Schools and colleges can help you arrange work experience – but you can also arrange your own work placement! Here’s how.
Work experience is a vital part of getting prepared for the world of work. It can give you an insider view of the job or industry you want to work in, as well as helping you to improve your skills. The right work experience placement also looks great on your CV.
Most students in the UK do some work experience in Year 10, or occasionally in Year 11. You might also get a chance to do additional work experience in Year 12. But how do you find the right placement and then go about landing it? Read on for our comprehensive guide to arranging your work experience placement.
Plan ahead
You should be told in plenty of time by your school or college when your work experience period will be. Once you’ve got the dates confirmed, make sure you start looking for placements in plenty of time. As a guide, you should start researching three months in advance and applying at least two months in advance.
Some work experience placements are quite competitive, so getting your application in early will give you an edge over less organised candidates. Researching placement options might also show you some exciting options you didn’t know you had.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself
Work experience is a learning activity first and foremost. Committing to a work experience placement doesn’t mean you’re committing to a career in that industry. (Case in point: I did a performing arts work experience placement and never went into that sector professionally).
So if you’re not sure what you want to do yet, don’t panic. Work experience is never wasted as long as you go into it with an open mind, plenty of enthusiasm, and a desire to learn. The most important thing at this stage is to choose something that aligns with your skills and interests, and will challenge you and allow you to grow.
Questions to ask yourself
If you’re not sure what type of work experience you want to do, start by asking yourself a few simple questions:
- What subjects do I enjoy at school?
- What types of career paths appeal to me?
- What are my strengths? My weaknesses?
- What hobbies do I have and do any of them translate to careers?
Ask your friends, family members, and teachers what sort of careers they think you’d be good at. You can also try the UCAS Career Quiz for more inspiration.
Check what arrangements your school has in place
Many schools or colleges have agreements in place with local employers to provide work experience placements for students. Once you have an idea of what you’d like to do, talk to your tutor or careers guidance team to see if there are any suitable placement options already available that you could apply for.
You may still need to fill in an application form or send in a letter of application. We’ll go into more detail on that in a minute.
Apply directly with an employer
If you’d like to work for a particular employer, but that company does not have any existing agreement in place with your school, you can apply directly.
First, do a Google search for the name of the company and “work experience”. If they have an existing scheme in place, this will direct you to the appropriate webpage. Many large companies have well-defined work experience schemes with a specific application process.
If the company you’re interested in doesn’t have a dedicated work experience scheme (and many small and local businesses don’t), send an email or telephone the business and ask to speak to the owner or manager. Explain that you’re interested in work experience and ask whether this is something they’d offer and, if so, what the application process is.
Don’t forget that you’re not limited to traditional businesses, either. Many charities and public sector organisations also offer work experience placements.
Whatever company or organisation you’re applying to, always make sure you follow the instructions and get your application in well in advance of the deadline.
How to write a great application letter
When you’re applying for a work experience placement, you may need to write an application letter. In the past this would have been a physical document, but in most instances nowadays it will be an email.
Start by making sure you are addressing your application to the correct person. If in doubt, pick up the phone or send an email to the company’s generic email address (often info@ or similar) and ask who it should be addressed to. Use a title and surname and a formal opening in the first instance (“Dear Mr Smith” rather than “Hi Bob”). If you cannot find a name, a more generic form of address (e.g. “Dear Manager”) is acceptable.
Next, explain that you’re writing to apply for a work experience placement. Tell the employer a little about yourself including your relevant interests, the subjects you’re studying, and what skills you can bring to the table. Talk about why you’d like to do your work experience at their company in particular. Be positive but authentic.
Sign off by thanking them for their time. Remember to use “Yours Sincerely” if you are addressing the recipient by name and “Yours Faithfully” if you don’t know their name).
Finally, check if there are any additional requirements. For example, you may need to complete a form or send your CV along with your letter. Proofread your letter once more to check for any spelling or grammatical mistakes, then send it.
Apply for several placements
Work experience placements are competitive and some companies, no matter how much you’d love to work with them, are not set up to offer work experience. Therefore, it’s a good idea to apply for several placements. This will ensure you end up with something that will be beneficial to you.
Don’t worry about ending up with multiple offers and having to turn one or more down. This happens all the time in the world of work and is normal.
Good luck with your work experience!
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Where can you go to learn more about work experience?
- Read our Work Experience Guides
- Visit the National Careers Service’s work experience page
- Head to Prospects.ac.uk
- Talk to your school, college, or university’s careers guidance service.
