One of the most frustrating parts of looking for a job is seeing “experience required” when you are still in college. You may be thinking, “How am I supposed to get experience if every job wants me to already have it?”
The good news is that you do not have to wait until graduation to start building your experience. College can be the time when you begin developing professional skills, exploring your career field, meeting employers, and gaining experiences you can eventually add to your resume.
At Lemoore College, there are several ways to start building career experience while you are still a student.
Experience Does Not Only Mean a Full-Time Job
When you think about career experience, you might immediately think of having a job
in your chosen career. While that can be helpful, it is not the only way to develop
experience.
Employers can also look for skills such as communication, teamwork, problem-solving, organization, professionalism, and the ability to work with others.
You can begin developing these skills through:
- Part-time jobs
- Internships
- Volunteer opportunities
- Work experience programs
- Work-study positions
- Campus activities and projects
- Career events and networking opportunities
- Class projects related to your field
The goal is to start building a collection of experiences that demonstrate what you can do—not necessarily to have your entire career figured out while you are in college.
Start With the WIN Center
If you are not sure where to begin, the Workforce Internship Networking (WIN) Center
is a great starting point.
Explore the Lemoore College WIN Center
The WIN Center provides students with career resources and professional support, including resume and cover letter assistance, interview practice, career exploration, networking opportunities, and access to job and career resources.
You can also use the Virtual Career Center to explore career pathways, job opportunities, and tools that can help you prepare for the workforce.
Your first step could be as simple as making an appointment and asking, “What opportunities can help me gain experience in my field?”
Look for an Internship
Internships can give you the opportunity to learn more about a career while gaining
experience in a professional environment.
An internship can help you see what work in your field is actually like, develop workplace skills, and learn what employers expect from someone entering the profession.
Start by talking with the WIN Center about available internship opportunities:
You can also ask your professors about opportunities related to your program. Faculty members may be able to help you identify experiences, projects, or professional connections related to your field.
Consider Work Experience Education
You may also be able to earn college credit while gaining workplace experience through
Lemoore College's Work Experience Education program.
Learn about Work Experience Education requirements
Lemoore College offers both occupational and general work experience. Occupational Work Experience connects employment—paid or volunteer—to certain areas of study, while General Work Experience can help students develop desirable workplace habits even when the job is not directly related to their major.
If you already have a job, this could be an opportunity worth asking about.
Talk with the Work Experience Education program to find out whether your current job or volunteer experience could qualify.
Explore Work-Study Opportunities
If you qualify for Federal Work-Study, you may be able to work part time while attending
Lemoore College.
Learn more about Work-Study at Lemoore College
Work-study positions can provide income while also helping you build your resume and develop professional skills. Lemoore College notes that work-study positions may include work related to a student's course of study or community service.
There are a limited number of positions, so qualifying for work-study does not automatically guarantee a job. If you are interested, check your eligibility and ask about available positions.
Turn Your Current Job Into Experience
You do not necessarily need to find a new job just because your current job is not
directly related to your major.
Think about the skills you are already developing.
Maybe you:
- Work with customers
- Handle money or transactions
- Train new employees
- Manage a schedule
- Solve problems
- Communicate with coworkers
- Use technology or specialized equipment
- Organize information
- Work as part of a team
- Take on leadership responsibilities
Those experiences can become part of your professional story.
For example, instead of simply listing that you worked at a restaurant, you might be able to describe responsibilities involving customer service, teamwork, communication, organization, or training.
The WIN Center can help you identify your transferable skills and turn them into stronger resume language.
Get resume and career support from the WIN Center →
Go to Career Events and Meet Employers
You do not have to wait until you are ready to apply for a job before meeting employers.
Career events, workshops, networking opportunities, and employer connections can help you learn what companies are looking for and practice introducing yourself professionally.
Even if you are not ready to apply, attending an event can help you:
- Learn about different careers
- Ask employers questions
- Practice networking
- Learn what skills are in demand
- Discover internship opportunities
- Become more comfortable talking to professionals
- Lemoore College's WIN Center offers career events and workshops designed to help students prepare for the workforce and connect with professional opportunities.
See WIN Center events and career resources →
Build Experience Through Your Classes
Your classes can also give you experiences to talk about with employers.
Pay attention to projects and assignments that allow you to practice skills related to your career. A presentation can demonstrate communication skills. A group project can demonstrate teamwork. A research assignment can demonstrate organization and critical thinking. A technical project can demonstrate hands-on knowledge.
As you complete projects, keep track of the skills you are developing.
You may eventually be able to use those experiences when answering interview questions or explaining what you can bring to an employer.
Ask for Help Before You Start Applying
You do not have to create your career plan by yourself.
Lemoore College Counseling & Advising offers career counseling, including career assessments, one-on-one career counseling, goal setting, resume and cover letter support, job-search strategies, internship connections, and career-readiness resources.
Connect with Lemoore College Counseling & Advising
You can make an appointment to talk about your goals, explore career options, or figure out what type of experience would make sense for you.
You Do Not Need to Have Everything Figured Out
If you are thinking, “I need experience before I can get a job,” remember that experience
can start small.
You do not need to graduate with years of professional experience. Start by choosing one opportunity that helps you develop a skill, meet someone in your field, or learn more about the type of work you want to do.
Your Career Experience Checklist
Start with one or two of these:
- Meet with the WIN Center
- Update your resume
- Ask about internships
- Explore Work Experience Education
- Check your Work-Study eligibility
- Attend a career or networking event
- Talk with a professor about opportunities in your field
- Identify skills you are developing through your current job
- Add relevant class projects to your list of experiences
- Meet with a counselor about your career goals
Connect with Counseling & Advising →
You do not have to wait until graduation to start preparing for your career. Every job, project, internship, volunteer opportunity, class, and professional connection can be a chance to build skills and learn more about where you want to go next.
Start where you are. Build one experience at a time.