What are the best options for gaining research experience after undergraduate?

[slimjim]

So I am graduating this spring or summer, 2013, plan to take the GRE next fall and apply to physics phd programs with the aim of going to gradschool in fall of 2014.

I hope to spend the time between graduation and gradschool doing some physics related research. This is mostly for the resume since i currently have no research exp. under my belt.

Im not sure exactly where I should be working during this time. Should I aim to work for a private company, a univerity or does it matter?

I don't care about pay; I am willing to be a slave for a while longer in order to get into grad school.

 

[Lavabug]

Once graduated, research opportunities afaik are few and far between. There are some funded summer programs through the DOE, but the application deadline is in about 5 days, might be a bit too late to bug some professors for recommendation letters. Try asking some profs about volunteer work maybe?

I'm in the same situation as you, I want to apply next year but have no way of getting additional experience between now and then. I've been told real work experience doesn't really count in your favor in the eyes of an admission committee unless you actually did something research-relevant at your job. I'm not sure 'IT work' has anything like that(maybe you can get some experience with programming or electronics), but it seems to be the default option for recent physics graduates who don't go to graduate school.