The Entry-Level Catch-22: Getting the "1-2 years of experience"

Here's the situation:  You have just graduated from college/grad school and are looking for your first full-time, entry-level position.  You are ready to apply the knowledge that you learned in the classroom to the real-world setting.  You have all of the skills necessary, are excited, and enthusiastic.  You start to search for jobs and what do you see?  The "Must have 1-2 years of experience in the field."  You double-check that this stated it was an "entry-level" position.  This begs the question:

How do you get experience if no one is willing to give you the opportunity to gain the experience?

It's the dreaded Catch-22 of job searching.  I was there once, and I was just as frustrated.  However, there are things that you can do to gain the experience to help you land the position:

• Volunteer.  Yes, volunteer in your field.  While it is not paid full-time experience, it's still related experience, and will also allow you to meet people in your field.
• Intern.  I don't care if you've already done one internship - do another one!  It's hard to find an internship for post-graduation, but they are out there.  If you are interested in a company, ask what unpaid or part-time opportunities are available to get your foot in the door.
• Find a part-time position in your field or at the company of interest.  Once you get your foot in the door, people will get to know you and also recognize your abilities.  They are more likely to hire people internally than externally.
• Network and join professional organizations.  Attend conferences and other meet-up groups.  (Meetup.com is a great resource for this.)  This won't necessarily give you the experience, but will keep you current in the field, and allow you to network with people at organizations of interest.
• Take classes or work toward a certification, license, whatever else is extra in your field.  For instance, if you are in the IT industry, work toward some certifications.  This again keeps you current and up-to-date on the latest trends.  And, it makes you more marketable.
• Apply anyway.  You never know.  You may think your experience and qualifications do not meet their standards, but let them decide.  It doesn't hurt to apply - you have 100% chance of not getting the job if you don't apply, and you have at least a chance of getting a call back if you do apply.
• Find an unrelated job that allows you to gain related skills or experience.  This is the "plan B" of sorts, but can help you talk about how while you have not worked directly in the field, you have gained similar or related experiences and skills.

All in all, stay active.  Don't just sit at your computer sulking and then apply to any job under the sun.  Keep yourself current and keep applying and networking!

For those of you who are still in school, keep all of this in mind.  Employers are looking for people with related experience, so do at least one internship before you graduate.  At least one!  Internships are a great way to learn about what you like or don't like, and also an even better way to network and get your foot in the door.  In addition, you'll have gained that experience that they are looking for. 

You may be able to find a company that is willing to train, and that is great.  Many do not have the resources now to do so, and thus, using the tips above can help you get the experience necessary to land that dream job!