Work Experience Special Edition 2011

graduate jobs + careers advice + sector news + case studies + employer profiles +

www.realworldmagazine.com » golden opportunities and back-up plans How to aim high and win whatever happens P26

» How do you spot a good placement? P16

» real world award winners Inspiring graduate stories P142011

make a life, not just a living

worK eXperience special issue

RAJEEB DEY

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

maKe yourown cHancesentrepreneur rajeeb dey on why internships are old news P6

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WORK EXPERIENCE | SPECIAL ISSUE

Editorial: Editor Jon Madge • Publisher • Johnny Rich • Writer/Sub-editor Nathalie Bonney Researchers • Sam Passmore, Terri Sturman, Maxwell Ward• Designer Emma GoodmanAdvertising: Sales Andrea Moretti • Marketing/Distribution Manager James Munday • Client Services Manager Maria Tasle • Founder Darius Norell • Real World is a publication of Cherry Publishing: 22-26 Albert Embankment, London SE1 7TJ • Tel: 020 7735 4900E-mail: [email protected] • Website: www.realworldmagazine.comCopyright © 2010 Cherry Publishing Ltd 2010

RW

No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher. We cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts and photographs or for material lost or damaged in the post. The views in this publication or on our website are not necessarily those held by the publisher.

ContentsWhen the

rest of the

world is just

settling in to the new

university year or

gearing up for

Christmas, we know

our readers are keen

to get experiencing

the wide world of

work. We’ve got

advice straight from the mouths of the

graduate recruitment horse, with the top

employers telling you how to make the most of

a placement.

We also know that work experience isn’t

always about a short spell in an office. As

Rajeeb Dey suggests in our big interview, why

not make you own work experience and be an

entrepreneur? After all, the deep end of work

experience doesn’t any deeper than that and

if you’re going to make it on your own one day

why not start today? Of course, there’s also our

usual mix of news, advice and updates.

Enjoy.

Jon Madge, Editor

[email protected]

P10Muster your forcesMake your work experience work

Make a life, not just a living

At Real World we believe you should have a job that you want to get out of bed for. You should be doing something that’s going to inspire you, reward you and challenge you for the next 50 years.

We help you do what you enjoy and enjoy what you do. We want to be the ones to tell you about the job opportunity that’ll change your life. And we want to help you to get that job and then succeed without limits.

Real World is more than just a magazine. We’re leaders in graduate employment research. We train people how to raise their game. Everything we do is about helping you understand your career, kick-starting it and developing it. After all, apart from sleeping, you’ll spend more time working than doing anything else in your life.

We want you to make a good living, but we also want you to make a good life in the process. No sugar-coating and no dry job jargon – Real World tells it like it is. Just the best facts, advice and opportunities.

ON THE COVER

Interview 6 Rajeeb Dey says, Forget internships,

be an entrepreneur

UPFRONT

News 4

REAL WORLD FEATURES

Experience for sale 9 A lesson in personal PR

How do I make my work experience work for me? 10

Work experience by numbers 13

Real World Awards 14 The winning graduates and their

inspiring stories

The perfect fit 16 Find the experience that’ll work for you

How to get ahead 18 What makes a good placement?

Heaven and hell 20 The best and worst internships

A gap full of experiences 22 Your guide to the best gap year

resources

Ten ways to put your gap year on your CV 24

Golden opportunities 26 Aim high and make the most of

whatever comes

50 top work experience placements 28

Case studies 33 Real people, real stories

Get aheadThe anatomy of a good

placement

Get aheadThe anatomy of a good

placement

P18P18

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Real WoRld | NEWsRW

news

The office for National Statistics (oNS) has launched a national

recruitment campaign to create 35,000

temporary jobs across England and

Wales for the next Census, to be held on

27 March 2011. The ONs wants

applicants looking for flexible temporary

jobs, including students and graduates.

"The census is not just about counting

people,” says Glen Watson, Director of

the ONs Census, “the information it

provides is needed to plan vital services

like schools, hospitals, housing, roads and

emergency services. Census results are

also used as both a teaching and

research resource. The 2011 Census is

less than six months away. We need to

give people help and support to

complete and return the census

questionnaire and this means recruiting

the right people for this important

nationwide project.”

