HOW T0 AVOID THE JOB CATCH 22

There is a painful time in the lives of each generation of new graduates. The three-year summer holiday of university life is over and it's time to dig out your interview suit and face the real world.

You start looking through the newspaper's graduate careers section. Almost every advert contains the dreaded line. "One year's experience preferred". It's one of life's many unsolved catches. How are you supposed to get the experience if everyone wants you to have experience already?

But the reality isn't as bad as it sounds. When companies say they want experience, they tend to use a wide definition of the word. Experience can be paid or unpaid. It can be gathered during a year out, in college vacations, part-time during term time, or even informally in a student society. "A year's work experience needn't be a solid year, it could be split up into several short sections, such as summer holidays", says David Bligh," recruitment consultant at Mercuri Urval.

Rebecca Zoe Thomas has just started a job as a recruitment consultant for Montrose Head Office in Victoria. She is 21 and graduated in June from Brimingham University, but she had already gained the experience and skills she needed to impress her new employers. Rebecca's job involves interviewing and assessing candidates, marketing, placing advertisements and customer care. Before taking the job, Rebecca had never worked in recruitment, but was able to apply experience she had acquired in summer jobs and through a student society.

"I had worked in sales during my holidays at university, and the skills I learnt through that have been very relevant to recruitment consulting," she says.

Rebecca's method of gaining experience is supported by many graduate employers. Most graduate traineeships will teach you the specific skills you need for the job, but employers want to see candidates who can show initiative, involvement and interest in the work they have done. Fiona McKenzie, senior consultant at McCourt Consultants Ltd, explains: "Recruiting graduates can be a gamble for employers, because they don't have a great deal of experience, so we want to see something that shows a person has got drive. Work experience of any sort can form the basis of your learning in a new job."

Jo Stamp, also a recruitment consultant and recent graduate, took a different path from Rebecca. Jo did a Business Studies degree at Sheffield University and spent a year at IJA Recruitment Management as a third year placement. She kept in contact with the company throughout her fourth year at university, and was then asked if she would like to return and work permanently for IJA when she graduated. "I learnt a tremendous amount in my placement at the company, and developed skills which I was able to use in my fourth year at university, and which I then brought back to the company," says Jo.

Contact with a company while you are still studying can provide the key to a good job when you graduate. Jill Dean managed to get sponsorship from ICI in her final year of a D Phil in Chemistry at York University. "The sponsorship provides financial help and the opportunity to go on conferences, but most importantly it gave me contacts in the company."

Jill is now a senior research scientist with ICI and feels the sponsorship and a Christmas course at the company helped enormously in getting the job."I could talk convincingly in the interview about what I wanted to do because I had met people doing various jobs in the company."

Taking time to consider what you really want and build up wide experience is a piece of advice offered by many graduate employees. Nicky Latimer, a Computer Systems Administrator and French graduate of the University of East Anglia failed to get onto any of the graduate training schemes she applied to in her final year. After graduating she went onto an Employment Training Scheme which gave her several work experience placements in business administration and as a bilingual secretary. Within a year an agency placed her in a temporary job for Eurotunnel. But having gained the skills and confidence she needed to work in an office environment, Nicky stayed on permanently at the company and began to specialise in computer systems.

"I think people are too worried about getting into the right work immediately," says Nicky. "It's important to take time to clarify what you want to do and to gain experience in anything. "The time I had after graduating gave me the confidence to go and get my foot in the door of a good company."

Trying to get a job without a university degree will usually slam you into the "you need higher education" brick wall. On the other hand, approaching the issue from the opposite side gains you only snide "you need more experience" comments.

Overcoming lack of experience is doable, though it may take extra effort and research on your part. Five tips will improve your chances of success:

*Enthusiasm counts. Sure, employers appreciate previous experience, but they also know that skills and knowledge alone don't always make the best employees. If you love what you do, then you're likely to be a more satisfied, and therefore harder-working, employee.. So let your passion for the company, subject or work shine through.

*Take the initiative. There are many ways to do it. First of all, in your cover letter, stress your potential, not your lack of experience. In the interview, again stress your positives. Think ahead of time about the strengths you want to focus on, and be prepared to back yourself up. It's fine to be honest about your newness in the field, but don't let that become a drawback. After the interview, call your potential employer and thank him/her for the interview. Let him know you're still interested and ask for feedback. If you don't get the job, don't be afraid to ask why - this can help you prepare better for future interviews.

*Don't forget your "soft skills." While you may not have years of experience under your belt, the chances are your past work has included many "soft skills," such as team building, leadership, or customer service. These may be invaluable in your new career. Emphasize your interpersonal and communication skills.

*Find out contact names. Before you blanket the town with your resume, do your homework. Knowing the names of one or two of the key people inside a corporation can increase your interview chances enormously. It's worth the extra time and energy. A name is worth a thousand resumes.

*Know your company. Compensate for not being a practical expert in the field by beefing up your knowledge about the relevant firm. Your research into it will prove your interest and enthusiasm.

According to an annual survey of employers searching the job market, carried out by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) in the United States, the following skills were seen to be desirable in a potential employee: interpersonal skills; teamwork; verbal communication; analytical skills; computer skills; written communication; leadership abilities.

It is worth noting that none of these skills are limited to any one particular area or profession - all are necessary in almost all lines of work.

So don't be daunted by your lack of experience. Get out there and tell them what you are good at - I'm sure there's plenty to say.

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