Everybody knows this feeling.
You’re applying to jobs, refreshing LinkedIn, updating your resume every hour, and still hearing nothing. Every posting says “entry-level” but somehow also requires three years of experience. And all your friends look like they have a plan while you’re sitting there wondering if you’re already behind.

Let me give you the real answer.

You don’t get your first job by waiting for the perfect posting or magically gaining experience overnight.
You get your first job by learning how the game actually works.

Here’s exactly what I’d tell you if you were sitting across from me asking how to break in.

1. Build relationships before you need them

This is the part no one teaches you.

Most people wait for job openings.
The people who get hired early are the ones who start conversations before anything exists.

Reach out to people in the roles you want.
Ask them how they got there.
Ask what advice they’d give.
Ask what skills matter.

You’re not asking for a job.
You’re showing initiative.

A single 10-minute conversation is worth more than 10 applications.

Because here’s the truth:

Most jobs are filled through people, not portals.

2. Use the experience you DO have

When guys say, “I have no experience,” what they usually mean is “I don’t have traditional experience.”

But guess what?
Employers don’t care when or where you learned something.
They care whether you can do the work.

So ask yourself:

• Did you have an internship?

• Did you help run a club?

• Did you do freelance work?

• Did you work part-time?

• Did you manage a campus organization?

• Did you volunteer?

• Did you build anything on your own?

If you did any of this, you have experience.
You just haven’t learned how to position it yet.

3. If you’ve built anything, it belongs on your resume

This is the advantage guys overlook the most.

If you’ve ever built something — anything — that required creativity, consistency, or problem-solving, it counts.

That includes:

• a small business

• a personal project

• a website

• a school organization

• a community

• a blog

• a podcast

• a newsletter

• a fitness program

• a coding project

• a content page

• a YouTube channel

• even helping a friend’s brand grow

If you built it, managed it, or improved it, that’s experience.

Write it like a real role:

Founder / Creator — Project Name
• Built X
• Grew Y
• Launched Z
• Improved A
• Managed B

Most applicants list responsibilities.
You get hired when you show initiative.

4. Make a list of 20 companies you actually want to work for

This strategy changed my entire career.

Sit down and write a list of 20 companies you genuinely like.
Not the big names everyone else says.
The ones you actually care about.

Then search:

• people in your dream role

• alumni from your school

• entry-level employees

• managers or directors in that department

Send a short message:

“Hey, I’m graduating soon and exploring opportunities in this field. I’d love 10 minutes to hear about your experience.”

You’re not asking them for anything.
You’re giving them something to talk about — themselves.

People always respond to that.

5. Use your network’s network

Here’s one of the biggest secrets about getting hired:

Your network isn’t just who you know.
It’s who they know.

Ask people in your life:

• “Do you know anyone I should talk to?”

• “Do you know someone at X company?”

• “Is there anyone in your field I could learn from?”

Most opportunities come from someone who knows someone who knows someone.

The sooner you learn how to tap into that, the faster you get hired.

6. Understand the hiring timeline

Most guys panic because they think hiring works like school: apply early, get your answer early.

Not even close.

For most marketing, PR, social, business, media, or creative roles, the hiring cycle looks like this:

December: too early
January: planning
February/March: openings appear
April/May: interviews, offers, decisions

So if you’re applying in November or December and hearing nothing, you’re not behind.

It’s just not hiring season.

Use this time to network, polish your resume, and get your name in the room before the roles open.

7. End every internship the right way

The biggest mistake guys make?
They finish an internship and disappear.

Here’s the move:

• Email your manager and team.

• Say thank you.

• Say you’re interested in full-time roles.

• Say you’d love to stay in touch.

That one message keeps your name in the building long after you leave.

Most companies hire from people they already know.

Make sure you’re still one of them.

8. Big company or small company? Know the tradeoff

A lot of guys automatically chase the huge brand name.
But that’s not always the best path.

Big companies:
• prestige
• structure
• stability
• slower growth
• harder to stand out

Small companies:
• real responsibility
• faster growth
• your work actually matters
• you learn more, faster

One isn’t better than the other.
It depends on what kind of career you want to build.

If you want to learn fast, make impact early, and not wait years to touch real work?
Start small.

9. Companies want great people just as much as you want a great job

When you’re searching for your first job, it feels like companies hold all the power.

But here’s what I learned:

Finding great talent is hard.
Finding reliable people is hard.
Finding someone hungry, curious, and willing to learn is even harder.

If you show up with initiative, clarity, curiosity, and follow-through, you instantly become memorable.

And memorable people get hired.

Fast Career FAQ: Real Questions Guys Ask

How do I get a job with no experience?
Show initiative, build relationships, highlight projects, and position what you’ve already done.

When should I apply?
February–May for most entry-level roles.

Should I apply to jobs I’m underqualified for?
Yes. Always.

Does building something on the side help?
More than you think.

How do I stand out?
Network early, follow up consistently, build something real, and act like the person they want to hire.

Final Thought

Getting your first job is not about having the perfect resume or applying to the most postings.

It’s about:

being visible
being remembered
and being someone people want to bet on.

Experience comes later.
Initiative is what gets you in the door.