I, like most college students, am on the hunt for an internship, which will in turn give me the experience needed to get a professional job after my college career comes to an end. Experience is any possible employers' favorite word. "What's your experience?" "Do you have any experience?" I get it, trust me.
But to me, it seems, well, impossible. It's really a terrible cycle. When we're about high school age (16 to 17 years old), our parents are at the point where they're tired of our routine every Friday and Saturday night. At that point, we have become a broken record.
"Hey Mom, can I have $20 I'm going to _____ with _____?"
They tell us it's about time we get a job. For most jobs you need, here's that word again, experience. Although, there are a few places that will hire you without it. Most people in my town went to daycares, local shops and chain businesses.
I've worked with kids since I was 17. I spent three years working in daycares, and I've spent the last year nannying for a family. None of these was an easy job. Trust me when I tell you that. But while making my resume, those are the things I have to put on it — not an office job or any kind of business or corporate setting experience.
This is what makes, ultimately, no sense to me. And I often find myself asking this question to friends and family, "How am I supposed to get experience if no one will give me the chance to gain it?" After applying to internships and other things, I often hear nothing back or I receive a kindhearted email stating something along the lines of, "Due to your lack of experience, we chose to pursue other candidates." Well, of course, you did.
Why is finding a job so hard? Why do places expect you to come out of college with multiple years of experience? The four years we spend in college are about learning. Learning what motivates us and what interests us. Learning about all aspects of our future careers, and most importantly, learning knowledge that will benefit us in the work world.
Why aren't opportunities given to the students who need them and will benefit from them? You're expected to do well in school, be a friend, maybe be a girlfriend/boyfriend, be a family member. But at the same time, you're expected to gain experience for you to get a job in your field, but you've spent the last four years in textbooks because that's also expected of you.
Why can't the job-finding process be a little bit easier? Or better yet, why can't the internship-finding process be easier? You'll never gain experience when you aren't given it.
