The great thing about having work experience is that it helps an employer feel confident that you are ready for the demands of the work place, as you will have gone some way to developing those all-important employability skills such as a positive attitude, a willingness to learn, good communication skills and team work, so highly valued by employers. It also gives you something interesting to talk about at an interview or write about on a university application form. Don't forget all kinds of work experience count, e.g. a part time job, voluntary work, work shadowing, working for yourself or a family business, or a work experience placement through school or College.
Tips for getting the most out of your work experience:
Target your work experience so that it relates to a university course you may be interested in or a future career goal. Trying out work in the area you are interested in will help you make sure it's what you really want to do, e.g. if you think you want to work with children then look out for opportunities for Summer camps or volunteering in a school or nursery. Some university courses, particularly those in Education, Health Care and the Media, will actually expect you to have experience before applying. Don't be afraid to contact small local businesses to see if they have any opportunities, larger employers will often have a work experience application form on their website.
Do your homework
Once you have secured a position, find out as much as you can about the organisation in advance, such as what their business is and who their customers are. Is a dress code? What time do you need to be there and who do you report to?
Keep a daily record of the activities you have been involved
Don't forget that successfully dealing with difficult customers, following instructions to complete a task or making telephone calls can provide evidence to any future employer that you have developed confidence and communication skills. If you are studying a course at college such as computing, why not try and impress the employer by offering a fresh idea or a new more efficient way of doing a task, this way you are showing initiative and problem solving skills and an interest in the work you are doing.
Update your CV
...with any work experience gained making sure to list the duties you performed and the skills you developed. Even if the experience is not directly related to the job or university course you may be applying for in the future, the very fact that you have made the effort to get out into the world of work is valued and all of the skills you gained such as dealing with other employees following instructions turning up on time and being smart and polite is valued by everyone!
Ask questions
Use any work experience as an opportunity to find out as much as you can about different roles within an organisation; ask people how they got into their job and what they like about it. This will help you with your own career plans as you will begin to build up a network of useful contacts. It's also a good idea to find out if anyone is prepared to give you a reference.
Follow up with a thank you note. Keep in contact with the organisation afterwards. Make a good impression. You never know, there may be further opportunities available in the future.
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