Experience Catch-22

[talon]

What's this frustrating set of circumstances all about, then?

I'm trying to get a job in the web design industry, I have the skills and the know-how, been freelancing for years, but all the jobs reject me on the grounds of not posessing enough industry experience.

How do you go about getting industry experience if you can't get into the industry because you have no experience?

[acw]

Although it's hard to do this financially, you will find it easier to get work experience if you offer to do it for free!  I'm spending a week in July with a law firm, just shadowing the lawyers in one department.  I won't be paid for it, not even expenses, although I inevitably will end up doing work that earns them money.  The "pay" I get, is work experience that helps my CV.  See if you can find someone to take you on that way - to add to your freelancing work. 

You could also ask companies for feedback - ask them "How much is enough?".  GOOD LUCK!

[Lillabet]

It is incredibly frustrating when you run up against a brick wall like this.

I'd begin by asking for feedback on my applications / interviews from the person you would have been working to - not someone from the personnel department.

Then when they talk about your lack of industry experience ask their advice on getting experience. They may have something constructive to offer and there's no harm in trying.

If you aren't getting interviews try this. In your next application look at the person spec they have for the role. In the relevant experience and skills bit take each point from the person spec and use it as a heading then write a short para saying why you meet that point. You can twist facts a little if necessary. I don't mean lie. I went for one & an essential was a year's experience in professional analytical work. I have never been employed as an analyst. However my postgraduate research included analytical study. So I talked about that and used the phrase 'when working for the university' to start the point. In fact I was on a funded studentship. But I produced work for the university and taught there and had an office. So worked for seemed fair...

Check you aren't missing anything. A friend of mine went to uni on the basis of an access course. He got a 2:1 and an MA. He could not get an interview. The problem was that he had got a D at GCSE English. Lots of jobs specify C or above. His work experience and  qualifications clearly showed he could write at above GCSE level now. But when faced with loads of applications he was rejected. He retook his GCSE at night school - got A* no problem and got a job.

Finally you might have to swallow your pride - if financially you can do this at all and apply for lower level jobs than your qualifications and freelance experience merit in order to get a foot in the door. Or ask for unpaid industry work experience.

I sympathise, I really do.

[OBonio]

I had this problem at the backend of the 90s. I knew my stuff but no-one would give me the chance to prove myself. I ended up starting right on the bottom rung of the ladder as a night shift comp. operator. Then moved on to frontline support (this really is a bad job, anyone who likes it is MAD). I left there then went temping as a system tester for a few months. I finally got a break with a small web design firm in 1998. Lucky for me dot.com was big, so they took me on (at 12k pa, a bargain I'd say) and I've not looked back.

So you're options are pretty much don't expect a high salary to start with and get ANY experience of industry. System's testing was very boring, but it's a great insite into what goes into a project.