University College london (UCl) is

taking a more hands-on approach with its

career advice in the form of mock

assessment days. The days are aimed at

students facing the demanding

application process for jobs with top

employers. During the assessment days

students will take part in typical exercises,

all of which will be led by employers to

give unparalleled insight into the level of

preparation top companies are looking

for in their graduate recruits.

"The initiative goes a step further than

the tips and advice that form the usual

preparation for the high pressure

assessment days,” says Karen Barnard,

Head of the UCL Careers service. “We

want to really prepare our students for the

very tough application process that exists

for the very best jobs.”

RIP the CV

The newly launched job search website

www.labels.io, is dispensing with CVs and

asking job seekers to list their skills and

experience instead. The idea behind this

is to shorten the time it takes recruiters

and employers to find potential

employees by pinpointing suitable

applicants by their skills rather than

irrelevant info on a CV, all for free.

Octavian Popescu, the Romanian

founder of www.labels.io, describes the

website as "a game changer".

He adds, “Given how difficult it has

become to find professionals with specific

skills, abilities, experiences and work

histories. Three, four and five-page

résumés are boring and unnecessary;

diluting key information needed by

employers to quickly and easily identify

qualified

candidates”.

Popescu is

optimistic over

the success of

his website and

its ability to

modernise the

way we look for

jobs. “With no

direct

competition in the marketplace and a

solution with so much upside, we intend

to revolutionise the field of technology

recruitment.”

More jobs ahoy

assessment days, ever wanted to practise?P

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Real WoRld | NEWs RW

How to network effectively


Research has shown that

unemployment among the recently

graduated has reached its highest

levels for 17 years, at approximately

8.9%. The overall rate of

unemployment growth, however, is

slowing and Charlie Ball, deputy

research director at the Higher

Education Careers services Unit

(HECsU), is optimistic despite the high

graduate percentage. “Prospects for

graduates in the short-term look

brighter, with unemployment, as a

result of the downturn, likely to have

peaked and next year we expect to

see a decline. However, with the

anticipated public sector job cuts the

future in the medium-term looks less

clear”.

8.9%Graduates looking for work

and internships prefer to go

to recruitment fairs and

presentations rather than

trawl through recruitment

advertisements online, a

survey has shown. Chris

Phillips, Publishing Director at

www.TARGETjobs.co.uk, says

that “it's encouraging that

today's graduates are eager

to meet, talk to and evaluate

graduate recruiters at fairs,

presentations and other

events and don't base their

views merely on online

research and graduate

publications.”

Phillips is, however, wary

of the pitfalls of recruitment

presentations. “It's sobering

to know that a bad presen-

tation could ruin years of a

positive brand image as the

graduates attending will tell

their mates, who tell their

mates who tell their mates".

Graduates say no to blind-date recruiting

Graduate unemployment reaches 17-year high

ever wondered what the secret to networking is? Professional careers

advisor and CV writer Tom Dezell has written a new book entitled

‘Networking for the Novice, Nervous or Naive Job seeker’. This self-help

book aims to provide direction to those who may feel a little bit lost

going in to the world of work.

Explaining how the book came about, Dezell said, “Despite the

varied backgrounds of the job seeking populations, I’ve seen too

many people use their own fears to hinder their networking abilities. I

experienced these fears on a personal level as well and wanted to

share the skills I acquired with others.”

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inteRvieW | RAjEEb DEyRW

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inteRvieW | RAjEEb DEy RW

Rajeeb Dey is the founder of

Enternships.com, an online jobs

board that has sent the world of

work experience out for a tin of

tartan paint and changed the rules while

it’s gone.

The idea behind the website is that

graduates can do more with their work

experience than just make tea and

answer phones. It places graduates with

newly created or quickly expanding

companies, in which they are expected

to fuel that expansion. Creating new

ideas, founding a new department or

completely changing how a business runs

isn’t usually what work experience is

about but Rajeeb thinks that maybe it

should be.

We caught up with Rajeeb to ask him

whether you really can make your own

work experience and why some

graduates should.

RW: So how does an entrepreneurial work experience differ from the usual kind?

