“A bachelor’s degree in _____ or ______, with 1-2 years relevant experience in the field.”
“A proven track record in ____ with a minimum of five years of experience, with an emphasis on ____ and _____.”
Y’all, sometimes reading job advertisements just makes me tired. As someone with a lot of varied interests and experience in different fields, it can be disheartening to read sentences like these. I know why employers write ads this way, but I can’t help thinking that specialists in my target field have a huge advantage over me, just because their resume is more specific—even if I could do just as well in the job.
It can be especially tough when trying to break into a new field. Even if it’s an industry that’s friendly to self-taught practitioners and freelancers, you still need some way to convince prospective employers, investors, customers, and collaborators that you know what you’re doing. Or at least, you know enough of what you’re doing for them to sink time, money, energy, etc., into you or your project.
Traditional wisdom around building experience doesn’t always help. For one, many of us don’t have the time or money to go to school and get a whole new degree every time we want to enter a new field. Or we already have good employment, and aren’t in a situation where we can easily “start over” with an entry-level position in the new field to work our way up over the course of years.
Plus, many of us are what Emilie calls “simultaneous multipotentialites”: folks who like to explore many interests at once, rather than sequentially. I’m one of these, and I simply don’t want to put all of my other projects and passions on the back burner in order to pursue a full-time job or a new degree.
I want to invest time into developing this new skill or exploring this field, yes. That’s the point: I’m interested in it, excited about it. But I’m always trying to find a balance of time and investment that traditional routes to “experience” don’t always allow.
So how do you build your skills and your “track record,” without investing all of yourself into a single field for several years at a time?
I’ve run into this problem over and over again, and while I’m no expert… perhaps my track record shows a bit of experience. Here are some of the ways I’ve tackled this issue in the past, and a couple of other ideas for you to mull over.
1. Self-study: Become an autodidact!
We know that multipotentialites are avid learners—it’s just one of our many superpowers. So the most obvious way to jump-start a new interest is to study it on your own.
For example, I want to dabble in graphic design, so I’m taking courses in my specific areas of interest (Illustrator, logo design). Sites like Coursera, Udemy or Khan Academy also make online learning easy, and many public libraries can help you access these sites totally for free. Or read online to find the most important general books for your target interest, grab them from your library or local independent bookstore, and dig in.
You can also look into online conferences in your field; often you can watch or participate for free during the days of the webinars, or purchase the videos or materials afterward for a fee. This is a great way to immediately get a sense of the conversations people in the field are having—which can help when you need to show someone that you’re knowledgable and tuned in.
And of course, even if going to school full-time is not your jam, you can always take just a class or two at a time! Sometimes a full degree isn’t really as crucial, but a certain certificate is just the leg-up that you need to get the job you want (make sure you learn the specific requirements of the kind of position you want to try). Think broader than universities and community colleges, too—often local art centers, community centers, gyms, and other organizations have classes you can take in the evenings or on weekends.
2. Freelance work and passion projects
As soon as you’ve got some of the skills you want, or even just an edge over someone who’s totally ignorant of the field, you can start—with projects of your own, freelancing, and consulting. This is a great way to begin to build a portfolio of work that can help you land bigger or better gigs, or can show your initiative and individual passion when you’re trying to snag that “regular” job later.
This dovetails nicely with self-study, because there is no quicker way to learn how to Do A Thing than to just Do The Thing. You’ll make mistakes, and you’ll invest time in avenues that don’t pay off… but that means you’ll learn in a much more visceral way what works for you and what doesn’t.
Here’s an example of a passion project that helped me gain a ton of experience. In 2014, my friend and I started a meet-up group, and I quickly discovered I loved the act of bringing people together. Over the next four years I invested a lot of my free time into growing the group, planning events, and building connections. I made a lot of mistakes, but I also learned a lot. Now I manage a community center, a job I got partly because of my track record with that meet-up group. Though my role is quite different, every day I’m still using the event-planning and community-building skills I learned then.
3. Volunteer
Many organizations (especially nonprofits, but businesses too) need extra hands. Volunteering is a great way to take a peek into their world of work, and often organizations will train you for your role, too.
For example, while volunteering with my local chapter of GLSEN, I was trained to lead other trainings: workshops that could be taken to schools and offices, where folks can learn more about LGBTQ identities and issues. I learned not just the content of the workshop, but facilitation skills as well. At the time I wasn’t thinking about gaining experience for my resume—but several years later and in a different city, I’ve implemented our own version of “Safe Zone” trainings for my current organization, and I use my facilitation skills constantly in other group meetings and programs.
Not only can you gain skills through volunteering, but if you really commit to significant time or a specific role with an organization, you’ve got concrete experience to list on your resume as well.
