The time of your life
Matt Atkins
- January 2010.
As many students know, the first year of university is often spent imbibing cheap alcohol, falling over and missing early morning lectures. Ask any graduate and they’ll tell you that their third year was a nightmare of penny-pinching and deadline related stress - which leaves the year in between. If you use your time wisely, the sophomore year offers a great opportunity to find work experience placements and consider the future.
Having a basic career plan in mind often helps when seeking out placements. Kirsty Macklen, 20, is confident that she wants to carry on working in her given field when she finishes her BA in Ancient History and Archaeology. Realising early on that she needed hands on experience in order to improve her CV, she found an ideal placement by a stroke of good fortune:
‘It was purely coincidental. I met someone at a summer fair who worked in archaeological publications. I mentioned what I studied and he said they were looking for students to volunteer on their excavations.’ Kirsty spent the summer of 2006 working on Roman sites at an archaeological dig in Norfolk and returned the following year.
Obviously, securing a work experience placement is not always a case of being in the right place at the right time; more often than not the process is strikingly similar to applying for a real job. While studying for a BA in Drama, Gemma Wallace, 24, completed five separate work placements - an example of hard work and determination. However, obtaining them was not always a straightforward affair.
Keep your options open
At the time, Gemma was unsure what she wanted to do with her degree, so took on a variety work experience positions. She obtained a two-week placement at the local newspaper The Birmingham Post shadowing the editorial staff, she also found a position at the Hippodrome theatre, working in the Marketing and PR department.
Gemma made initial contact to the theatre by letter and enclosed a CV. When she did not receive a reply, she followed these up with a telephone call. ‘The phone call made all the difference,’ Gemma says. ‘I think getting in touch directly proves that you’re determined and persistent, which was especially important for this placement.’
Rise to the challenge
Much like the job application process, positive outcomes are not always guaranteed. Sometimes employers simply don’t need or want an extra pair of hands. As part of her degree course, Gemma was required to find work placements with local theatre groups where she would perform workshops with children. Finding these placements proved quite a challenge. After trying the same approach as she had before, she faced a brick wall:
‘I tried to contact numerous theatre groups, but nobody got back in touch with me. I approached my university careers service, with no luck. In the end, I turned to my tutors, who, knowing people within the theatre, were able to point me in the right direction.’ Gemma’s experience, and that of many others, shows that it’s important to put in appropriate time and planning when looking for positions. They are not, by any means, destined to fall into your lap.
Plan ahead
It’s often easy to believe that the second year of your degree is a time to kick back and relax. You’ve settled into your surroundings, are comfortable with the university life, and the all important dissertation or project is still 12 months away. However, this really is the time to start thinking about what to do when your studying comes to an end.
Work experience placements can play a huge role in helping to determine what to do with the rest of your life. Second year students are in a privileged position, able to explore different avenues of work before the stress and pressure of the third year kicks in. University careers services offer a range of opportunities for finding work experience and as well as much needed encouragement. Very often, however, the key to success is to keep your eyes open, your wits about you and to pursue potential placements with dogged determination. Think of the search for work experience as the practice run for finding your dream job. Use your time wisely and you might find the real thing much more easily.
Further information
Suggestions to editorial@prospects.ac.uk
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