• Types of work experience

► Types of work experience

Work experience will give you a competitive edge in the graduate employment market - it shouts out to employers that you have some understanding of what it's like to work and that you will have gained some of the basic employability skills they want you to have.

• teamworking
• leadership
• negotiation
• sales and marketing
• communication
• problem solving
• creativity
• personal effectiveness

To get the most out of the experience you need to plan for it - have a think about what exactly you want to get out of it and afterwards look back on the experience to reflect what you have gained. There are many different ways to experience the world of work and lots of organisations who can help you, below is a list of contacts.

Temporary/part-time work

To get a temporary or part-time job during term contact your university/college job shop. They have lists of vacancies and are on hand to provide advice and support and to help you find work to fit in with your course, for details of your local job shop have a look at the List of services page.

Volunteer work

If it's volunteer work you are after each university/college will have links to volunteer opportunities in your area, to access them contact your students' union or careers service. Alternatively have a look on the do-it website for a comprehensive list of opportunities. The Volunteering page can provide you with extra information and useful websites.

Vacation work

You need to plan early to get vacation work, try your university/college job shop for holiday jobs. They also have access to other job shops around the country if you are going back home during the vacation. Also try STEP who have project based placements for students in the sumer vacation.  

Work placements

Getting a work placement might be an integral part of your course and if so you are likely to have advice and support from your course leaders to find a placement, but if not then make contact with the National Council for Work Experience who can put you in touch with all sorts of opportunities. STEP also provide 6-12 month placements closely linked to academic studies.

Self employment

The option to start your own business and working for yourself is becoming more of a viable option for many people.  The main attractions of becoming self employed are how quickly you can set up a business and no longer having to work for somebody else.  The Self employment page can provide you with more information on self employment.