RD: We usually place our graduates with

small businesses or fast-moving start-ups.

So it’s a lot more hands on. In a normal

work experience you get to go into a role

that’s already created, in a start-up you

kind of have to do everything.

RW: What skills would graduates develop in this sort of placement?RD: you have to use the kind of

innovation and creativity to create your

own environment.

Make your own work experience

Rajeeb Dey, Founder of Enternships.com explains why now might be the time to turn your back on internships and go it alone.

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inteRvieW | RAjEEb DEyRW

1 – Come up with a good idea. It

doesn’t have to be an invention or

some ground-breaking idea. What I’m

doing isn’t original, there are already

jobs boards. What's unique is the

branding, the message and the

markets I’m connecting. What pain

are you addressing and are you

passionate about it? That’s important

- this is going to be your life.

2 –Find some support. This can be

financial support or mentoring or just

general advice. There is a tendency

with entrepreneurs to be very

precious about their ideas, to think

that if they tell anyone they’ll steal it.

In my experience that isn’t the case,

I’ve found it’s been more useful

talking to people about my ideas

and gaining their advice.

3 – just go and do it. There are people

that spend a lot of time writing very

detailed business plans and working

out the smallest details of their ideas.

but in this day and age, it’s all about

finding out if works. So just get it out

there, see if people like it and if they

don’t then ditch it and work on

something else.

We’ve had lots of people with

Enternships who have created their own

role and made themselves indispensible

to the organisation they’re working in.

Others have learned everything they

need to go off and start up their own

business.

RW: What are the qualities that make someone right to be an entrepreneur?RD: you haven’t exactly got to be mad,

but you’ve got to be bold and willing to

take risks. And you’ve got to be able to

fail, which is a real problem in britain

because we have a culture that sees

failure as bad, whereas in America there

are entrepreneurs that have failed and

started another company and

succeeded, and they wear that failure as

a badge of honour.

you also have to be quite comfortable

with uncertainty because you aren’t

going to have a regular salary.

It’s also important to be able to think

outside the box and be prepared to

challenge the status quo. For me, I know

that if someone tells me ‘this is the way

something is’ I immediately question why

is it? Does it have to be?

RW: isn’t risk, particularly financial risk, a problem for graduates because it isn’t something that they are in a position to take?RD: The great thing about setting up a

business now is that it doesn’t have to

cost very much. Particularly if it’s an online

business, all you need is an idea and a

domain name and you can pretty much

run it from your bedroom.

The economy now is ideal for anyone

with an idea to start a business. In a more

stable economy there are jobs on offer

that might seem like a better offer than

starting up your own business but at the

moment there just aren’t those jobs there

so you’ve got nothing to lose.

you can start up a company and see

if it works and if it doesn’t it hasn’t cost

you very much. It’s the perfect example

of the lean business model.

RW: So is now the ideal time to start a business?RD: yes. I think we should change some of

the rhetoric around graduate

unemployment. I’ very passionate about

graduates becoming entrepreneurs and I

think it should at least be on their radars

as an option. So I think now is a great time

and it is a sensible option.

I should add that it’s not going to be

for everyone. Not every graduate should

become an entrepreneur because it’s

not going to suit everyone. Not the way of

working nor the lifestyle. However if you’ve

ever had an inclination or thought about

maybe dabbling in it, now is the time to

try it.

RW: What advice would you give to graduates looking for a job, either traditionally or as an entrepreneur?RD: I want to stress the importance of

networking. It’s never too early to start.

There is a perception that you only do

that kind of thing when you have a job

and have business cards to give out to

people. Actually, I started creating my

network when I was 17.

In this day and age it’s not a case of

walking into a job because you’ve got a

good degree. It’s going to be a case of

what do you know and who do you know.

So build a good network around you

and keep in touch with your network.

the 3-step plan to becoming an entrepreneur

you don't have to bemad exactly,but you have to be bold and willingto take risks.you've got to beable to fail.


WoRk expeRience | sELLING yOu ExpERIENCE RW

Jessica Hodkinson, found her work

experience at Oxfam the perfect

launching pad to landing a job

in pR and giving her inspiration to

set up her own blog www.prcompany.

org.uk. she shares with Real World why

work experience is invaluable and how to

make it count when it comes to securing

paid employment.

