Work experience
A realistic Guide to life at UCLan - written by students!
By Daniell Curry, 21, Fashion and Brand Promotion, graduate.
Getting work experience can be tricky... applying and waiting...applying and waiting... and even applying and waiting again. But one thing is for sure, you will get there in the end. Gaining work experience is valuable, especially in a competitive environment where employers are looking for a lot more than just a degree. So get yourself out there and start exploring the industry.
After sending out 50 odd CV’s and waiting for months by the phone my optimism was starting to drizzle away. Until one day that one company decided to give me a call... it was perfect... working for Urban Outfitters developed my skills within visual merchandising and gave me the confidence I needed upon graduation (as well as it being a lot of fun.)
The first day was slightly daunting, not knowing what to do, where everything was and worrying if I was getting in the way. Truth being they needed me just as much as I needed them, so don’t be afraid they will be grateful for all the enthusiasm and hard work you are willing to put in, I was even trusted to drill holes into their walls and paint new displays.
Getting up at 6am a few mornings a week was the only downside of the job... trying to balance work with university can be a bit stressful and I'd definitely advise you not to overdo it in your final year. However, planning you work experience around an assignment can be a lot of help if you’re looking for some good primary research.
After 3 months of hard work and 10 o'clock bed times the outcome of adding a reputable employer to my CV was well worth my while. As a recent graduate I’m finding it a lot easier to find internships to lead me to the job I am looking for. So here’s exactly what you have to do.
1) Think about what you might see yourself doing in the future... don’t worry if you’re not too sure just put yourself out there and experience a range of things... you never know you might find your dream job.
2) Get down to Futures and pad out your CV with just how great you are... they are a great help.
3) Print out a huge stack of CV’s along with covering letters... don’t worry about sending them to a company too big or small... you might be just what they are looking for.
4) Now here comes the waiting... if you don’t hear anything for a while don’t give up hope, they may call when your least expecting it... many companies will keep your CV on file and call you when it best suits them... everyone’s happy that way right?
5) If you don’t hear anything back repeat the above process and keep optimistic.