Work experience - stand out from the crowd

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Experience of work is increasingly important in the world of graduate employment. Holidays and placement or sandwich years can offer you a marvellous opportunity to build up marketable skills and experience. These experiences can also be very helpful in the process of discovering more about a job or career that suits you. You can gain an inside picture of a particular employer, career and see how this fits in with your hopes and expectations.

In short work experience can:

• Help you clarify your career goals
• Improve your employability
• Earn you some cash
• Put you ahead of the competition

Types of work experience

There are so many types of work experience opportunity available:

• Undergraduate work which is part of your course
• Self-directed vacation work experience
• Paid term-time work
• Ad hoc/voluntary work

Of course, you can also use your hobbies and interests to demonstrate skills and personal attributes that will transfer directly to the workplace. Team games, individual sports, music, crafts, travel and much more can be used as evidence of work related aptitude.