While you look for work have you considered volunteering? Or perhaps you would like to make a difference in your community.

Voluntary work could offer the opening you need if you are having difficulty finding work. It is a great way of getting into a working environment whilst helping others. You could:

• develop new skills
• gain experience
• get training in new areas of work
• explore career interests
• increase your contacts, which could provide job leads
• build your confidence

There are many choices in the sort of voluntary work available so its worth thinking about what you want to do and how much time you have available.

An internship is a work-related learning experience for individuals who wish to develop hands on work experience in a certain occupational field. Most internship are temporary assignments that last approximately three months up to a year, enough to help develop professional work habits and an understanding of corporate cultures. Internships may present a potential for an offer of full time employment. This can result in more job offers as compared to individuals who lack such work experience. Again you could:

• develop new skills
• gain experience
• get training in new areas of work
• explore career interests
• increase your contacts, which could provide job leads
• build your confidence

I will describe it as a necessary and valuable experience for graduates entering the job market. Provides an excellent way to determine if the industry and the profession is the best career option to pursue.