Whether you like it or not, some employers will continue to ask for work experience even when the job is meant for young graduates in their early 20s.
Many graduates seem to hate the idea of employers asking for two or three years of work experience as a requirement for recruitment.
The question they always ask is: where did you expect me to get work experience as a fresh graduate?
Dear Nigerian students, you don’t have to become graduate and work for two years before you can decorate your resume with work experience.
As an undergraduate, there are ways to gain needed work experience and position yourself for opportunities as soon as you graduate.
1. Internships
Internship is one of the requirements for your graduate degree. The university expects you to complete an internship to have a field experience of your course of study. Unfortunately, many undergraduates don’t take this opportunity seriously.
Interning with a company in your field or an organization you aspire to work for is a great way to gain hands on experience and position yourself for your career after graduation.
2. Volunteering
You can also gain work experience through volunteering activities. There are many non-profit organizations that have volunteer positions for undergraduates.
3. Freelancing
As an undergraduate, you need to put yourself through some sort of experiential learning like freelancing which helps you to demonstrate your knowledge and skills before graduation. It doesn’t matter whether you get paid or not, what you need is the experience that’ll get you the job.