Ways to Gain Experience

One of the best ways to understand whether the career field you have chosen is the right choice for you is to gain experience.It enables you to get to know the job better and to test how sufficient you are in that field.There are lots of opportunities that will help you to gain experience.(short-term voluntary work,practical summer courses etc.)

Great prominence is given to experience by employers.The best indicator of how successful you will be and how much contribution you will make to the institution is your knowledge and skills.In addition,your practical training place may be your future workplace after you graduate.Your success at your training place may lead your potential employer to hire you with more confidence.

Summer jobs or part-time jobs

Summer jobs or part-time jobs are different from training as you get paid and as you are an employee of that place.The experience that you get in summer jobs or part-time jobs do not usually provide you with the work experience related to your career plans.However,they are useful as you gain experience and earn money.You may work in summer jobs or part-time jobs in fields such as tourism,building and sales and in places such as  restaurants,cafes and hotels.You may take the skills you have developed as a result of this experience to your professional career after you graduate.

Practical Training

Another way of gaining professional knowledge related to your career plans or your department is to have practical training.First of all,you have to decide what kind of work you have to do,what you expect from the training,which institution you want to work in and which skills you want to develop.You must think of what you can offer to the employer and what you expect to gain from this experience.Be confident when you have an interview with an employer for a training,talk about yourself and your skills and do not use short sentences.

A resume,a cover letter and interview skills are also necessary for a training application.You can get access to information on writing cover letters,resumes and interview techniques on our Career Planning Centre website.You can determine your training place options with your academic department.In addition,you may attend career fairs organised by our university and meet employers and you can introduce yourself.You may look for training opportunities using the internet.You may find a workplace for training through the Chamber of Commerce,your acquintances and friends who have graduated.

In today’s world,institutions see training as a prerequisite of employment.Thus,you must send a cover letter,a resume and your application form as soon as possible.

You need to evaluate your improvement constantly to understand whether you need to change the strategies in the career planning process.Do not feel frustrated,be patient and insistent.

To sum up,you may state your summer job and part-time experiences in your resume after you graduate along with your academic past.Thus,your resume will be more impressive for employers.Even if your part-time jobs and your area of practical training are different from the career you have planned,you will get the basic knowledge and skills necessary for all jobs. 

 

 

Source: Penn State University Career Guide

 

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