All posts by Alexa Heinrich

About Alexa Heinrich

Alexa is the Social Media Manager for St. Petersburg College and works in the SPC Marketing & Strategic Communications Department.

Three Ways to Gain Work Experience in a Field (without having a job)

Two men shaking hands.
Career Exploration, Employment Preparation, Featured, WebApproved

“Every job requires work experience, but I need a job to get work experience in the first place!” 

This is a common sentiment among job seekers. Many positions, even some labeled “entry-level,” require relevant experience in the field. This can be frustrating to many job seekers who are eager to work but don’t necessarily have a background in the area. However, there are ways to gain work experience in a new field without being on the payroll for years.

Volunteer

Volunteer opportunities are available in almost every field. From hospitals to school districts to your local county park, organizations are motivated to find passionate individuals who want to give their time. Volunteering might seem intimidating, but some positions require as few as 2 hours a week. Check out a few local resources that might lead to your next volunteer position: 

If there is a company you are particularly interested in, it may be worth your while to reach out and see if they have volunteer opportunities directly at their company. 

Job Shadow

Job shadowing involves spending a certain amount of time, ranging from a few hours to a couple of days, observing someone as they work in a specific job. 

It might help to reach out to teachers in relevant classes and see if they can assist in helping you find someone to shadow. It helps to go through a teacher because they will most likely have a wide range of connections, and the teacher can vouch for your professionalism and character. 

Create a Project

Are you currently studying coding? Consider coding a website to showcase your skills. Are you an environmental science student? Create a YouTube channel with videos explaining environmental laws and regulations in your state.

Having a sharable project allows you to present your work ethic, attention to detail, and ability to manage big tasks. 

Bonus: Find Transferable Skills Within Your Current Résumé

Employers ask for prior experience because they want to ensure that you will be able to handle the new work environment. Research the position and determine what skills are required, and see if you gained those skills in previous jobs or volunteer opportunities. For example, if a job at a hospital requires that you get accustomed to a fast-paced environment, highlight how your job at a fast-food restaurant was similar in terms of pace and demand. 

Getting your first job in a new field can seem daunting, but there are ways to set yourself apart as a strong applicant, even without experience.  

Want to learn more about landing your dream job? Consider attending How to Land a Job: Career Conversation with Enterprise Holdings’ Talent Acquisition Manager and SPC’s Career Services” on January 18th to learn more and connect with your Career Services team at St. Petersburg College.

This article was written by Charlotte Finnical, a student intern with the SPC Career Services team and SGA Executive President of the St. Petersburg/Gibbs Campus.

Social media etiquette to follow when job hunting

A hand holding a smartphone showing popular social media icons.
Employment Preparation, Featured

The Internet has significantly changed how people go about job hunting. Now, instead of browsing the classified section of the newspaper, most people browse websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Monster when they’re looking for jobs. Networking can take place entirely online, and your résumé can be submitted to a potential employer with the click of a button.

And then there’s social media and the potential can of worms it opens for job hunters if they’re not following online etiquette to ensure their professional footprint remains professional. Don’t let your digital presence stress you out. Follow these steps to ensure your social media accounts are going to help you professionally and not hinder you.

Develop a great personal brand

Whether you start a social media account for professional or personal reasons, you have to be unique if you want to stand out in the noise of the Internet. Have you crafted a particularly interesting Twitter bio for yourself? Is your body of work an in-depth analysis of how jellyfish react to different genres of music? Find your niche and make sure your online presence is polished. And don’t forget to use a nice, clear picture for your profile shot.

Double-check your privacy settings

You should always give your social media privacy settings a second look before diving into job hunting. Can people tag you in photos on Twitter? Are all of your Facebook profile pictures publicly visible or just your current one? Who can see your Instagram posts? These are all things to consider when you give your privacy settings a health check.

Update your LinkedIn profile

It should go without saying that one of the first things you do when you shift into career change mode is to check that your LinkedIn profile is up to date. As the largest professional networking site out there, LinkedIn is crucial to your professional footprint online, especially if you happen to do the next step on this list. And remember to switch the “Let recruiters know you’re open to opportunities,” feature on! You can find it under Job Seeking Preferences in your LinkedIn Settings & Privacy.

Google yourself

We’ve all done it! There’s no shame in Googling yourself, especially if you’re job hunting. What kind of results and pictures pop up when you search your name online? Is it stuff that you can control? A great way to make sure you’re putting your best foot forward, digitally-speaking, is having an updated LinkedIn profile and/or website, because those are more likely to land at the top of a Google search for your name.

Post and follow industry-relevant content

Obviously, when people are trying to hire you, they want to know that you’re an expert in your industry. Sharing industry-relevant content and articles is an easy way to say, “I know what I’m talking about.” Post that ground-breaking article on jellyfish husbandry on LinkedIn. Start a thread on nano-bot technology on Twitter. Show that you’re up to speed on your professional field and, most importantly, very passionate about it. Following industry-relevant hashtags can also help you find the content you want to share.

Engage with industry professionals

If you want to be considered an expert in your field, then you should probably start rubbing elbows with your professional peers, even if that elbow-rubbing is happening online. Is there someone who’s always popping up in the #JellyfishHusbandry hashtag on LinkedIn? Follow them. Does your favorite tech Twitter account retweet a few particular users a lot? Follow them.

More importantly, engage with them. Try to start a conversation with your professional peers. You never know; a singular moment on Twitter could turn into a life-changing career opportunity somewhere down the road.

Follow your potential employer’s social channels

If someone is going through the trouble of checking out your social media, they’re probably at the very least considering you for the job. Make sure you’re following your potential employer’s social channels. Not only does it show how serious you are about wanting the position, but it will also give you excellent insight into what’s going on at the organization and what they value, which can help out immensely during an interview.