How to get experience everyone expects?

Well, you could have started in High School by volunteering in the AV or PC support area.

Next, there may have been volunteer opportunities at your college.

Now, your only options are local charitable orginizations.

Small local shops that need some help.

Your own part time PC business. (consultant)

Other options may be as a part time instructor for a vocational education program.

Worst case, you may need to move to a larger city that has entry level opening for a few years.The demand for experiance did not just start.
27 years ago, there were very few 'reasonable' opportunities where I grew up.
I had to move to Chicago to find a job in Electronics for someone fresh out of school.
4 years later, I was able to move back near home.
However, ALL the employers I have had since then do NOT hire anyone without experiance.

Chas

Yep! to Chas. I'll relay this to you from a collegue at JPL/Cal Tech.

To quote: "Just about all the network & help desk people here got their jobs because they knew about computers. Not a lot of them have degrees."

That's at JPL!. Try browsing JPL's online job listing, or Lockheed/Martin, or Northrup/Grumman/ or Boeing. Myself, My degree was business admin and got my first job with Maganvox Advanced Products and Systems Company [defense electronics] [formerly Magnavox Research Labs]in Torrance back in the 80's and early 90's before they were sold to Hughes Defense Communications [which is being sold]. Top end computers were IBM AT's with 286's, 40 MB HDD's and 16 MB 30 pin simms. The concepts for TCP/IP, spread spectrum RF digitaldesign and the Internet you know today were still classified projects that the DOD used for Strategic Satellite Antijam Secure Communications on programs such as DSCS III, DECS, AN/USC-28, OM-55 [ship board satellite communications]. [these communications systems and equipment aren't a phone someone picks up but data [packets as you learn today] that was translated to TTY.

I will say this, college grads are supposed to know the basics [that's what college is for] and after that are hired because of potential. [the potential of being able to make money for the company]. The question(s) a project manager [in a defense contractor] will ask himself in hiring someone when they are actually interviewing [if you get that far, they already believe your qualified] is, "Will this person fit in here and learn how "we" do the job" or do they think they "know it all" and if hired really screw things up". Bottom line. Get the foot in the door by whatever job can get you there. After that, its up to you to show what your capabilities are to those who make the decisions.

Both the above answers are completely correct; your comments are also correct. There's no "easy way" to make a viable living today (it wasn't very "easy" to get started in the past either). The technical field had a time of expansion and grew way too large, way too quickly. It's calmed down and there have been many layoffs in technology. The field is probably not going to make that same mistake again.

The facts today are that most everyone "knows" something about computers. A lot of people working as Administrators or System Engineers do not have the formal college training... they've taught themselves by having to do the job. That is what gains you experience. Many of these people go back and gather certificates that keep themcompetitive and up-to-date in today's workmarket.

Most of the people who choose who to hire, have a set budget. Salaries have come down.... be prepared for that fact. In starting, the goal is to get your foot in the door and show that you can do and that you are a team-player; when that happens, then growth comes and experience comes.

Volunteer to help (free of charge) with any companies/shops local to you. Volunteer to help with technology in public libraries, public schools, hospitals, etc.

While you help others, you gain experience and you are networking... meeting people and making potential contacts that may know of a company hiring or looking for technical people. Your building your own reputation as a hard worker and someone who knows what they are doing.

Nothing in life is "easy"; you will have to work hard to earn everything you want.