OPINION: How can you get a job if everyone wants experience?

As much as I understood how important it was to start early, I knew I would need experience to stand out in the sea of graduates.

JOB SEARCH: I too wondered how on earth I was supposed to become a journalist if every job ad I saw required a minimum of three years journalistic experience. Picture: Keagan Elder

HOW can a person land a job in their chosen profession if employers are seeking people with experience?

This was a question raised in my senior years at high school as well as in my degree at university.

To me, the question was valid.

I too wondered how on earth I was supposed to become a journalist if every job ad I saw required a minimum of three years journalistic experience.

This is why I feel for those who are struggling to find work.

On the Fraser Coast, only 20 per cent of school leavers are enrolled in university.

Only 54 per cent are expected to finish Year 12.

However, school isn't for everyone and I understand that completely.

There are people who would much prefer to get into a trade or join the forces - which, in today's competitive job market, comes with challenges of its own.

But what's heartbreaking is when a person goes to university, completes their degree and is unable to find work in their chosen profession.

I know of many people who did this and have ended up in a career completely different to the one they spent three, four or more years studying towards.

This is why I consider myself incredibly lucky and in particular, grateful.

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Over the course of my three-year journalism degree I, along with other students, was encouraged to start looking for jobs well before graduation.

As much as I understood how important it was to start early, I knew I would need experience to stand out in the sea of graduates all hoping to be fished out by an employer.

For me, the best way to get experience was to take part in internships.

In my final year of uni, I completed five different internships, each at a different news organisation.

Yes, it added much more pressure to my final year but boy, was it worth it.

I got to experience print, online, television and radio which helped me to decide the area which I preferred.

I consider myself incredibly lucky to have landed a job as a cadet journalist just four months after graduation.

When I decided to quit said job after 14 months with nothing to fall back on, panic set in.

While I needed to regroup and recover in order to put myself in the right frame of mind to work again, I knew I almost immediately needed to start job hunting.

Again, I was lucky enough to find work relatively quickly and started work at the Fraser Coast Chronicle two months later.

Through my experience I learned hard work does pay off and persistence is key.

Although the journey may seem tough the destination is always worth it. 　

It's okay if your plan doesn't work out the way you intended, as long as you're happy.