Work experience is great for your CV and getting job-ready. Virtual work experience is great because you do it online from home! Find out more.
Work Experience has so many benefits…
- It can help prepare you for the world of work
- It can allow you to learn more about your chosen field or industry
- It can give you many transferable skills that you can take forward into your career
- It looks great on your CV
- It can give you the edge over the competition when you apply for jobs.
But work experience does not always have to take place in person! We live in an increasingly digitised world, with more people than ever working from home some or all of the time. This trend was sped up by the Covid-19 pandemic but looks set to continue, with 19% of employees preferring full-time remote work according to The Home Office Life. It makes sense, then, that some work experience opportunities have also moved online.
In today’s post, we will introduce you to the world of virtual work experience and how it can help you.
What is Virtual Work Experience?
Virtual work experience is simply work experience that takes place online. It might also be called digital, remote, or online work experience. They all mean the same thing.
Virtual work experience can operate in lots of different ways. Like in-person placements, your virtual work experience might last anything from a few hours to a few weeks.
Virtual work experience is just another way for you to get a taste of life in the workplace, and a better understanding of what skills you can grow there.
Virtual experience can include activities like:
- Consuming digital training materials (e.g. reading articles and watching videos)
- Taking virtual tours of work premises
- Live sessions (via video calls and online meetings using conferencing tools like Zoom).
- Completing activities at home and sending the results to your supervisor for feedback.
Explore Work Experience: Virtual Guide
If you’re new to virtual work experience, we recommend starting with this virtual guide. You’ll watch a short introductory video and then download a workbook (there are two different ones for different age groups).
The online course guides you through a range of activities designed to get you thinking and learning about the different types of careers that are available, what it might be like to work in each one, and what sort of roles might be a good fit for you.
We also have a large dedicated section for virtual work experience in the catering and hospitality industries. If you’re interested in working in the food and beverage, travel and tourism, accommodation, or leisure and entertainment spaces, check it out for an array of relevant learning materials.
What Are the Benefits of Virtual Work Experience?
Connect with employers anywhere
Just as the world is becoming more digital, it is also becoming more global. With modern technology and remote working increasingly normalised, many job roles are no longer restricted by geography. Virtual work experience allows you to connect with employers anywhere in the country or even elsewhere in the world, all from the comfort of your home.
Overcome health, disability, financial and regional barriers
Virtual work experience can also be more accessible for a variety of reasons. Some people might need or prefer remote work due to health or disability reasons. Others might still feel anxious about the increased risk of Covid-19. And for some people, the cost of commuting to a physical workplace for an unpaid work experience placement is prohibitive. Remote work experience addresses all these concerns and many more.
Develop digital skills AND Young Professional skills
Virtual work experience will also allow you to develop skills which are highly in demand. You will learn how to motivate yourself, manage your own time, and stay on task without a supervisor physically present. You will be able to practice communicating effectively at a distance through mediums such as emails and video calls. You will also learn how to use a range of digital technologies that are vital for many jobs. All of these skills will look great on your CV when it’s time to look for a job.
Learn new things
You can often learn just as much from a virtual work experience placement as from a physical one. If you want to learn more about your chosen industry or decide whether a certain line of work is right for you, online work experience might be exactly what you need to make a more informed choice.
Get your foot in the door
If you’re interested in doing an in-person work experience placement, starting with virtual work experience can be a great way to get your foot in the door.
Finding Virtual Work Experience
Some large businesses already have virtual work experience materials available for anyone to use. You do not have to apply and you can do the activities at your own pace at a time that suits you.
If you can’t find anything suitable for your chosen career, you might be able to find a dedicated virtual work experience placement.
In many ways, finding a virtual work experience placement works similarly to finding a physical work experience placement. You will need to choose companies you’d like to work with, identify existing schemes or make a request if no scheme is in place, and send in an application. You might also have to do an interview (for virtual placements, interviews will usually also be online).
How to Get the Most from Your Virtual Work Experience
How much you get out of virtual work experience all depends on how much you put into it. Here are a few of our top tips for getting the most out of your experience:
- Get clear on what you want to achieve and what you want to learn from the process.
- Turn up on time and ready to work
- Be polite and professional to everyone you encounter.
- If you will be appearing on video calls, dress smartly and ensure you have a tidy, appropriate background.
- Minimise distractions – put your phone on silent and switch off social media.
- Make notes as you go.
Good luck with your work experience!
Work Experience Tips