4. Seek mentors and peers
Other people have the expertise you seek, and many of them might love to be a mentor or a resource for you. You could seek anything from a full-on apprenticeship with a skilled practitioner, to a “point-person” connection—someone you can reach out to when you have a specific question during self-study or freelance work. Sometimes you might be able to make these connections with people you already work with. For example, if you are interested in IT, but work in marketing… see if you can strike up a friendship with the IT folks at your company.
But it’s not just experts who you might learn from. See if you can find some peers: folks who are learning or building experience, just like you. You can trade knowledge, ask questions, share experience, and commiserate over complaints. Consider creating a project together— it’s a great way to bond and increase everyone’s experience. You can find communities built for this kind of peer-networking all over the place, including the Puttyverse; you can also create your own from scratch.
Finally, think broadly! Finding mentorship and community is not just about the folks you know personally, but the thinkers whose media you consume—consider who your role models might be. And who knows? Maybe the mentors you already have, in your other realms of interest, have ideas that apply in the new realm too.
5. “Spin” the skills and expertise you already have
Remember those intimidating job ads that I started with? Some are highly specific because the job really requires a deep and specific knowledge. (For example… I don’t want someone who’s not a registered nurse taking charge of my nursing care if I have to go to the hospital. Even if they do have experience in other parts of healthcare!)
But other times, the specificity of these ads is just about trying to weed out some of the applicants who wouldn’t be a good match—and the employer is actually quite open to hearing from folks who might not meet the specific experience requirements, but who have the passion and the adaptability to do a great job.
Think about the jobs you have held, and projects you have done, and look for what career coaches call “transferable skills”: ones that you can highlight and re-contextualize on your resume and in your interview, depending on what kind of job you’re applying for.
Perhaps your volunteer role at the food pantry wasn’t just about helping visitors get what they needed—maybe you learned lots about the food system that you can re-brand as horticulture experience. Or perhaps those presentations you did every week while working in sales can be spun into “content creation for efficient intra-company communications”… when you’re trying to get into copywriting. Get creative with it!
**
As you face the “we-want-years-of-experience” problem, remember most importantly that you do have years of experience in a role that’s going to help you bring a lot to the table: being a multipotentialite!
Not every applicant for the job you want, or every competitor you face as you freelance and create things, is going to have your many multipod superpowers. You “speak the language” of your other fields, and you’re primed to solve problems that exist at the intersections.
Your seemingly-irrelevant experience might be a huge asset and provide a fresh perspective in this new field. Don’t be afraid to share your unconventional background (and show how it applies) at an interview, or when building your portfolio—it might be the thing that sets you apart.
Your Turn
Have you gotten a job when you didn’t technically have the “experience” they were asking for? What other strategies for building experience have you used? Tell us your tips below in the comments!
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Loi Laing says
This was a great read and just when I needed it. Thank you for this very helpful advice!
Claire Nyles Suer says
No problem! So glad you liked 🙂
Joan Chamberlain says
Fantastic piece. I can personally relate to your point on gaining experience through volunteering. As a visual artist and illustrator, I approached a political non-profit group I’m a member of to contribute graphics for their website. I ended up managing their website and learning a lot more about the website platform that their site is on. It’s been very gratifying to contribute to a cause I believe in, and it’s expanded my knowledge and design abilities.
Thank you for a great article!
Claire Nyles Suer says
Joan that’s awesome! Yeah, volunteering is so fun, right? Thanks for your kind words 🙂
Anna says
Thank you for writing this article! It’s spot on and gives me some idea to take into my newer career, coaching and facilitating. I will brush up the transferable skills part of my resume! Also, very interested to hear about running a community centre, have you written more about that I could look at? Thank you
Anna
Claire Nyles Suer says
Hey Anna! Thanks so much, I hope it helps 🙂 And ah, no I haven’t yet, but good idea, maybe I can feature it here on Puttylike sometime since it’s a very multipod-friendly type of job! In the meantime if you have specific questions feel free to ask.
Rhonda S Kastner says
Funny, I had the opposite problem, where I would be constantly told I that I was overqualified; I just needed a job, any job, at different times in my life.
Claire Nyles Suer says
Hey Rhonda– totally! I hear that, too!
Hussein Saab says
CLaire – i relate so much to this, great article! I’ve been told this so many times i’ve lost count. Each time I’ve taken it as motivation to prove those Lads wrong whether it be directly or indirectly. On average I change jobs every 2 years over the past 10 years i’ve had 7 jobs in 10 years across 3 companies. 🙂 and that does not include my fun side projects / side hustles :). I stay within the Business domain but still there are lots of those people around saying stupid things like that.
You’re article reminded me of this saying – “it’s not how many years of experience, its how much experience you’ve gained in your years” referring to how quickly we can learn, adopt and perform compared to the specialists.
So thank you for this article, it’s really helpful and validating.
