I guess I naively fell into the assumption that college would totally prepare me for the working world. I would just walk into a prospective employers office with a short resume and newly gained diploma in hand and they would be THRILLED to see me.
Wrong.
Have you noticed how almost every single want ad in America wants a mandatory "3-5 years experience in the field" for entry-level positions? It's crazy. They won't let you get 3-5 years experience without a degree yet you can't get a degree and 3-5 years experience at the same time? The old proverbial "chicken vs. the egg" scenario.
I'm really fortunate that my department spends a good deal of time in hand-on experience. Our senior exit interviews includes a review of our portfolio that we are to have developed over the course of our studies. That's great, but any employer is going to be able to tell if your entire portfolio consists of college-related projects.
Today, I decided that it's time to add some portfolio pieces on my own! I guess I was emboldened by my article being published in The Baptist Messenger--Oklahoma's third largest newspaper--or the fact that my professor couldn't believe that Oklahoma Today had turned down one of my articles (I, however, was not so shocked). I came into college with experience in the field, but it is very limited. I have a real hankering to break into magazines. (I bet if I use the word "hankering" in a query letter, I'll be shipped off to print right away--lol!).
So, I sent in a query today (like 3 minutes ago). Who knows what will come of it, but I find that the hardest part is always just getting started.
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