Ask the expert: The experience gap

By MARIE WILSON

Q. I recently completed a diploma in cultural travel and tourism at Auckland University of Technology. Looking for a fulltime position in this industry (with limited work experience) is very difficult and I have questioned my need to be qualified, especially when you aren't given the chance to put theory to practice.

Why isn't studying seen as work experience? I have spent two to four years studying the topic and yet am still not good enough to get a job in the travel and tourism industry.

Have I wasted two years of my life on a course that I thought would open the doors of opportunities to better employment? I have applied for many jobs in the past four months and still get the same reply "you have a lot of qualities we are looking for; unfortunately we are looking for people with at least two years' experience".

If only I was given the chance to be interviewed, they would see my determination to become a part of this industry. What else can I do to get my foot in the door?

A. Most new graduates face the Catch-22 of needing experience to get hired. Employers may appreciate the education that your qualification represents but also want the set of hands-on practical skills that are required day-to-day.

Hiring someone who is already successful in the field is seen as a lower risk for the employer, and experienced staff are more likely to be productive quickly, which reduces the cost to the employer as well.

Ideally, before you entered your diploma study you would have investigated the requirements for getting a job in the field and looked at the rate of successful career placements from the programme you enrolled in.

To enhance your chances, you would have worked in the field while you were studying, either using class projects to work with members of the industry, or volunteering to help in a business.

Many professional associations often have student memberships, so students can become more familiar with industry issues before graduation. All of these activities help you to build contacts as well as knowledge in the industry.

Now you have graduated, there are several things you can do. First, you can take a hard look at all the experience that you do have and summarise it in your CV in terms of skills and abilities you bring to the workplace, in addition to your diploma.

Have earlier jobs required you to deal with customers, act responsibly when the manager wasn't there, find new solutions to problems, or market yourself or the business?

These can all be important skills that may help to offset your lack of experience. To break in to the industry often requires working in assistant or clerical positions so that you learn how the office works and gradually advance into a higher level of work that uses your diploma experience.

If you are targeting a specific company, you may want to interview them to find out what they are really looking for and if they have alternative pathways to join the company, an internship programme for example.

In some cases, people may volunteer for a period to show what they can do, and gain feedback on the additional skills they need to be fully employable.

Good luck with your job search.

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Dr Marie Wilson is associate professor of management at the University of Auckland Business School, research director of the ICEHOUSE business accelerator and a veteran of 20 years in corporate management and small business.