Most students at university live for the

moment and not for the future, with work

experience coming low on their list of

priorities. I've been there myself and I

remember thinking that going out for a

few drinks was far more exciting than

giving up an hour or two to work unpaid.

However work experience is more vital

than ever and especially in an economy

with major cutbacks and soaring levels of

competition. In some cases people have

worked a whole year of unpaid work

experience, which is obviously quite

daunting but it doesn't have to be this

way. Apply to work for companies that

interest you and book in two weeks here

and there between semesters throughout

your time at university. showing that you

are keen to work and have the

motivation to do something on top of

your studies definitely makes you stand

out from the crowd.

I worked for Oxfam twice a week while

attending weekly seminars and lectures.

This voluntary experience was extremely

valuable as I was involved in writing press

releases, liaising with national newspapers

and organising fundraising events.

As well as giving me a great insight

into pR, the experience helped me to

build on my personal confidence and I

also gained a sense of satisfaction seeing

where the generated funds were

being used.

If you do some work experience

before applying for jobs at university it

gives you a great conversation starting

point and aids you with the confidence

to express your knowledge. Employers do

not like lazy graduates. They seek active,

willing and enthusiastic candidates.

Having as much work experience in the

field of work you are interested in will put

you miles ahead of the game.

Shout about what you've doneyou may have only worked for an agency

for a month but this is still essential

experience. List all the activities you took

part in and expand on certain tasks you

carried out. If you spoke to various

people over the telephone, state in your

CV that you liaised with various media

outlets and reached your goal of getting

news out on time.

Work experience does not have to be

something amazing, even volunteering to

look after a brownie pack or coach

football is proof you have gone out of

your way to do something extra and

worthwhile.

.

Website: www.prcompany.org.ukph

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experience for saleGetting your ideal job is the most important business deal any graduate has to negotiate. But how do you give you give the PR spin to your most valuable commodity: your experience.

Quick tips• Appear determined and energetic-

employers do not like lazy

graduates.

• Get as much experience as possible

whilst at university – I held down a

part time job and carried out pR for

Oxfam and gained agency.

experience in the summer break.

• Network and speak to people - get

yourself on LinkedIn and Twitter.

Following companies you would like

to work for is most beneficial.

• Don’t sit back and wait – approach

companies and stress your passion

to work for them.

• Make yourself stand out – how can

you make your CV different?

• start a mini project, such as a

personal blog and get yourself

online.

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How do i make my work

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experience

RWWoRk expeRience | making it work

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Ashley Hever, european talent acquisition manager at enterprise Rent-A-car“Learn a little about the business

before you start. once there,

demonstrate a good attitude, arrive

on time and look the part. Show an

interest in what you’re asked to do

and an eagerness to learn more.

Don’t just do the task in hand: add

value by using your initiative. Finally,

talk to people doing the job. those on

work experience who get noticed are

those who show genuine interest.”

How do i make my work

eve Worthington, Director of performance Management at HR Media Ltd, pR consultancy in Sheffield.“Do some research on the company

before you go - if a graduate on

placement with us can show they

have some understanding of our

industry and general knowledge

about our company and clients all the

better. most importantly be

enthusiastic, proactive, work hard and

show your personality.”

if you wanted to design a way to put

most graduates off the world of work,

work experience might be it. For

many grads, it’s their first foray into

the world of work and they’re expected

to find a place for themselves between

making the tea and running the

company. then there are all those

dilemmas, do you ask questions? are the

rest of the office your colleagues? Should

you offer to stay late on a friday night?

never one to shy from the big issues,

real world has rounded up some of the

top graduate employers from different

industries to ask them the serious question

on your behalf.

For more advice from graduate

job-hunting experts, log onto www.

realworldmagazine.com

We asked the top employers the question on every graduate’s lips.

experience work for me?


WoRk expeRience | MAkING It WORkRW

Heather collier, director of national council for Work experience“Set objectives for what you want to

achieve and keep a diary so you can

add your achievements to your CV

including how you’ve overcome any

challenges to demonstrate problem

solving skills to your next employer. Grab

any chance to take on more

responsibility and do the best possible job

to increase the likelihood of getting a

permanent role.”

