Comment Getting experience without being hired (Score 1) 76
A frustrating paradox emerges for recent graduates: They can't get hired without experience, but they can't get experience without being hired.
To get experience as a software engineer, all you need is a laptop (not even a great one), an internet connection (not even a fast one), and time. Most development tools are free, a lot of tutorials and documentation are free, and so are many libraries and other assets.
Create a GitHub profile. Make a public hobby project that goes beyond a todo list or space invaders, and put it there. Make some non-trivial contributions to open source projects. Add the GitHub link to your CV.
Not all recruiters are able to appreciate that, but several do.
And if you get started with that years before you actually look for a job, it documents your "passion" is real and not just a buzzword you dump into your CV like almost everyone else.
Some recruiters can do the math and understand that 5 years of hobby projects and 2 years of occasional open source contributions translate into "experience".