The best tips for work experience

Multiple opportunities not to miss out on!

What work experience should I have to give me the advantage I need to get a graduate job? This is a question we are often asked. It’s not all, or only, about internships and placements.

Many students have heard that they should get an internship if they want to get a graduate job – and it is true that work experience is an essential component to any student or graduate CV. It enables you to develop your skills, prove your interest in the career sector and makes you workplace ready.

But work experience doesn’t only include summer internships or year placements. There are many alternative forms of work experience that you can pursue in order to boost your graduate job prospects, both as a student and as a graduate. There are also other ways that you can meet with employers and find out about the sector.

Please read this whole section carefully.  You will quickly get the picture that the longer you leave it without getting work experience, the smaller your chances are of securing a graduate role. 

The early bird really does get the reward…. 

It’s all about getting valuable experience – bridging the gap from academia to the world of work

Types of work experience available to you:

School Leavers:

Degree Apprenticeships – don’t overlook when completing UCAS

A degree apprenticeship combines full-time paid work and part-time university study to offer candidates the opportunity to gain a full Bachelors or Master’s degree while partaking in practical, on-the-job training. Degree apprenticeships are created by partnerships between employers and universities or colleges. Employers look to partner with universities to bridge between academia and the real business world.  With a degree apprenticeship, students can have the industrial context to excel from the start.

Degree apprenticeships can be a really exciting option to kick-start your career. Degree apprenticeships are often over-looked by schools, but we believe you could be missing a trick if you don’t check out the best programmes on offer while completing your UCAS application! Imagine getting a debt-free degree from a top university whilst being employed by a world leading company?

Finding the best degree internships can be time consuming if you don’t know where to start.  Book a session to learn about and how to apply to the best of the best programmes on offer

Spring Week Internships and Insight Programmes

Many investment banking employers and solicitors’ firms offer insight programmes, sometimes called spring or summer weeks, which are typically a short introduction to their work, aimed at first years. Some big graduate employers in a range of sectors offer insight days that work in a similar way.

Many recruiters regard insight events as the first step towards offering promising candidates graduate jobs, with internships as the next stage.  Importantly many students from these programmes are fast-tracked through the selection process, so securing one is highly valuable as it will make your future applications and job interviews a breeze.

Note that for success on these programmes you need to start your preparation before university......

Careers and recruitment events

Learn about the best career events to attend, get tips on how to network and get noticed, book a session to learn about the roles and employers in advance.

Internships, work placements and insight days

Internships, work placements and insight days play a crucial role in getting a graduate job. They develop your skills, strengthen your applications and give you insights into careers and employers to help you make informed choices. Some employers even fast-track their most impressive interns through their graduate recruitment process.

We offer invaluable advice on when to apply and how to make successful applications that get noticed.

Meaningful Gap Year

Book a coaching session to gather your ideas for gap years and even international internships that promise to boost your career prospects – we offer advice on how to plan your time out in the UK and abroad.

Competitions

Did you know there is a growing trend in employer-led and sector related competitions with the prize being some kind of work experience? Some are aimed specifically for school leavers and first year university students.

Discuss further at your coaching session.

Extra-curricular activities

Learn how to get involved at university to strengthen your CV while pursuing an interest you love. Some companies offer employability awards and sponsorships.  The more committed you are, the more you’ll gain.