Getting your first real job, changing career or returning to the workforce can be a disheartening experience as recruiters and employers tend to prefer candidates currently employed in a similar position. However, depending on the type of work you're looking for, by sacrificing six to 18 months of your career in an alternative or junior position can both earn you a living and open doors in the meantime.

keep an open mind, be flexible and communicate your intentions

Unless you're looking at a role as a doctor or a priest, there are few jobs that can't be accessed via alternative pathways. In fields such as sales, marketing, hospitality, tourism, retail, media, the arts and information technology, there are often roles that need to be filled that are either very similar, such as intern or junior, or less demanding of your experience, such as support or assistant. And because the industries that have these roles usually also have a back office, there are numerous positions that may not be on your radar but can put you on the radar for a dream job. The only things required of you are to keep an open mind, be flexible and communicate your intentions at the right moments.

Keeping an open mind and being flexible go hand-in-hand. Whilst you should never give up the search, when you begin to doubt your options is when you should probably start looking at alternative routes to get into your ideal industry or chosen profession. The goal here is to look for easier ways in so that you're there and ready when the next opportunity arises within the company. You might find yourself in a less challenging role that allows you to shine brighter sooner which proves your worthiness for that dream position. Even if you're in a different department, social events or cross-department projects expand your network within and outside the company through introductions or your colleagues' connections. In more informal situations, such as the Christmas party or Friday night drinks, you might find your manager introducing you to the person you need to speak to. The possibilities are endless, you just have to get inside that world by almost any means. The roles to look out for are support staff, assistants, coordinators, juniors, but also administrative roles in operations, finance or marketing (even if that's not your thing) as they often have support roles and visibility across the company.

When you're being interviewed for an alternative position, be clear and upfront about your intentions. Be prepared to give between six to 18 months to the job, but tell your employer you're willing to fill the role for 12 to 18 months – any less and they'll think the cost of hiring and training is too high. Explain the difficulties you've had getting a break, that you want to at least be in the industry or near the work (whichever applies), that you'll be completely dedicated to the job you've applied for but would like to discuss opportunities when the time is right. Although rare, there are cases where an interview for an alternative job led to a dream job there and then, because the role wasn't advertised and they were so impressed with the candidate. It's all about being seen and heard by the right people.

Once you're in the job, if anyone asks what you studied, what you've done before, what you want to do and so on, be honest with them, too. You don't know who they know, what they know or who they talk to. If you've worked well or often with someone, add them to LinkedIn, that way they'll see why you're there if you haven't had a chance to tell them. These networking and visibility opportunities are what you miss when you're waiting months at home for your dream job, and it even comes with a salary.

The most important thing to remember is to never neglect the job you were hired for. In fact, you should aim to perform that job so well that your manager will feel the need to move you into a more rewarding or suitable role. This is not to say that these other roles are easier to fill or perform, it's likely to be just the opposite as it's not your area of expertise. But they're often roles that are more forgiving of experience, sometimes qualifications, and therefore an opportunity for you to get a foot in the door, learn about other parts of the business, and be many steps closer to where you want to be.