Learning a fewcorporate nicetiesand politicking tipsis a big benefit

Help everyone youcome across from the receptionistto the MD

Stuart Burlton - chief operating officer at So organic “Understand that work experience is not

a holiday, it’s an opportunity to impress

and learn. Get involved in everything, be

enthusiastic, look for the next job to do

and be eager. that is what employers

want, and you want any reference

written for you to include these

comments. Remember, work experience

and internships can lead to a future job!”

Sophie Relf, Head of Marketing Strategy at the Guardian"View a work placement as opportunity

to prove your work/life skills and to

develop your career network. Learning a

few corporate niceties and politicking

tips along the way is also a big benefit.

Don't be shy about asking to get involved

in senior meetings, innovative new

projects or anything interesting that takes

your fancy. Your employer will want to

impress also, it's important to most

companies that the perception of

working with them is exciting and

challenging - give them an opportunity

to demonstrate this to you."Melissa ormiston, show manager for La Dolce Vita / Single Market events“We look for work experience people

who are proactive, positive and aren't

afraid of getting their hands dirty. If

you’re after a reference be sure you help

everyone you come across, from the

receptionist to the MD, word will spread

that you’re a team player. And if you

have an idea, be sure to speak up, you’ll

be noticed for caring about the

company.”

cana Witt, alumni manager at Lancaster University Management School“Use a work experience placement to

assess your performance and behaviour

in a work situation, to match skills, cultural

fit and to find potential. It’s an opportunity

for both sides to work out if the situation is

right, or could be right with some

additional input. It also gives each party

an easy exit if it doesn’t work out.”


WoRk expeRience | thE NuMbERs RW

Work experience by numbers

18,000the total number of hours worked each week by Parliamentary interns.

1in3the number of interns that work for free, according to the tuC

Percentage of employers in a 2009 survey that thought their interns had above average team-working skills.

84%

3

the price a 1 month internship with the NsPCC sold for at auction.

£4,600

Percentage of employers that said they thought volunteering had a generally positive effect on career progression in a 2008 Government survey.

87%

The number of people out of a total 4,210 that gave their placement 10/10 on ratemyplacement.co.uk

16

Number of placements rated 1/10 or lower on ratemyplacement.co.uk 64%

Percentage of employers in a YouGov poll that said “gap years would help prepare people to develop crucial work skills before they enter into their career"

country 2008 2009 (position)South Africa 1 1kenya 12 2canada 2 3Australia 5 4Tanzania 4 5costa Rica 8 6Fiji 11 7peru 6 8india 7 9new Zealand 10 10

59:41 Ratio of gap year girls to boys

£1.7m

the combined value of all

the electronic goods

graduates on gap years

currently have on

them, according to

the AA.

Most popular countries for gap years


WHAT’S NEW IN | CAREERRW


Real World Awards Enterprising Student of the Year 2010 Winners

RW REAl WoRld AWARdS 2010 | thE WINNERs

Runner-up:Sunita deshmuku

In association with

Winner:Jack Smith

RWReal WoRld aWaRds 2010 | the winners

www.reALwOrLDMAGAZine.COM RW 15

entrepreneurial ideas, glittering

trophies and some of the finest

graduates in the country? it could

only be the sixth annual real

world Awards.

there are two categories: the

enterprising student of the Year (in

association with enterprise rent-A-Car)

and the student Personality of the Year

(supported by the Anjool Maldé

Memorial trust).

the Awards have been celebrating

the talent and innovation of graduates

for the past six years and this year’s

finalists were no different. the entrants

represented a diverse range of

backgrounds, races and cultures and

truly embodied the go-get-it attitude that

real world loves.

enterprising student of the Year 2010in third place was Adnan ebrahim,

graduate of University College London,

founder of Carthrottle.com and former

UCL entrepreneur society president. “it’s

been a long process to get here,” he said,

“but to get recognition from real world

for the work i’ve done is just fantastic”.

second place went to sunita

Deshmuku, a medicine graduate from

nottingham University. sunita has

published a medical textbook and is

setting up a registered charity providing

medical care and resources to children’s

hospitals in developing countries. she

said, “it’s such an honour to even make it

through as a finalist. it doesn’t matter

where you’re ranked, i think all finalists

should be congratulated”.

this year’s winner was King’s College

London graduate Jack smith. Jack is now

the Founder and Managing Director of

software training company Mediaroots.

he sampled generating his own income

very early on when, at the age of 13, he

Real World awards enterprising student of the Year 2010 Winners

worked as a freelance web designer with

clients mainly in the Us so he could keep

his age a secret.