Claire Nyles Suer says
Hussein, so glad you enjoyed! Oh my gosh you sound busy! And heck yes, I like that quote a lot. That’s one to bookmark, thanks for sharing 🙂
Vicky says
Beautiful article, I like it!I was moonlighting with a job as housekeeper and I had so many tasks of responsibility that can be transferred for other jobs. How can I put an illegal labour in my Resume/CV? Can the HR manager give it a negative connotation? Thank u so much. I’ve always asked myself this question
Claire Nyles Suer says
Hi Vicky!! Totally, those transferrable skills are key! As for your question, I really don’t know– it will probably depend a lot on the values of the organization you’re applying to (and yes, the values of the HR manager). It might be good to consult a lawyer, or a Legal Aid group in your area, so they can advise you regarding the specifics of your situation and when to include that on a resume or when not to. Best of luck!!
Tina says
But this takes so much time!
Claire Nyles Suer says
So true Tina! Unfortunately there’s no magic snap-your-fingers way to add stuff to your resume & skillset. (Well, not that I know of; let me know if you know a way! Haha.)
Hopefully some of this stuff might still take less time than a 2 or 4 year degree, or starting at the dishwasher level and slowly working your way up to restaurant owner (for example). 🙂
Catherine says
Also Alison.com is full of free courses to study so you know something about the subject you want to learn.
Eswar says
Nice article. I particularly like the idea of transferrable skills.
Maria Pia says
Hello! I am reading this article in 2021 and it fits me perfectly. The strategy I used in my last job was writting a letter to a University teacher who became my boss, in that letter I was completely honest about my backround and i told her about my interests in teaching. It worked being honest that time and I tried it again for my next move, but hasn’t worked yet. So, I’m gonna try your tips this time 🙂
Jennifer Lasseter says
I love these recommendations! I’m a budding website rescuer, and I’ve made a resume that talks up my growing skillset. I also have a part-time job that is also letting me practice–there’s no shame in getting paid a little bit to practice. They’re a tiny nonprofit, so I don’t charge them for my experiments (just for the final work), and I’m getting a fantastic portfolio in exchange.
Joke Soetewey says
I agree so much with volunteering. I wanted to try new skills like storytelling, guiding, teaching – as a multipotentialite I always want to share my knowledge and insights, and someone suggested I should be a teacher of some kind. So one day I signed up as a volunteer guide at a children’s farm in a local park, to teach small groups of children about all the farm animals. I got paid in sheep cuddles and smiles, how awesome is that! Now I am a freelance guide at our local Zoo, I teach kids coding and program skills on Saturdays, I work for educational editorial firms… All because of that small decision to start volunteering.
I also volunteer in a local venue, a few nights a month. The most beautiful concert hall, a 1920’s converted cinema. I meet people from all walks of life, artists, I get to see wonderful concerts and plays… I contribute to people having a great night and I learn new skills every time. I get to see many things I cannot afford as a single mum. Now for the price of a single baby sitter (or a ride to grandma) I have access to so much beauty and joy…
Lee says
Great post … glad to know as I have/am facing this and done these. They work for building confidence! One I can add is offer a free or intro service session or series of whatever in exchange for testimonials or feedback on general. Worked well for me.
Molly says
Well, don’t I feel seen?! Thank you for this well considered and comprehensive read Nyles, it is really appreciated! I have transitioned into different roles continuously in my career, and as I get more experience I love to look back and see how each move has been informed by the others, and the various threads that connect them. I also appreciate the ways I’ve brought perspectives and skills from one type of role to bring nuance and critical insight to another- I find so much joy in the learning and development process!
About a year ago, I moved into another new field (I was able to demonstrate the transferability of my skills- tick!) and I was recently approached to apply for a role in the same field at a significantly higher rate of pay. I applied, and I enjoyed the interview. Part of what had helped with this was that I had reached out and connected with others working in the field; I value taking a beginner’s mind and learning from the wisdom and experience of others, and I find people are very generous when you make an open approach. One of the people I had connected with was the hiring manager for this role. She liked me, we had spoken about the work extensively, and she really fought to have me as the preferred candidate, even down to checking my references to help her build her case! Unfortunately, she was overridden by her Executive who wanted another candidate with many more years experience- but I am so proud of myself that even after only a year in the field, I was an equal contender with someone like that.
My advice would be to believe in yourself, connect with others who share your interests (they don’t have to for the purpose of benefitting your career- they can just be for the joy of sharing a common interest!), and think creatively about how your various interests, passions and experiences intersect.
Maria says
Great and inspiring article! Thanks!
Erika says
It’s so, just with the first paragraph (imposter syndrome), everything makes sense. I’m multi potential with high IQ and the problem comes later when I have to adjust to the company, because when I read the requirements I already know that’s gonna be just a couple of weeks/months to be bored and at the same time I know that I’m going to have to be in front of the interviewer trying to convince him/her that I’m adequate…masking. Sad.