Gaining Experience through Volunteering, Placements and Internships

Natalie Smith & Amy WigginsCareers & Employability Service

Agenda

• What is the Careers and Employability Service?

• What is employability and why are employability skills so important?

• Gaining experience and employability skills through:

• Volunteering

• Placements

• Internships

Slides will be on www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

What is employability?

‘A set of attributes, skills and knowledge that all labour market participants should possess to ensure they have the capability of being effective in the workplace – to the benefit of themselves, their employer and the wider economy.’

(CBI, March 2009)

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What employability skills are graduate recruiters looking for?

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Communication

Report writing

Team working

Leadership

Planning and organisation

Project management

Enterprise

Problem Solving

Reflection

Adaptability

Energy

Drive and resilience

Integrity

Reliability

Enthusiasm/passion

Self awareness

Confidence

Contextual/cultural awareness

Capacity to develop

NumeracyPositive attitude

Business and customer awareness

IT skills

Why are employability skills so important?

Increased competition – over 400,000 graduates leaving university each year.

•‘Our latest UK recruitment campaign closed having attracted c.24500. The bank will offer c.475 places in 2012.’ HSBC newsletter April 2012

•Saatchi & Saatchi – 3000 applicants for 12 summer internships 2012

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How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?

Through your course:

•Problem solving

•Written work

•Research

•Presentations

•Creativity

•Working in groups

•Using ICT skills

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How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?

Through extra-curricular activities:

•Clubs/societies

•Volunteering

•Learning a language

•Travelling

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How can you develop employability skills and provide evidence for them?

Through gaining work experience:

•Part-time work

•Internships/placements

•Company events

More information on gaining employability skills:

www.kent.ac.uk/employability

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Volunteering

73% of employers said they would rather employ someone with voluntary experience than someone without (Timebank)

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Volunteering

What skills/experience/knowledge would you gain from volunteering in a charity shop?

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2 minutes

End

Placements and Internships - Definitions

• Internship:

• Usually 1-3 months long, during a summer vacation.

• The student works on a defined project at a graduate level.

• Graduate Internship

• Usually 3-6 months long, after graduation.

• The student works on a defined project at a graduate level.

Placements and Internships - Definitions

• Placement:

• Also called sandwich year or year in industry.

• Usually 9-12 months long during the penultimate year of study.

• Must be relevant to degree course.

• The student works on a defined project at a graduate level.

• Work experience/shadowing:

• 1-2 weeks unpaid.

• A taster of the career area.

• Insight day

• Taster days organised by companies.

Benefits of Internships and Placements

• Gaining employability skills

• Commercial awareness and experience

Many employers feel graduates are lacking basic business awareness, with 71% of employers

saying they would always consider candidates with poor exams results but a lot of work-

related experience (YouGov)

What are the other benefits of doing a placement/internship?

3 minutes

End

Benefits of Internships and Placements

• The chance to practise applications, interviews and assessment centres.

• Many employers use placements and internships as extended interviews.

• The chance to try something new e.g. a career area or commuting to London.

• The potential for better pay.

Searching for placements/internships

• www.kent.ac.uk/ces

• Vacancy database

• ‘Sandwich placements’ section

• ‘I want to work in….’ section

• www.ratemyplacement.co.uk

• www.prospects.ac.uk

• Vacancy database

• Job sectors

• Graduate directories

• Speculative approach

Searching for placements/internships

• http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/p!ecaaefg

• www.targetjobs.co.uk

• www.milkround.com

• www.insidecareers.co.uk

• www.thejobcrowd.com

Searching for Placements/Internships – Top Tips

• Provide evidence of your employability skills. Volunteer if you feel you need more.

• Use the Careers and Employability Service e.g. CV checks.

• Be resilient and persevere.

Top Tips during your Placement/Internship

• Make an impression:

• Use your initiative.

• Get feedback.

• Be professional.

• Network

• Ask to shadow/work in different departments.

• Connect with your colleagues on LinkedIn.

• Keep a log of the skills you have gained with examples.

Any Questions?