How do you find a job with NO experience?

[Nocturnal]

I mean as far as tech jobs go, most places want 3-5 years experience plus certifications before hand before even considering you for a job.

How do you gain experience but at the same time make money?

I know internships are awesome and give great experience but I do not know if internships offer 3-5 year internships.

So besides internships how else do you gain experience?

 

[PatboyX]

working on campus jobs or summer technology jobs can give you paper-experience and just doing your own freelance "consulting" type stuff can help you know what you're talking about.

 

[minendo]

Submit your resume even if they require experience. You never know when they will give you a call. That's how I landed my current position.

 

[Spoooon]

I worked part time for a "tech" company while I was an undergrad. I suppose that's one way to go if you're still in school.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: minendo
Submit your resume even if they require experience. You never know when they will give you a call. That's how I landed my current position.

I actually did this for a "PC Tech" position on a military base. I thought it wouldn't hurt if I at least tried.

 

[Looney]

Like ANY other field, you work up the ladder. Those who come out of school with an MBA don't usually automatically get placed in an executive position.

But probably more important than certification and (gasp) experience, is networking. Knowing people in the industry who can get you connected.

If you have no experience, then start in an entry level position. If you can't even do that, or don't want to, go to a certification school that helps with placements.

 

[Nocturnal]

Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Like ANY other field, you work up the ladder. Those who come out of school with an MBA don't usually automatically get placed in an executive position.

But probably more important than certification and (gasp) experience, is networking. Knowing people in the industry who can get you connected.

If you have no experience, then start in an entry level position. If you can't even do that, or don't want to, go to a certification school that helps with placements.

Thanks for the advice. I'm more than willing to start off at an entry level position.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal

Originally posted by: minendo
Submit your resume even if they require experience. You never know when they will give you a call. That's how I landed my current position.

I actually did this for a "PC Tech" position on a military base. I thought it wouldn't hurt if I at least tried.

At least you are getting your name out there.

 

[Tab]

Just put in Lan Party Helper That put you way over everyone else

 

[Nocturnal]

As far as "networking" goes where do you all find people to network with? Is it just randomly talking online, meeting people offline? How'd you successfully network and land a job?

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal

Originally posted by: Moralpanic
Like ANY other field, you work up the ladder. Those who come out of school with an MBA don't usually automatically get placed in an executive position.

But probably more important than certification and (gasp) experience, is networking. Knowing people in the industry who can get you connected.

If you have no experience, then start in an entry level position. If you can't even do that, or don't want to, go to a certification school that helps with placements.

Thanks for the advice. I'm more than willing to start off at an entry level position.

If you are, look around and you might score some good companies. Some companies, such as Earthlink, if you can get in as tech support (braindead job, you definitely don't need certification for this), will pay for your schooling if you decide to get some certification. Either you pay for the course first, and when you pass, you get reimburse by the company, or they themselves will buy certification examination vouchers in bulk, and offer them to you for free. Then when you pass those certs, you move up the ladder within the company. From Tech Support to Tier 2 support, and then more will get you into Network Administration, etc, etc. If you're real lucky, you can get in as an assistant to a Network Admin, then the company pays for your cisco ceritification, etc. Good IT companies offer these for free, and actually encourage the employees to acquire them.

 

[minendo]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
As far as "networking" goes where do you all find people to network with? Is it just randomly talking online, meeting people offline? How'd you successfully network and land a job?

Either through email, phone, or just introducing myself during club meetings, job fairs, etc.

 

[HappyPuppy]

I started by working for free for charitable organizations. I got a lot of experience and met a lot of people who eventually hooked me up to my first real tech job. It isn't easy, you have to take it one step at a time. If you persevere you can make it.

If, OTOH, you have some contacts in the industry you can start out with a really gravy job paying good $.

YMMV.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Yep, to a large extent, it's who you know, and to a lesser extent, what you know. My current job came to me. And it looks like another one is on the horizon. But that's basically due to the fact that I am a computer-obsessed nerd. And then again, a year ago I was flipping burgers at Mickey D's. Hm, that was a lot more fun than my current job though.

 

[Looney]

Originally posted by: Nocturnal
As far as "networking" goes where do you all find people to network with? Is it just randomly talking online, meeting people offline? How'd you successfully network and land a job?

Networking is the hardest part... i can't tell you all the ways, because i don't know that many. I have friends and family in the industry, and i get word of mouth from them.