Many of us have aspirations to work in a niche job or career. Unfortunately, this can make it much harder to accumulate relevant work experience.
Here are 3 ways you can find work experience opportunities, no matter how niche your intended career.
1. Apply for Work Experience with Existing Businesses.
One of the best ways to gain experience in any career, niche or otherwise, is to apply for work experience positions with existing businesses who operate in the niche field you wish to enter. Not all businesses operate formal work experience programmes, but it is always worth enquiring about these.
Many work experience positions will be unpaid, so you will have to decide for yourself if that is a deal-breaker or not. Some people can afford to undertake some unpaid work in the interest of securing more lucrative paid employment further down the line. However, if you aren’t able to justify the work if you won’t be paid for it, look into paid internships instead.
2. Search Online for Dedicated Communities.
No matter how niche the position, job, or career that you are pursuing, it is very unlikely that you will be the first person to do so (if you are, it’s possible you’ve made the job up). It is well worth seeking out some relevant online communities. These might be communities where non-professional enthusiasts mingle with professionals. For example, there are many online communities where science enthusiasts and professional scientists can exchange messages with one another.
There will also be communities that exist for the professionals within an industry. Generally, you will find that the other professionals who frequent these sites will be more than happy to share their wisdom with those who are looking to break into the field.
There is enormous value in being able to directly interact with someone, and to have a back and forth with them. A search engine can help you to find a lot of useful information on static websites. But it is through being able to ask specific questions to those with the relevant knowledge and expertise that you will gain the most valuable insight.
One of the functions for which social media is best suited is in connecting people with others who share interests with them. Every social media platform is different, but generally you can search for specific subjects and interests to find what you want. Some platforms are better suited for this than others. Reddit is probably the best social media service for finding niche communities who can help you find a job. By simply searching for the niche you are looking for, you will see a list of relevant communities and posts.
3. Enlist with the Right Temp Agency.
Temp agencies are a fantastic way of gaining work experience, and of breaking into a new career. For most niche career paths there will be a temp agency who specialises in finding applicants potential work in a niche field of employment. However, these agencies aren’t always easy to find. This will depend largely on just how niche your preferred profession is.
The most niche careers out there might not be well represented by dedicated agencies. Instead, you might have to look for a general temping agency who has experience representing those who wish to work in your chosen field. This might require you to spend some time trawling through your various options and looking for one who is suitable. The best way of doing this, which is much more efficient than searching through the agencies yourself, is to search online for the job title you want, and the location you are hoping to work in. For example, if you search for chef de partie jobs in London, you will be met with plenty of results from temping agencies who can help pair you with a suitable employer.
No matter how niche your particular interests and aspirations, it is possible to find work experience opportunities if you know when to look.
