Landing a full-time job as a fresher could be challenging. This is because most employers seek at least some work experience from their candidates. Here are some ideas how freshers can gather the experiences that employers seek:

• Internships / Student jobs
• Part-time / Volunteering activities
• Open source / community / pet projects

Professional experience is important

Companies seek candidates with work experience because training them does not take too long. Employers also want to benefit from the knowledge and experience their new employees bring from their previous jobs. Work experience continues to play an important role in the hiring process. Freshers are well advised to gather the required work experience through traditional or non-traditional means.Freshers that waste their free time binge watching online videos or engage in mindless social media browsing miss excellent learning opportunities.

For example, a survey conducted by statista.de shows that German companies value English skills and Internships from their entry-level candidates. Correspondingly, freshers can engage in learning a new language to increase their attractiveness. There are numerous free or cheap apps, such as Babbel and Duolingo that are affordable to students. However, only under 1% of the participants registered in online courses actually complete the coursework. By taking up and completing online courses, you are demonstrating your discipline, dedication, focus and drive to succeed. These are qualities that make a positive impression with employers.

What’s in it for you?

Each internship, side project, or volunteering offers opportunities to learn valuable skills for your desired job. For example, waiting tables as a student might not directly equip you with software development skills. But, you might gather valuable valuable customer relationship skills that are, nevertheless, valuable to an IT company.

I do not preach for a social media or Netflix free student life. All work and no play does make Jack a dull boy. But, in today’s hyper-competitive job market, acquiring new skills and experiences is obligatory. This means wisely spending your free time in learning activities and acquiring new skills that make you attractive to employers.