When you start applying for jobs in writing, you will find that many employers will ask you to list your writing work experience. This is often a conundrum for students who have just graduated from school and may not have held a writing job before, but there are ways to get writing work experience while you are in school. Internships are often available at private companies as well as in government agencies, and volunteer opportunities are almost always available at non-profit institutions and other companies. Many schools, too, offer writing work that a student can do to build up his or her resume.
If you are attending school and majoring in some sort of writing degree, you may be eligible to take an internship position at a private company or with a government agency. Such internships usually last several months to a year, and you will be able to gain valuable writing work experience that you will be able to list on your resume after you graduate. Internships can be fairly difficult to get, as many candidates will apply for one position and the competition will be fierce. It is a good idea to apply for several positions and to be flexible in terms of taking a position that is offered.
Volunteer work is a great way to get writing work experience, and it is often fairly easy to get such positions. You can volunteer at writing centers, libraries, or non-profit organizations to help teach others to read and write, to write copy for advertisements and marketing documents, and to perform other tasks as they relate to writing. Be creative about where you offer your services; private companies will also sometimes take on volunteers, and while you are unlikely to get paid for your time, you will be able to get valuable writing work experience and establish contacts in a particular industry that may help you after you graduate.
Be sure to check with your college or university for writing jobs as well. You may be able to take a work-study position writing for a particular department, or you may even be able to work for a school newspaper. Newspapers will allow you to hone your writing skills, and if you are a permanent staff member, you can count your time at the paper as some of your writing work experience. Again, you should not expect to get paid for your time, but you will gain the necessary experience.