Vicious circle of no experience no job!

[alistair19890]

Hi Everyone,
I'm hoping someone out there can give me some advice please. I REALLY want to get into hardware and systems engineering but until I have experience I can't seem to find a job and without a job I can't get the experience.
Has anyone out there got any tips on how to get a first break?

All sensible advice welcomed.

thanks,
Alistair (Leicester, England)

 

[Trotter]

If you are in/went to college you can look into being an intern with a company. It's not glamorous but it gets your foot in the door and a name on your resume.

 

[Lexluethar]

Your problem more than likely is your are aiming too high. In IT it is RARE to get a higher level position with zero experience. You have to start low and work your way up. I see way too often people applying for jobs they aren't qualified for. Be realistic, don't apply for an engineering position if you don't have a bachelors degree in that field or have zero experience.

I found a job really quick - but it was because i was passing jobs that MAYBE i could have done but that i was definitely under qualified for.

I'd also suggest going through someone that can tailor your resume - Resume Writers - Certified Professionals for Resumes, Cover Letters

 

[strollin]

Providing you have the education, you should be able to qualify for an entry level position with little to no experience. As you build experience you will qualify for higher level positions. If you don't have the education then concentrate on that first and look for intern jobs, even if they are unpaid, in order to expand your experience.

We all were in your position at one time, it is more difficult with the current economy but keep trying, things will eventually fall into place.

 

[office politics]

you could check libraries and school for volunteer ops too

like the following

Volunteer and Service Center — Community Service Opportunities for Majors In: Engineering and Computer Science

 

[gurusan]

Look into temp agencies. You may find your contract turning into a full time position.

Personally I refuse to intern for free or low wage, there are always other options. I am a contractor for Oracle and I'm still not hired as a permanent employee but I love it and am getting great experience and a decent wage for manufacturing.

 

[Sheepykins]

I got lucky with my job, noone was hiring and i had zip experience. but, i found a company who hired graduates and boom, foot is now in the door and i'm inundated with job offers.

just go for any IT job, anyone you can. its as some people have said, you're aiming too high. and the great thing about IT is that, i've known people who bounce from different departments and roles they can do and personally, i wanted to be a network tech and now i've come into an IT security job, i've forgotten about networking.

trying different roles will be character building and you might find a nicer niche to specialise in. but first, BAM take anything you can get

 

[alistair19890]

Thank you your more optimistic than most it's nice to find somebody that is helpful rather than not.

 

[hewitcm]

Try to get a contract position. Also get some certifications and use this time to study. I was in this position last year. You can also try getting a retail job working with computers in some way. Employers like to see people that are working. There is always something you can do. Once you start somewhere, you can really take off fast if you work at it. The main thing I would say to you is to stay persistent, determined, and motivated. If you have these qualities, it will only be a matter of time before something comes up. When I was trying to get started, I would call several different employers and temp agencies every day. I now believe that there are 2 types of people. Those that wish they could do something and those that do do something. Make your luck happen.