YOU MIGHT wonder if a work placement or internship is worthwhile when you have a lifetime of work ahead of you. But, increasingly they offer a way into some of the most sought after graduate positions.
Many graduate recruiters now look for work experience as well as a degree. Working behind a bar may improve your organisation and team working skills; however, experience that is more relevant to your future career could give you an advantage over other applicants – and placements and internships are a great way of getting this.
You may be on a degree course that involves some form of work experience, from 12-month placements to shorter projects. Summer placements may be compulsory – or strongly recommended – as part of your course. Your School should be able to advise you on finding suitable placements, but there are also many opportunities advertised by the Careers Service.
If a placement isn’t part of your course, don’t assume it doesn’t concern you. Finding one for yourself will demonstrate initiative and commitment: both valuable qualities in a potential employee! Just as important, a placement should help you decide whether a certain career is really for you.
Scott Foley manages work experience and placement opportunities at The University of Manchester’s Careers Service. He said: “Increasingly, recruiters use placements and internships as a way of talent-spotting for their graduate positions. If you enjoy the experience, and if they like you, you might even be offered a graduate job.”
“The Careers Service advertises a variety of placements every year and can help you apply for these by giving feedback on your CV or application and advice about interviews. We can also advise you on making speculative applications for work experience.”
Things you should know about placements
- Start looking now! Some of the more high-profile companies are advertising their 2008 summer and industrial placements now, with many having closing dates before Christmas.
- Ask questions. Employers will be attending Careers Fairs and holding presentations on campus or in the city. Use them to speak to employers to find out what opportunities are available. Check the careers service website www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/events for details.
- Don’t be complacent. Some placement schemes can be as competitive as the job market, especially within larger companies. For some career areas (e.g. investment banking) a placement or internship is the key to getting a job and competition is tough.
- Target your application. It’s better to send a smaller number of well targeted applications than a larger number that are all the same. Employers can spot when an application is a ‘cut and paste’ version of one you sent elsewhere.
- They aren’t all in the UK! There are plenty of schemes that help you work abroad.
- Be proactive. Don’t be afraid to approach employers directly to ask about work experience opportunities. Even shadowing a worker for a few days in the holidays may be useful in terms of career decisions and future applications.
For further info
Key sources of placements managed by your Careers Service:
- www.manchester.ac.uk/careers/workexperience - All types of work experience.
Other sources:
- www.step.org.uk – Eight-week vacation work in small companies.
- www.work-experience.org – National Council for Work Experience vacancies and advice about finding placements www.aiesec.co.uk – International placements of different lengths for students from all courses.
- www.iaeste.org.uk – International vacation placements for science, engineering and IT students.
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