Get Experience Any Way You Can

Take the first chance you have to get into the field of your dreams.
Even if the job itself is not what you want, you will get a better idea
of what that line of work entails, and you will begin to prepare yourself
for the job you ultimately desire. On the other hand, you might fi nd
out it’s not the right job for you and that your future plans need to be
adjusted.
FRED MARZOCCHI GREW up with dreams of drawing for a living.
“There aren’t many ways to make a living with your sketchbook, but
advertising was one of them.”
When he couldn’t fi nd a job as a commercial artist, Fred became desperate
for experience. He found a large drugstore chain with an in-house
advertising unit, and literally offered to work for nothing. They took him
up on the offer, and within weeks, not only had he gained professional
experience, but the drugstore decided to pay him for his efforts.
After working for a number of advertising agencies, Fred went on to
open his own graphic-design and photography business. He often looks
back on the offer to work without pay. “I just needed a chance, a start in
this business, and I haven’t had to work for free since,” he says with a
smile.
College students who served in internships were 15 percent more likely to
find employment after graduation, and 70 percent believed they were better
prepared for the workplace because of their internship experience. (Knouse,
Tanner, and Harris 1999)