It is no secret that the job market has been extremely tough during the past two years. I frequently speak with recent college graduates and MBA students with limited work experience who tell me that they are unable to find an internship or full-time job due to their lack of experience--it appears to be a Catch-22. Mrim Boutla of justmeans.com, however, writes that young professionals need to think more creatively when it comes to gaining relevant experience.
Even MBA graduates with significant work experience have had difficulty landing full-time jobs post-graduation. Lindsey Roberts discusses her decision to accept an unpaid internship in order to keep her career on track. One very valid point she makes is that an unpaid internship enables you to add relevant experience to your resume, which puts you in a stronger position for future job interviews. It shows that you are taking the initiative to advance your career, not just waiting around for the "perfect" job while the time gap in employment on your resume grows.
There's no magic bullet when it comes to the employment search, but by keeping your skills up-to-date and taking advantage of relevant professional development and internship opportunities, you'll improve your chances of being noticed by potential employers.
