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i graduated from Old Dominion University in may of 2011 with a BS degree in computer science and can not find a job. not because they don t exist, but because i dont have experience, which is what they all have told me, even the entry level positions i found i lost because i did not have experience.

so what i want to know is how am i supposed to get experience if no one will hire me because i dont have experience?

and i am not the only one either who cant get a job because i dont have experience, i know several other people with BS in CS from both ODU and norfolk state and all of us cant get hired because we dont have experience which we cant get without a job that we cant get without experience.

i was just wondering

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As describes, the “no experience / no hire” loop is real. ’s note about experienced candidates taking junior roles and ’s point that this is a broad, long‑standing problem are both accurate. The following complements those observations with concrete, evidence‑focused tactics that make academic work and short engagements read like real, hireable experience.

  • Turn school work into concise case studies: for each class team or solo assignment write a one‑paragraph problem → approach → technologies → measurable result. Put that summary at the top of any public code repo or portfolio entry so hiring teams see impact instead of just filenames.
  • Gain verifiable client or volunteer engagements: short paid contracts, freelance micro‑gigs, or work for non‑profits provide billable deliverables. Treat each as a mini job — deliverables, timelines, tests and a short outcome statement that can be listed on a resume.
  • Use targeted referral outreach: search ODU/Norfolk State alumni, former teammates, and course instructors for brief informational chats; ask for specific introductions rather than a general “do you know anyone?” request.
  • Optimize applications and role selection: scan job descriptions for “junior/associate/new‑grad” and adjacent roles (QA, support, ops) that let technical work be done on the job; make the top of the resume a 2‑line skills summary so ATS and recruiters see core stacks immediately.
  • Prepare two short, technical stories and a live code walkthrough: a 2‑minute summary of a problem solved plus a README that explains tradeoffs, testing and results; have this ready for screens or take‑home exercises.

Example resume bullet and brief outreach template:

• Implemented a Python ETL pipeline to process 1M+ rows, reducing runtime 10x; added unit tests and deployment scripts.

Subject: ODU CS grad — brief question
Hello [Name],
Recent ODU CS grad with experience building production ETL and automated tests. Interested in junior engineering roles at [Company]; would welcome 15 minutes to learn about hiring needs.
Thanks, [Name]

Caution: prioritize paid or well‑documented volunteer work and keep a simple spreadsheet of applications, contacts and follow‑ups. Persistence plus evidence (case studies, deliverables, referrals) reduces the “no‑experience” barrier.

Recommended Answers

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Member Avatar for Dani

This is a big problem nowadays with the recession, because everyone is getting laid off and taking lesser jobs. So all of the entry-level jobs that typically require very little experience are now being filled by people with lots of experience willing to work for less money.

Try investigating internships. They'll give you some experience while you continue your job search. Another option is to do a project on your own that utilizes some real-world skills. Something you can put on your resume.

commented: that was exactly what i have been thinking +0
Member Avatar for drjohn

This has been the standard problem for ALL job searchers in all professions for as long as I can remember. It is not a problem that just applies to computer science. The best answer is usually to be top of the class and go for a career where a degree in any subject gets you in - ie one not requiring your topic specific degree; or take a lower level temporary job to gain the magical experience. An alternative is to have done a temporary summer job, so you have gained some experience while still a student.

Apart from those suggestions, I have no idea how anyone gets their first job when they all require experience.

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