If you’re in college right now, you’ve probably been told a million times that you need to get an internship (or five) in order to ever have a chance at getting a real job after graduation. There is some truth in that: you do need experience in order to get a job nowadays. And don’t get me wrong; internships are a great way to get that valuable job experience and get your foot in the door in your industry. However, for some people internships just aren’t a great option. This is especially the case if you can only find unpaid internships in your field and you need money to survive (who doesn’t?). Or maybe you just want job experience outside of the internship you already have to get an extra leg up. No matter the case, here are some ways to get job experience in your field that aren’t your typical internships.

1. Create your own job. Especially if you want to go into a more creative or tech-based field, creating your own work is a great way to gain experience. If you’re a writer, start freelancing or submitting articles for publication. If you’re a programmer, try creating an app or other software that will show off your skills. Entrepreneurship is widely accepted in today’s world, and with some hustle you can you create your own work in your field that will impress future employers. I actually started this blog for this very reason, and it landed me my marketing job! I definitely recommend starting your own website or blog, no matter your industry.
2. Find a related job. Maybe it’s hard to find internships in your field. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get work experience in your field or a similar one. Instead of focusing on just internships, try looking for a (paying) job that will help you gain valuable skills for the future. The great part about this is that it doesn’t even need to be directly in your field; you just need to be able to explain the connection on your resume. Are you studying to be a teacher? Try working in a daycare and be sure to highlight how well you work with children on your resume. There are a lot of jobs out there that you can make relate to your future career if you can get creative with it. While you’re working these jobs, be sure to seek out opportunities and training that relates to what you want to do!
3. Participate academically. Even if you don’t want to go into anything related to research or academia, consider researching in your field at your college. There are research opportunities within every field, not just science-based ones (though if you are studying a science field, be sure to jump on this!). If you have a good rapport with one of your professors, stop by their office hours and ask if they are conducting any research or know of any opportunities within your department. Your college may even have a special advisor whose job is to help students find research opportunities. You’d be surprised at the doors that undergraduate research can open for you.
4. Take hands-on classes. This will greatly depend on your field and your school, but a lot of colleges offer classes that allow you to produce real-world work while in the classroom environment. For instance, I took a web design class where we worked with a non-profit organization for the entire semester to build them a new website. It was exactly the same kind of work I’d be doing if I had been their intern, but I also got class credit and the guidance of my professor. You better believe that experience went on my resume. Ask your academic advisor if your school offers any classes where you can produce actual projects you can later put on your resume.
5. Get certifications. Are there any kinds of certifications that you can get for your field? Chances are, there are. Do some digging and see if there is a test or class you can take to get some kind of accreditation related to your future career. For instance, if you want to go into social media marketing, it might be a good idea to take the Facebook Blueprint certification exams. This shows future employers that you still have the knowledge and skills that others might have acquired at an internship, and that you’re self-motivated and driven.

There you have it, five ways to gain job experience apart from your typical internship. The path to success is different for everyone, so it’s important to figure out what works for you. An internship, especially an unpaid or low-paying one isn’t an option for everyone, and that’s okay. You just have to get creative about how you do go about getting work experience.

Have you gotten unusual work experience? How did you do it?