How Fresh Graduates Can Find Their First Job in Pakistan

Ugh, I remember being a fresh grad. It was so frustrating. Every single job wanted experience but how are you supposed to get experience if nobody hires you? Classic catch-22 situation. I went through this myself and now I've helped tons of fresh grads get their first jobs. Here's what actually works.

Stop waiting for the perfect job. Seriously, just stop. That job doesn't exist when you have zero experience. Start doing stuff now, even before you finish university. Look for internships - yeah even the unpaid ones. I know it sucks not getting paid but a 2-3 month internship can make your CV go from looking empty to actually decent. Lots of companies in Karachi and Lahore have internship programs. Check their websites directly, don't just rely on Rozee or whatever.

Volunteer work totally counts. If you did marketing, go help some NGO with their social media. IT person? Help a small shop set up a website. Finance? Offer to do bookkeeping for a startup. This stuff gives you real things to talk about in interviews. Plus it shows you're not just sitting around waiting.

Get some certificates too. Instead of just chilling after graduation, do some online courses. Google has free ones for digital marketing and stuff. Coursera and Udemy have cheap courses you can finish in a few weeks. Put these on your CV. Employers see that and think "okay this person actually tries to learn stuff."

LinkedIn is huge for fresh grads. Most people here don't use it right, so if you do, you automatically stand out. Don't just put your name and degree. Add a real photo, write a proper headline (not "Fresh Graduate" - be more specific), put your internships and projects in the experience section. Post about what you're learning. Comment on company posts. I've seen fresh grads get job offers just from being active on LinkedIn.

Here's a trick - start with smaller companies. Big companies get flooded with applications and they filter by experience first. Smaller places in Faisalabad, Multan, even smaller cities - they're more willing to train you. Work there for like 6 months to a year, get some experience, then you can apply to bigger companies and actually have something to show.

Don't be picky about part-time or contract work. I know you want a "real" permanent job but part-time often turns into full-time. Even if it doesn't, you're getting experience and meeting people. I know a girl who started part-time writing content, the client loved her work, and she got hired full-time in 3 months.

Go to networking stuff. Job fairs, meetups, university events. Bring business cards - yes even as a fresh grad, it helps. Talk to people. Ask questions. Then follow up the next day on LinkedIn with a personal message. Jobs here are all about who you know. Can't get referrals if you don't know anyone.

And be real about money. As a fresh grad, you might have to take less pay. That's just how it is. But focus on what you'll learn. A job paying 30k that teaches you real skills is way better than waiting forever for a 50k job that never comes. Once you have experience, you can negotiate way better.