if you graduate and have no previous work experience are you at a disadvantage?

TimeToShine

Say one were to graduate with a B.Eng or masters degree but has absolutely no work experience whatsoever, such as internships during the summer/part time jobs in shops etc. Would he be at much of a disadvantage in the working world with regards to being offered a job or is it not that big of a deal?

BlackEdelweiss

Add mature student to that and you have my problem!
A friend of mine finished his masters last year and got a job after 6 months searching while others from his class still have no work. He had no experience. A few guys from my class last year (i did my final year part time) got work and some dident. None of the above had experience.
Most jobs are looking for experience as I am sure you are all too aware but if you keep trying and trying you will eventually hit on someone who just wants a graduate and dosent mind training them up.
Thats what I am hoping anyway.

fluffysierra

I would say yes you are at a disadvantage. When I was in college I had some interviews the year before I finished college and I had no relevant work experience. I did not get the job I was looking for but I did get a summer placement for 8 weeks, pure luck. The next year I had the same interview and aced it and got the job. Having some, no matter how little, experience to talk about really helps confidence in interviews. That was my experience anyway.
Where you have no work experience you should focus on your hobbies, any volunteering that you may have done, have you held any roles of responsibility e.g. team captain, society committee member, etc.