By 15, Jack had started his first business

selling video game hardware

components via eBay. At university, he

organised a series of interviews with

successful entrepreneurs such as the

founders of the Big issue and

studentBeans.com to inspire other

students to consider starting their own

businesses. Jack also started a ‘Dragon’s

Den’-style competition to promote

enterprise among students.

speaking about the real world Award,

Jack said, “there aren’t many

competitions rewarding graduate

entrepreneurs, so all of us, all the finalists,

really appreciate this.” when asked how

he was going to invest his £2,250 prize

money, Jack laughed, “i’m not going to

invest it. this is going to me for sure!”

The student Personality of the Year 2010this year’s award, which includes cash

prizes of £1,500 for the winner and £500

for the runner-up, was dedicated to

Anjool Maldé, an Oxford graduate and

former runner-up, who tragically died in

July 2009 after achieving an enormous

amount in his short life.

the winner was richard Kuti from south

Bank University. richard's work as

president of his student union, re-

launching the student magazine and

running events for his local community

– particularly aspiring black

businesspeople – were just some of the

activities which helped single him out

from tough competition. On receiving his

award, richard Kuti said “Anjool is an

inspiration to all students and i'm

honoured to receive an award in his

name”

Runner-up:adnan ebrahim


WoRk expeRience | pERfECt fItRW

The perfect fitYou’ve managed to get yourself a work experience placement. But is it right for you? Take this quiz to find out if you’ve picked the perfect path.

is the work experience in the industry you want to work in? this may seem an inane question, but

make sure you’re going in a similar

direction to the one you want to be

heading in. It’s no use getting a pR

internship if you want to end up in

finance and it may just be a case of

biding your time until you find the right

one. Work experience can help, however,

if you are unsure about what it is you

want to do. Getting a couple of weeks

experience can give you an idea of

whether that industry is right for you. It is

perhaps a rather long-winded process of

elimination, but it can set you on the right

track.

A) Yes, I’m doing what I’ve always

wanted to

B) No, but I think it could put me in the

right direction

c) A job’s a job, right?

Are you learning anything?

Its all very well getting some experience

down on your CV but what will really help

is if you learn new industry-specific skills

that’ll truly stand out to employers.

Knowledge of specialised data-

processing programs, for example, can

help in many sectors, so make sure you

intern somewhere where you can pick up

the know-how. And don’t be afraid to ask

about something you’re unsure about.

A) Yes, it’s like being back at school, but

in a good way

B) A bit, but I have to ask

c) Nope

Are you making contacts?

Being able to make contacts in your

chosen industry is vital for getting your big

break. for industries such as journalism

and pR, the people you know won’t only

help you on your way to realising your

goals, they’ll be vital to you once you’ve

achieved them. Success in these

industries relies not only on what you

know, but who you know.

A) Loads. I am king of the networkers

B) Some, but I’m a little shy

c) Nah, I just get on quietly

Are you working for the right people? Working for a large company has its perks

(looks good on the CV and will probably

provide good networking opportunities),

but working at a smaller company tends

to mean you are more involved in more

important tasks, rather than just making

coffee. You need to decide which would

suit your career path better.

A) Yes. It’s a great company and I feel

important to it

B) I’m doing trivial work, but at least I’m in

the right environment

c) I like making coffee

Are you actually doing anything?

there’s always a danger with work

experience placements that you’ll just

end up doing menial tasks and often just

sit around getting bored. Remember:

you’re there to learn.

A) I’ve got loads of interesting, valuable

work to do

B) It’s a bit tedious, but I’m ok with that

c) I’ve drawn some fantastic doodles

Are you getting on with your colleagues?Building relationships with those in the

workplace can be extremely beneficial to

your chances of finding a full-time job.

