No Experience?

How does anyone get that first job in IT when everyone wants someone with experience?

The first corporate IT job is the hardest to attain. Without any experience, there are limited number of employers looking to get someone broken in (trained). The positions that are available each person needs to judge for themselves on what they are capable of living on. In my situation, I had already been out of school for a decade before deciding to change careers and going back to zero experience. Zero experience on a career change results in a pay cut for most folks.

 

Here is a list of suggestions for getting started: 

1. Electronic stores -
   • My first break was a hardware technician or 'bench tech'. Big electronic stores usually have a staff of hardware technicians who repair PCs and laptops, perform upgrades, install software and remove viruses.
   • Dont under rate the experience you will gain here. To this day I attribute my diagnostic skills back to the time I spent as a bench tech. It is a foundation for all other skills that you will develop over your career.
   
   
2. Desktop/Laptop Vendors
   • Dell, IBM, and other vendors have technical folks who perform hardware replacements for systems under warranty. Similar to electronic stores in replacing hard drives, laptop screens, and motherboards although it does require travel to customer sites. This is good experience as it places you into a corporate setting and demonstrates flexibility. 
   
   
3. Start your own LLC and take small assignments from Craigslist or even new services like TaskRabbit.com
   • There are many opportunities to provide PC support for small businesses such as doctor or legal offices, automotive shops or onsite home support.
   • An LLC can be created in about 30 minutes and offers you some benefits. It also puts a line on your resume with experience so be sure to name the LLC with a professional name (IE Not "Tim's PC Fixit")
    
4. Short term contracts or 'Temps'
•  There are many consulting companies that need to fill positions very quickly. Sometimes these positions need to have someone onsite the next day to help with a project that may take a few days, weeks or months. In cases like these, the consulting firms may loosen their restrictions on experience in order to get the contract.
• After working a few temp positions, you will have gained a fair amount of experience in seeing multiple environments.
• Sometimes companies elect to hire the contractors that have proven themselves resulting in a permenant position for you.
• Note: there normally are restrictions in companies hiring the temporay agents from the consulting firm. The contract typically includes verbiage to cover how the company can make an offer which usually includes compensation to the consulting firm. Do not risk putting yourself in a position that violates the terms of the contract. When signing any contract, be sure to note what restrictions are in place    
5. Internship
• If you are in school, many colleges have internship arrangements with several area companies. This is a great way to gain experience as well as contacts to your personal network. Treat the internship seriously, not as a summer job in the mall.

For software developers:

1. Build up your portfolio with writing your own mobile apps. These can easiliy demonstrate your versatility as well as earn you some extra cash.
2. Create websites for folks who post on Criagslist and add the best samples to your portfolio.

I hope you found this helpful. Good luck