How College Freshers Can Gain Work Experience In The Pandemic?
There is a very popular question that every fresher hears during the job interview, “Do you have any experience?” This statement may appear vague, yet it is true for every fresher interview. Any college fresher seeking employment must demonstrate their experience through online certifications, freelancing work, projects, and other means.
It was not difficult to acquire these abilities and experience until 2020 when the pandemic arrived at our doorstep and refused to go. It’s a terrible time for everyone, but it’s especially challenging for college freshers, as some of them didn’t even get a chance to tour the campus. If you are one of them, I pity you, but now is not the time to regret; instead, let us concentrate on our future and gain necessary work experience even as the pandemic continues.
Gain Work Experience In The Pandemic
Here are a few way in which college freshers can gain work experience even during a pandemic:
- Contact your institution
Even if these are difficult times for everyone, every institution will be ready to assist them when it comes to their students’ careers. Every college has a separate committee that looks into campus placements, such as a placement cell or an internship cell. You can reach out to them and inquire about potential remote internships for college freshers. These committees have a list of remote internships that regular recruiters are offering.
You can also ask your teachers for assistance. Professors frequently seek assistance with their research from college alumni. Therefore, they might also be able to put you in touch with any of their past students to see if there are any internship openings in their companies. You can also contact the alumni committee. They can also help you connect with alumni who can offer internships.
- Apply to opportunities using job sites
Let us take advantage of the fact that India is becoming more digital. QJobs and other job portals and internship platforms provide college freshers with remote and in-office career opportunities. Register on these sites, update your information and apply for jobs that match your qualifications.
QJobs has a large network of potential recruiters who are always looking for college freshers. Even amid the pandemic, these job vacancies have been properly verified to ensure that college freshers obtain valuable work experience. In addition to these, you can also apply using networking platforms like LinkedIn and Telegram groups, which can help you connect with potential seniors and recruiters.
- Upskill yourself
What would help you stand out in a college where everyone is acquiring the same coursework and skills? Professional courses are a great opportunity to master new digital marketing and artificial intelligence skills. Recruiters respect such professional courses, especially in the case of college freshers, because they demonstrate your eagerness to learn new things.
Your undergraduate degree can introduce you to the theory part. Still, you’ll need to upskill on professional courses offered on platforms like Coursera, Edx, UpGrad, Google Learning, and others to know how to navigate yourself in corporate. So set aside some time to enroll in online certification courses, some of which are even free. This will assist you in staying updated with new skills and make a positive impression on the recruiter.
- Consider freelancing opportunities
Many companies provide freelance options for college freshers, which refers to work from home chances. Additionally, freelance possibilities can assist you in adding something valuable to your resume’s work experience column.
Working as a freelancer is considerably easier as you can work from home, especially in a field that you are familiar with, such as content writing. Furthermore, you can work without disturbing other activities because there is no set schedule. LinkedIn and QJobs are good places to look for freelance opportunities.
- Proactively look for opportunities
Many organizations’ hiring processes have been interrupted in these uncertain times, and some have even suspended their hiring processes. Don’t get discouraged if the response time from the organization is slow.
Continue to apply for jobs proactively, stay active on job platforms, and reach out to recruiters who are always looking for college freshers. If the job opening is too old, skip it because it is likely to have been filled, and look for other work opportunities.
Conclusion
Every college fresher faces one major problem is that they often forget to keep track of applications. Therefore, keep track of all opportunities you apply for with details like contact, email, company’s name, platform, and application deadline. This will assist you in customizing your applications to meet your needs.
You should also tailor your CV to the job description when applying for an opportunity. You can have your resume and cover letter reviewed by a senior or family member. Customizing your CV to the job description demonstrates that you paid attention to the finer points and requirements, giving you an advantage over other applicants.
These are some ways in which college freshers can obtain useful work experience and some tips on how to stand out from the crowd.
