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A Story of My close friend Talent Without “Experience”

I want to talk about internships today, and I’m writing this based on what happened to one of my closest friends.
My friend is extremely talented. After graduation, he didn’t just sit idle — he built real skills. He became a full-stack designer and web developer. On top of that, he completed several certifications in digital technology, including digital marketing and e-commerce. In short, he had more practical skills than many other graduates.
After graduating, he started applying for jobs. He had a strong portfolio and could actually show his work, not just talk about it. But there was one thing he didn’t have: corporate experience.
He went to around 10–20 companies and got rejected almost everywhere.
So he thought, “Maybe I should start with an internship to gain corporate exposure.” He was even ready to work for free, just to get experience. But even for internships, he was rejected from 5–6 places.
One interview he told me about really stayed in my mind.
The interviewer asked:
“Do you know video editing?” — He said yes.
“Do you know Photoshop?” — Yes.
“Do you know 3D prototyping?” — Yes.
“Can you manage social media?” — Yes.
“Do you know website building and management?” — Yes.
Then came the final question:
“Do you have any past corporate experience?”
He replied honestly, “No, but I do have a portfolio.”
He told me that as soon as he said that, the interviewer’s face changed. The energy in the room dropped. The interviewer said, “We’ll contact you if we decide to move forward.” And that was the end of it.
When he shared this with me, I honestly felt frustrated. These companies weren’t even paying him, yet they still refused to give him a chance to sit at a workstation and prove his abilities. What exactly were they looking for — experience without giving anyone the opportunity to gain it?
Today, my friend works as a freelancer. He earns from international clients and is doing well without relying on the traditional job system. Ironically, the same system that rejected him is now completely irrelevant to his success.
Sometimes the problem isn’t the talent. It’s the system that refuses to recognize it.
Thank you for reading!