How to gain experience when an employer does not hire without experience?

“Work experience is required.” Anyone who has looked for a job at least once in their life has faced the fact that the vast majority of employers consider having work experience a priority. In other words, for young graduates who have not worked in parallel with their education, finding a job is a rather difficult and nerve-wracking process that takes a lot of effort to overcome. As a result, many young people simply find work in the field where they can, often leaving the profession permanently.

According to the RA Statistical Committee, almost 42% of 15-29 -year -old female youth, 21% of male youth do not study, do not work. Why…?

One of the answers to this question can be found in job postings, most of which emphasize that work experience is required. But how to gain that experience when an employer does not hire without experience? The problem is especially acute among young women, as along with mandatory experience, there are requirements for “good looks”, age, “relaxed” behavior. And although it is prohibited by law, the requirements that have nothing to do with the nature of the work continue to be mentioned in the job advertisements.

Expert discussions on the issue point to different outcomes. For example, it may be necessary to consider internships or volunteerism as work experience while studying, or for students to become interested in gaining work experience in a profession much earlier than after graduating from university. Employers, on the other hand, are less inclined to give students the opportunity to work, and many do not agree to a flexible or part-time job, urging students to pursue distance learning.

In the case of young women looking for a job, one more problem arises: finding a job after a maternity leave becomes as problematic as immediately after graduating from university.

And, unfortunately, this is one of the reasons why, according to the RA Statistical Committee, 50.4% of women and 28.3% of men are out of the labor force (economically inactive). The gender gap is estimated at 43.7%. It is especially high in the 25-49 age group (72.7% -79.1%) and mainly due to the burden of women’s family responsibilities (pregnancy, childbirth, child and care for the elderly, household, etc.).

In fact, these examples are not the only ones. The problems in the labor market are really many and varied, and the need for regulation is great. For years, there has been talk of the need to reform policies to ensure equal work rights for women and men in Armenia.

Full text in Armenian