Home Work & Study
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

How do we get experience?

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
Why is it when we go for a job the main reson we get rejected is because we don't have "experience"? How are we supposed to get experience if we can't get a job?

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Broken Heart:
    Why is it when we go for a job the main reson we get rejected is because we don't have "experience"? How are we supposed to get experience if we can't get a job?

    Totally agreed! I've got a job now but mainly because my Aunty works at the same place and she told the manager that I needed one! Employers are stupid they have got to give young people a chance!

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    that is exactly what i have always said. but i guess it depends on the job, if it's something technical, or maybe something like journalism then you may have experience on school papers or you could try work-shadowing, that always looks great even if it's for one day!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Unfortunately in my experience getting decent work experience depends mostly on who you know. I taught myself to program and a father of a friend got me a part time job at his company doing some bits and pieces, and because I worked hard things have progressed from there. But like I said, I only got started properly because of that one bloke. Without his help, it probably would have taken me a year or so extra to get anywhere.

    When you get to about 18, there are lots of summer work placements around in business / IT (that I know of) which you can apply to over the web or by post or phone. Obviously there you have an advantage if you already know something about the area you're applying for. There's lots of competition for good placements though.

    The other thing is that you can often get work experience if you're prepared to work for crap pay. Mind you, if you're doing anything in IT (sorry, that's my thang) then crap pay should still be above 4 pounds an hour (more if you're lucky), so better than MaccyDs and you're getting work experience... plus starting off anywhere allows you to get your foot in the door if you work hard.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    the only way round is to fake ur CV mate.

    its not hard.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What sorta programming do u do JB?

    BrokenHeart, when u enter ur web development career u can prove your experience with a portfolio of your own work that u have done in your spare time.

    I have known a few web techies that have got their first web job on a great salary with no qualifications, no commercial experience but a wicked portfolio and the gift of the gab. If u can offer what they require and u can prove it, u should have no problems. There is way too big a shortage in the industry anyway.

    U can also achieve commercial experience by developing sites for small businesses as a contractor or a freelancer.

    And the same goes for every industry in that u need to start off low and work your way up. If you have the potential u won't be stuck at the bottom for long.

    Also, working for dot coms is better than working for blue chips if u r prepared to take risks. There r way more opportunities and better rates of pay. If u prefer security and comfort go for blue chip companies though. But in those places u r always just another number.

    If u r prepared to take risks u will have more chances of big success.

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by GwaiMui:
    What sorta programming do u do JB?
    ...

    What sorta you want? More TLA's than you can shake a big stick at <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;

    In terms of languages / technologies etc.: Java, C/C++, VB, COM, CORBA, SQL, JSP, some ML, some assembler. HTML too (goes with JSP) though I'm not really an HCI person. These on a mixture of Unix and Windows platforms depending on project / application.

    In terms of projects I've worked on; big mixture (though not generally particularly big projects)... intranet/internet client/server stuff and web applications mixing JSP to provide the frontend with Java code, SQL (typically backed by MySQL) behind it. Did some smartcard and plastic card apps a while back too. Other bits and bobs here and there for fun or work.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Cool! So have u left uni yet?

    I did BA Business Studies at uni and when I left I realised my passion for graphics so I went into front end development.

    Would love to get into c++ and the server-side alike at some point but I don't have too much time right now as I am freelancing for a web company from home while caring for my 2 year old.

    Once she is at nursery my career should move on in leaps and bounds. The stuff I do now is to keep my portfolio moving. I am a kept woman right now what with the hubby being a web executive <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/biggrin.gif"&gt;

    Nice to see another techy on here anyway. Looking forward to chatting again soon <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by GwaiMui:

    U can also achieve commercial experience by developing sites for small businesses as a contractor or a freelancer.


    I'm actually doing one for my Uncle who is a director for PricewaterhouseCoopers. Heard of them? My site may not be chosen to be used on the net but it gives me practice. If it does get chosen then that would look great on my CV <IMG alt="image" SRC="http://www.thesite.org/ubb/smile.gif"&gt;

    Anyone know any good books about dreamweaver?



    The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Dreamweaver Bible is supposed to be good: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0764534580/026-6655905-6717231

    But shop around for it, u might be able to get it cheaper from other online bookstores such as wh smith.

    Great news about the site. Hope it works out for u.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi all, I'm an IT student at Manchester Met. I', re-doing my 1st yr, not cos I'm crap, but cos I had a woman, and sacked all my shit off.

    I'm sorting my head now, and would like to get into programming (C, Pascal, Delphi and Assembler).

    I wanna learn these languages but I don't know where is best to start...and ideas ppl?

    Also, I'm pretty skint at the mo, so I cant afford books really, anyone know of any good web resources. There's so many that it's such a fucking mission trying to sift thru it.

    Any help appreciated.

    JB >> U sound very clued-up m8, RESPECT reckon u could point me towards some stuff on HTML/JAVA?

    Thankx All


    The only fate that exists is what we create for ourselves
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Hi Marky-B.

    Check out: http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sorry marky-b, haven't been checking much lately. I do more coding than frontend stuff, so stick to GwaiMui's advice on HTML.

    For java you can't beat Sun's site at http://java.sun.com/ from where you can access most java resources including tutorials, SDKs, documentation, ...

    If you want more of a beginners book then Sun do a pretty good book on the basics of Java programming, can't remember what it's called offhand. Have a look around. There's lots of others but I think Sun's looked better.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I REMEMBER THAT FEELING. ITS REALLY HORRIBLE. I DO FEEL FOR YOU.ALL I WOULD SAY IS BE PREPARED TO HAVE TWO LINES OF WORK. ONE TO FINANCE THE OTHER IF YOU WANT TO ACT OR AIM HIGH: ALWAYS AIM HIGH AND BE PREPARED TO DO ANYTHING YOU CAN LIVE WITH TO ACHIEVE WHAT YOU WANT.WHY? BECAUSE AS YOU GET OLDER NO ONE ALLOWS OR HELPS YOU TO START OVER FROM SCRATCH AND THE LIFE IS GETTING HARDER AND YOU'RE GETTING OLDER AND SLOWER.
    Originally posted by Broken Heart:
    Why is it when we go for a job the main reson we get rejected is because we don't have "experience"? How are we supposed to get experience if we can't get a job?



    beumin
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Beumin - stop writing in capitals, it's going to annoy people. Because it looks like you're shouting when the rest of us are just chatting. Shhhh!
Sign In or Register to comment.