How to arrange work experience
Please talk to Carly Green our Work Placement Officer or a member of the Futures team before confirming any placement to we can ensure we risk assess all premises before you arrive. This is essential for your safety and is our area of expertise.
Before you talk to us please consider the following...
What type of career are you interested in? Don't worry if you are still not sure, college is a great time to explore your options and work experience helps you to find out whether a job is right for you. We have excellent careers advisers at college who can help you inspire and advise you with your future choices.
Do you have an up to date CV? An up to date CV is important in securing work experience as it shows your placement employer a record of all your experience and studies and about you as a person. Don't worry if you've never had any work experience- that's what this is for!
Have you researched some companies?
Finding out which companies interest you helps you find a suitable placement. Also think about the practical elements- how would you get to the placement? Is it easier to travel to?
Have you thought about when you want to start the placement? Work placement is a compulsory element of some courses.
Anything that is not compulsory must be arranged outside of term time.
Do you need a DBS (Criminal Records Check) for your work placement? Click here
Question- I have already had a work placement appointment and now I want to contact an employer to ask for some work experience, what is the best way to do this?
If you feel confident to contact an employer yourself, go for it! You can contact an employer through email, letter, phone call or in person. It is normally best to start with a phone call to enquire as to whether work experience is something the company can offer you and then they may wish to see your CV. Remember when contacting an employer to always be professional and polite. If you would prefer to email or write to an employer, make sure you include a cover letter as well as a CV. Click this link to discover how to write a great cover letter for work experience- work experience cover letter template If you need help contacting employers, we can offer you 1:1 support to help with your telephone skills or composing your email. Alternatively, we can contact an employer on your behalf!
Question- What if I have to have an interview for my work experience and I have never had one before?
Firstly, don't panic! They are aware that you are only at college and may never have had an interview before. Secondly, remember to book another appointment with a work placement officer or the careers advisers who can help you prepare for your interview (if you book in with them with notice they will be able to provide you with a mock interview).
Also, don't forget to click here and check out these interview tips - Prospects Website Interview Tips
Talk with friends and family about work experience, they may know of suitable opportunities!
Do something that interests you. If you want to pursue a career in journalism, for example, try to get work experience at a paper or magazine. In many cases, employers want to be approached so don’t be afraid to contact your local businesses to see if they have opportunities available.
Research the company before you go. Make sure you know who you are reporting to, what the company does, its aims and values, and who its customers are.
