Building work experience

Building work experience before you graduate is vital to set yourself apart from other candidates. It shows an employer that you know how to apply what you have learned in your degree to a workplace environment. Find out how we can help you stay ahead of the competition.

Placement Year

Gain long-term experience in a sector of your choice, or even start your own business!

Marisa Burke

Only to be used with Marisa Burke case study and quotes.

Volunteering

Develop transferable skills and enhance your CV while giving back to the community.

Internships

Find out all you need to know about gaining an internship, a great way to get short term industry experience.

Virtual experience and online learning

Find out how to utilise online learning platforms to supercharge your skills and experience

Making the most of your work experience

If you have already secured a work experience opportunity - congratulations! This is a great chance to develop your skills, build your network and gain valuable insight into the workplace. Remember you'll soon be working in a professional environment, so it's important that your appearance, attitude and conduct reflect this.

Here are our top tips for making the most of your experience:

How to stand out

Get involved and take advantage of a variety of opportunities and experiences
Build your professional network by getting to know people across the organisation
Ask questions, share ideas and take an active interest in the organisation and sector - developing your commercial awareness is a valuable skill employers will look for
Request feedback early and regularly to identify areas for development and improve your skills
Be a supportive team member; a great way to do this is by volunteering for tasks when you have capacity
Have a positive, 'can-do' attitude!

Recording your experience

Throughout your work experience, take time to record the projects you've worked on, responsibilities you've undertaken and skills you've developed. Keeping notes on your achievements, positive feedback and what you have learned will make it much easier to update your CV, LinkedIn profile and future job applications.

Consider recording:

Projects and tasks you've contributed to
Skills you've developed such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving and organisation - use our Skills Audit document to help with this
Examples of challenges you have overcome and the impact of your work
Positive feedback from managers, colleagues or clients
Any training, meetings or events you have participated in

Before you finish

Before your work experience ends, make sure to:

Request a reference from your manager or organisation for future applications
Add colleagues on LinkedIn - they might be able to offer advice, mentorship or opportunities in the future
Seek final feedback on your performance and identify ways to help you further develop
Collate all your notes and reflections about what you have done and gained from the opportunity