How many times have you thought to apply for a job and they demand 5+ years of experience? The most frustrating part is when you clearly selected “entry-level” in the search tab (lol). How can you acquire 5+ years of experience if no company is willing to give you a chance to gain that experience? It can be quite frustrating especially for recent graduates. In my opinion, people should be more willing to give others a chance in whatever the situation is in order to gain the experience needed to learn. Whether it is work, freelance, etc…
After the 2016 election, I reinforced my forever motto: anything is possible. We already know that you can be overqualified and not get the position just like you can be under-qualified and get the position. The election results have been a motivation for me. Get out of bed and accomplish exactly what you told yourself you could not accomplish for whatever reasons.
Here are a few things I believe can help you stand out from the crowd and motivate you:
Always Network
Yes, it can be quite intimidating when you are unsure about what you want in life. Even more so when you feel you are under-qualified, but push yourself and get out of your shell. Attend more network events. Work on your elevator pitch and make sure you don’t sound like a machine. Be friendly. As the saying goes “It’s not what you know, It’s who you know.”
Follow Up and Maintain Contact
A lot of us meet people and never follow-up. We just have a business card sitting on our desk. Use these connections and ask about potential opportunities. The worse thing that can happen is someone turning you away or saying “no” to you. Even when you get “no”, just remember that it is part of building character and it is a test to see how willing you are. Some of the most successful people out there have been told “no” many times.
Remain Eager and Persistent
When you get rejected, don’t stop there. Do not let it deter you from your ultimate goal of progression. Keep going, keep asking. When you attain the goal you set for yourself, add another goal. Don’t settle for anything just because you are at entry-level. Plan to get more out of what you are already getting. Don’t get comfortable. Make sure you keep working as hard as you were working when you did not reach your goal yet. This is the best way to find and keep finding success.
Surround Yourself with Positive People
There’s always someone who will plant doubt in your mind. Don’t let them. There’s always a reason why things will not work out. Don’t let these thoughts discourage you. Surround yourself with people on the same path as you or better than you. You will feel the energy and this will help boost your ambition. Birds of a feather flock together.
Stay Focused on You
Yes, I said it, focus on you. Don’t compare other people’s journey to yours. The reason they are where they are is because they’re focused on themselves as well as their goals. Don’t worry about who has more experience, more connections, more money. It should be tunnel vision. Be so focused on where you want to be, that you don’t even know what is going on with other people. Make things happen for you.
There is no need to put other people down on your way to the top. Trolling isn’t necessary. (chuckles at our future President). One thing we can all learn from Mr. Trump is going hard for what you want. While it’s easy to see our President-Elect doesn’t have the preferred experience; it’s even easier to see he didn’t let that stop him. Don’t let anyone discourage you or tell you that you don’t have what it takes. Overall, you can accomplish a lot by the goals you set for yourself and how hard you work at attaining them. What you view as attainable is what you will attain.
Alexandra Belizaire
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