallam used to have something called a "temporary register" where you can register yourself and they'll call you if something comes up. That's how I started and ended up on a well-paid contract there some 5 years later. I've since left however for a career change! The other thing is that Universities are more sympathetic to students with little work experience. They will take notice more of "transferable skills" you've gained from your studies, since they're in the business of education.

2) Try getting hold of a typing tutor if you cannot already touch-type. I found that I wasn't getting clerical positions in offices, often because my typing speed was low. I got hold of a CD-ROM called "Mavis" or something or another. I perservered for 3 months to get up to 60 words per minute. That opened up quite a few opportunities and got jobs that way through temping agencies like Manpower.

3) Try doing some part-time voluntary work. Not only will this look good on your CV to future new employers, you'll be able to put some more bullet points down on these so-called "transferable skills" in the work you do there. Voluntary work will not pay the bills, but it does keep your mind off being depressed sat at home in your dressing gown circleing crap jobs in the paper with red pen! Keeps your mind active.

Best of luck. If all fails, go into hairdressing like me :thumbsup:

Steve

Well they say that what you give is what you gain so some voluntary stuff might be a good idea

Hi

There's a place on Division Street that advertises lots of volunteer posts and some of them sound really interesting. They're quite choosy who they take on though, even though they are unpaid but it would be a good way to build up a bit more experience and do something worthwhile at the same time. Also as someone else has said, its a foot in the door.

There's no reason why someone wouldn't offer you a permanent full time job so you shouldn't give up on that. Its about being in the right place at the right time. It will happen ....

yellow pages, ring companies similar to those you might want to work for, explain your situation, ask if you can shadow someone, they'll probably give you some tasks to do, do it for free, they might even offer you a job if you impress them.

do it for a couple of weeks, think of it as an investment

Im in the same boat as you OP... Its a nasty thing. How do you get experience if no one is willing to employ you?? And i think voulenteering for office work is just naff... maybe for a job that you actually want to do.

I got turned away from many temping agencies because i havent had nay office experience and the ones i did use were very hard work! Ive put my CV on mysheffieldjobs.co.uk and monster.co.uk and am checking their sites regulary. Im going for an admin job at the moment at my old secondry school. Wish me luck! :thumbsup:

Hey, I'm in a similar situation right now and feeling your pain! I don't know if you visit the GraduateLink website much, but there's an ongoing advert there for freelance translators for an NHS-based company. They want people who speak French and German among other languages. Go to graduatelink.com and it's under Social & Community Services vacancies - hope this helps.