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  |  Finding a Job  |  Jobseeking  |  No experience, no work cycle
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No experience, no work cycle

by Irene Krechowiecka

question
I am 21 years old and have not been in a proper job. I am trying to get into Human Resources or customer services, but every company I try tells me I need more experience. How do I get experience if no one will give me a chance? Can you help me?

answer
It can seem impossible to break out of the no experience, no work cycle. If you're in employment at the moment volunteering to take on something extra can be a way of starting to move things along. You could offer to take on new responsibilities that give you more customer contact. Having done that for a while you'd be in a stronger position to ask for training. There are National Vocational Qualifications (NVQs) in customer care that can be done at work, and obtaining a qualification would then help you go for promotion or other jobs.

If you're not in work or your employer is not co-operative find out about full- or part-time study at your local college. Many Business Studies courses have modules in Human Resources and even if you just have the theory it will put you in a stronger position when going for jobs.

Visit the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development website. It has a good section on careers in HR and information on getting the right training.

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