Graduate Job Advice: Work Experience
Work experience, regardless of whether or not you get paid, can be a fantastic foot in the door for graduate careers. Often, it can lead directly to employment. Or, it can give you the confidence to approach another employer with some practical experience under your belt.
What is work experience?
Generally, work experience is voluntary and is specifically for graduates. It's usually unpaid. The hours are also usually flexible. It could be one day a week for a certain period of time, or you could be asked to come in full time for a fixed period (such as a month). Importantly, work experience can be extremely valuable.
Why do businesses take on work experience students?
Lots of firms and agencies offer work experience positions to graduates in the hope that they will prove to be valuable future employees. Often, it's a test of sorts – to see if the student will be suitable for a graduate position. Of course, it also enables businesses to get some basic tasks done without having to pay full time employees.
Why it matters for graduate careers
Work experience is a great opportunity for you to get some real-world, practical experience. No matter how much you've learnt at university, TAFE or college, it's crucial to have some actual knowledge of what it's like to work in an office. It also looks fantastic on your CV. And while work experience can let an employer know if you're right for them, it can also help you determine if a particular field or a particular industry is right for you.
How to get work experience
Investigate opportunities at Uni, TAFE or your college. Your career counsellors might have lists of organisations that accept work experience students or processes for going about getting work experience.
Another good idea is to use your contacts. Speak to friends, parents or friends of friends who are involved in the industry that you want to enter. Ask around. See if they can point you in the right direction.
Also, don't be ashamed to ask. There's nothing wrong with finding out the right contact in a business – and calling them to find out if they'd be open to work experience. You never know what they'll say!