Why do all entry level jobs require a couple years of experience? How are you ever gonna get experience that way?

Hey, I have a question for you.

I don't have much in the way of education (I was pulled out of school at 14 and did a year of community college when I was older). I've worked, but it was mainly in two successful (until they weren't, hah!) businesses and I want to enter the regular job market.

I don't know how to frame this in a positive way, because they'll say "You haven't had a job/in-person job?" I was agoraphobic most of my life because I'd been locked away at home when I was young, but I still had to support myself so I worked my ass off and did pretty well for myself. I'm at a point now where I can go out and I'd like a regular job (it doesn't even have to be fancy, I'd just like to have a reason to get out), but I don't know how to frame all this stuff in a positive way that'll help me get a job.

I've worked in several industries and have a lot of the skills required for jobs, but I feel like I can't even be a deli server at a Safeway because I just don't know how all of my experience translates into a regular job. I can sell the shit out of myself to a client but selling yourself to a HR person at a company is a very different thing, you know?

/r/AskReddit Thread Parent