Working in your chosen field is a wonderful way to obtain experience. However, it requires you to be passionate about your field. Learning new skills and constantly updating your resume will be necessary, particularly if your chosen field is something like IT. With technology constantly changing and your field involving software constantly being updated, you must always be ahead of the game.
Obtaining experience in your line of work is important to advance to higher-paying jobs. You may only experience a few hours of working in a field you are interested in. However, the experience can count for a lot. Your experience can affect your earnings, too. Earnings can depend on several factors besides work experience: education level, location, industry, hours worked, etc. But work experience is a crucial factor.
How Can Gaining Experience Help You Get a Job?
Most employers are interested in hiring people who are motivated, responsible, and committed to their work. They want someone willing to learn and work independently—but they also want someone who can get the job done. One way to show employers that you’re a responsible and capable worker is by gaining work experience. This can be as simple as finding a job that requires a little experience, whether that’s an internship or a summer job. Through work experience, you’ll gain the practical knowledge and skills you need to do your job well. (In fact, most employers say they’re more interested in hiring people with work experience than some people without experience.)
Displaying Your Commitment to Self-Improvement
Many individuals try to utilize connections in their respective fields to gain experience and exposure. Still, only a few will take the time to follow through with the effort. The commitment and dedication to achieve success will always make the difference between average and extraordinary.
Showing commitment and dedication is essential to obtaining experience in your field. When you have the intention to work for a given employer, when you put in the necessary effort to make that employer happy, and when you demonstrate professionalism at all times, your employer will reward you for your hard work.
Tips for Gaining Experience to Advance Your Career
Join a professional organization
If you are just starting your career, you are probably looking for every opportunity to advance and develop professionally. A great way to develop your skillset, boost your resume, and network is by joining a professional organization. Joining a professional organization can make all the difference in your career and your ability to advance.
Start a personal project
Personal projects are different for everyone. They may take the shape of writing a book, starting a blog, or chopping wood for the first time. Some take a matter of weeks; others can take months or even years. But whatever your project is, it’s an excellent way to gain the experience you need.
Attend classes
To further your education and gain experience, consider enrolling in classes at a local college, technical institute, or online school. When considering your options for classes, remember that many employers look for applicants with a certain level of education, so take the time to research the programs available. As an added benefit, taking classes essentially counts as a paid internship, giving you valuable experience to add to your resume.
Request new tasks at your current job
When first starting in your career, it’s easy to fall behind in getting experience, which can slow your development in your chosen career field. However, there are ways to gain the experience you need without going outside of your comfort zone. There are many ways to gain experience, whether that means working your way up the ladder to a position with more responsibility or reaching out to your supervisor and asking for new opportunities.
Attend professional workshops
Making connections is vital to one’s professional career, and the best way to build those connections is by attending professional workshops. These workshops allow you to interact with other professionals in your field, as well as build professional relationships. Asking questions during workshops is an excellent way to advance your career because you get to learn about others’ experiences, and get a glimpse into skills that may help you in your future endeavours.
Seek a mentor
When you first enter the workforce, you may have difficulty finding a mentor. However, high-achieving professionals understand that mentoring is the key to success and that mentors provide support to their mentees.
The experience you accumulate while working in your chosen field may be as important as the diploma you received or your previous employers’ recommendations. Employers want to know that you’ll be able to complete the job in a timely and accurate manner—and the experience you accumulate while working in your field will help prove your competency.
