Getting work experience

Paid or unpaid, work experience is valuable!  Use it to help you to:

• decide whether a particular career suits you
• boost your CV
• develop useful skills such as teamwork and communication skills
• take a break from education
• make contacts within the industry
• get confidence
• give something back to the community.

What types of work experience are out there?

• Work Shadowing:  Unpaid.  Short term.  Observe a professional at work
• Placement:  Paid.  1-6 months.  Organised work experience doing a specific job for the company.
• Internship: Paid / Unpaid.  Term used mainly by American companies for formal work experience in an area related to your degree or to a career you wish to pursue.
• Stage: French term for work experience.
• Praktikum: German term for work experience

How to find work experience:

• Check Careers Connect regularly.  Any vacancies sent to us will be advertised there. 
• Visit the Students Union – they may know of other job vacancies.  
• Keep an eye on department noticeboards as some companies contact the department directly.
• Apply on spec to companies. Make a list of companies that suit you either by looking at company directories or the Golden Pages.  Tailor your CV and cover letter to suit each company.
• Talk to friends and family to see if anyone has a contact that could be useful (after all, 70% of jobs are not advertised!).
• Look for voluntary opportunities with charities at home or abroad.  This will help to develop the attributes and skills that employers seek. Join ALIVE programme while studying.
• Sign up with a recruitment agency for temping work.
• Join a society / club that interests you and get involved in marketing, organising, web-site design – anything that is appropriate to the career you have in mind.
• Use the Christmas rush to your advantage – working in a shop or an office will develop many skills [working under pressure, interpersonal, communication, decision making skills, showing flexibility etc].
• Summer placements can be more formal and advertised either on the company’s website or through the Career Development Centre – keep an eye on our Intern / Summer Work page online.    
• To get work abroad, check our website or free leaflet ’Work Abroad’.  There are also many reference books and files to help you in the Careers Information Room.

How can you make the most of it?

Does the job you’ve been offered seem a little, well… boring? 

• Set objectives with your boss and find out exactly what they expect from you. Ask if you need help!
• Show an interest in the company and be enthusiastic and hardworking – more interesting opportunities may crop up.
• Read the information that you’re photocopying (unless it’s confidential) – you could get a good insight into the workings of the company or the industry.
• Mailshots can give an insight into other businesses and/or marketing techniques.
• Improve people skills – talk to other employees and find out what their job entails and how they got them.  Offer to help – if they need it!
• Record everything that you do.  You then have a ’selection of evidence’ of the skills you have acquired or expanded.

Just remember that any type of work is useful and relevant to your CV.  The top attributes employers are looking for [according to research done by the University of Central England] are:

• Willingness to learn   
• Commitment
• Reliability    
• Team work
• Motivation    
• Communication skills
• Co-operation    
• Drive
• Self-Management    
• Problem-solving

In a nutshell:

Apply early
Spend time on your CV
Network – use your contacts
Use the Career Development Centre to do some research!

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