No Experience? No Problem! 5 Unlikely Places to Get Work Experience

Need more experience, but without a job, how do you get more experience?

But work experience doesn't have come from a traditional 9-to-5 job. Here are five unlikely ways to get work experience!

1. 1. Become a Volunteer
   One of the best ways to gain experience can be by volunteering. That's because you're not only developing great career skills, but you're also working towards an organization's goal and helping others.

   While there are many opportunities to help non-profits, before you reach out to an organization, consider ones with opportunities that can help you to demonstrate skills you want to use in a work environment. Want to gain experience in social media marketing, event planning, or management? Ask organizations if they needs help with managing their social feeds, planning a fundraiser, or managing volunteers.

   Smaller organizations may be more likely to provide opportunities as they typically don't have big teams and need the extra hands. However, medium or larger organizations could provide more opportunities to be mentored by staff.

   Are you looking to demonstrate a level of responsibility and initiative? Consider creating your own event! You can organize a diaper drive, or start a peer-mentorship program at a local high school. Employers may appreciate that you saw a problem and took the initiative to fix it without being asked.

2. 2. Join a Club
   Consider what kinds of clubs might look best to potential employers. Clubs generally break down into a few different categories: professional (or major-related clubs if you're still in school), charitable clubs, and hobby/enthusiast clubs.

   If you are targeting a particular industry — for example, if you want to be an accountant — joining an accounting club, a finance club, or being treasurer of a charitable club could provide you the experience that makes you stand out as a candidate. And while belonging to a club can look good on your resume, being part of the club's leadership or head of a committee can show potential employers you know how to get things done.

Continue reading our other areas to get work experience here.