Why does every single job posting ask for at least a year of experience?
Job postings require specific experience levels for a number of reasons, but here is my direct take:
Recruiting is very expensive, and even more expensive if a company gets it wrong.
Because recruiting is expensive, recruiters, hiring managers (and now AI) set parameters so they don't waste time reviewing hundreds of underqualified (or overqualified) applicants.
Experience is generally a good heuristic to determine someone's skill level, although it can be wrong (in both directions.)
Additionally, some things are simply learned through experience, technical or otherwise. Punctuality, adherence to process, teamwork, and clear communication would be examples of non-technical skills or qualities which are typically reinforced in a professional environment. It's not to say that you can't possess those qualities without any professional experience, but seeing evidence of past work history increases a hiring manager's confidence that they aren't hiring "the wrong person," which is very expensive, remember :)?
All that being said, even if a job posting "requires" 1+ year of experience, it's usually not a hard-and-fast rule. If you find an amazing opportunity and you meet all of the other requirements in the job posting, go for it. Spruce up the resume, write a thoughtful cover letter, and sell yourself. The worst thing that can happen is you don't get the job and you move on.
How do I get real experience when I can't get a job?
As others have mentioned, try freelancing, searching for internships, or volunteering your time.
Oh, and using "years of experience" can also help applicants get a better idea of the actual job requirements and qualifications. For example, a "Senior Engineer" job at the local mom & pop web development shop and a "Senior Engineer" at, say, Google would (probably) require very different skills and experience levels.
Thanks Jesse, as you said, it's not about applying to every single job, but those where I have the confidence and almost all the skills, hiring is investment, and as a lot of people say: You already have the "no" answer, so you don't lose anything by trying to get the yes.
Thanks and I think your answer is my favorite :)
Hugs & Husky love! 🐶
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Job postings require specific experience levels for a number of reasons, but here is my direct take:
Additionally, some things are simply learned through experience, technical or otherwise. Punctuality, adherence to process, teamwork, and clear communication would be examples of non-technical skills or qualities which are typically reinforced in a professional environment. It's not to say that you can't possess those qualities without any professional experience, but seeing evidence of past work history increases a hiring manager's confidence that they aren't hiring "the wrong person," which is very expensive, remember :)?
All that being said, even if a job posting "requires" 1+ year of experience, it's usually not a hard-and-fast rule. If you find an amazing opportunity and you meet all of the other requirements in the job posting, go for it. Spruce up the resume, write a thoughtful cover letter, and sell yourself. The worst thing that can happen is you don't get the job and you move on.
As others have mentioned, try freelancing, searching for internships, or volunteering your time.
Oh, and using "years of experience" can also help applicants get a better idea of the actual job requirements and qualifications. For example, a "Senior Engineer" job at the local mom & pop web development shop and a "Senior Engineer" at, say, Google would (probably) require very different skills and experience levels.
Thanks Jesse, as you said, it's not about applying to every single job, but those where I have the confidence and almost all the skills, hiring is investment, and as a lot of people say: You already have the "no" answer, so you don't lose anything by trying to get the yes.
Thanks and I think your answer is my favorite :)
Hugs & Husky love! 🐶