Whether that means being polite and

chatty in the office or even going out for

drinks after work, the friendlier you get

with the people that matter, the greater

the chance that they can recommend

you for a job.

A) they’re my new best friends

B) they’re fine I guess

c) I’m not here to socialise

AD

Mostly ACongratulations, you’ve found yourself at the pearly gates of

internship heaven. finding a good internship isn’t a golden ticket to

your dream job, but with the right attitude it’s the first step.

Mostly BYou’re on the right track but keep your eyes on the prize. If you lose

sight, you may end up stagnating in a role or area that isn’t where

you’d most like to be so always be on the lookout for better

opportunities.

Mostly cOh dear, you’ve been thrown into the fiery pits of internship hell.

Don’t worry though, with a little initiative you can get back on

course.

No pay

A discussion with someone senior at the start,

so everyone knows what to expect

Inte

rvie

w, as

if it

were

a full t

ime job

Opportunities to see a range of

parts of the business


WoRk expeRience | GEt AhEADRW

How to get aheadHow can you recognise a good work experience placement? What do you need to look out for? Always level-headed, and never one to put our heads in the sand, Real World headed off in search of answers... and here’s what we found.

No introduction to your

colleagues (how can you ask

questions if you don’t know

who anyone is)

No contact

with anyone senior

No pay

A discussion with someone senior at the start,

so everyone knows what to expect

Regular meetings to see how

you’re progressing

Properly advertised

Inte

rvie

w, as

if it

were

a full t

ime job

Opportunities to see a range of

parts of the business Making the tea

(if it’s once in a while),

every job has its dull bits.Some kind of training B

e

i

n

g

t

r e a t e

d

l

i

k

e

or induction day

other employees


WoRk expeRience | GEt AhEAD RW


WoRk expeRience | GAp yEARsRW


A gap fullof experiences

Gap years are great. They bolster tans and CVs alike. All of which makes choosing the right one crucial. Difficult though, when the only source of advice is your friend with the tattoo who keeps saying how spiritual Thailand was.

Worry not. Real World has macheted a path in the gap year jungle and proudly presents our guide to the best resources.

These sources are indispensible for the

DIy gap year planner.

Green Volunteers Fabio Ausender

www.greenvolunteers.com

A great guide for animal lovers,

volunteer to work with all kinds of

animals from eagles to elephants and

great whites, in all kinds of places, like

south Africa, Costa Rica and swaziland.

There are also projects closer to home,

such as seal watching in the shetlands.

Costs for accommodation and fees vary

dramatically, from nothing to thousands

of pounds. Luckily, this book has a handy

tick chart system to filter projects by

price, animal, length of stay or place.

Once you’ve bought the book, you also

get free, unlimited access to

greenvolunteers.com updated online

database.

Gap Year Guidebook 2010Alison Withers

A handy annual guide of places to go,

things to do and background

information on visas, first aid and

insurance.

The Man in Seat 61www.seat61.com

The ultimate resource for rail and ferry

travel. Mark smith started the site as a

hobby and it remains entirely

unaffiliated. This man knows his stuff, and

can get you from London to pretty

much any point in the world without

flying. He can probably also tell you

what the food will be like and how good

a nights sleep you’ll get.

Lonely planet Forumswww.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree

The best way to find out how to do

something is to ask someone who’s

done it. With a bit of hunting, you’re

bound to find you answers here.

Volunteer South Americawww.volunteersouthamerica.net

Far from the prettiest website out there,

but a fantastically comprehensive and

user friendly site. With no affiliations to

anyone, it lists all the volunteer

opportunities in south America, and a

quick hover over a name gives details of

what the organisation ofr project is

looking for, the costs and what is

included. A must for the south American

traveller.

DiY gap year

WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM RW 23WWW.REALWORLDMAGAZINE.COM RW 23

WoRk expeRience | GAp yEARs RW

Want a group adventure? These guys

are great.

Raleighwww.raleighinternational.org

Not for those who want to travel on a

budget, Raleigh offers charity working-

adventures that are also good for the

environment. Volunteer in Borneo, Costa

Rica, Nicaragua or India, and stay from

just over 3 weeks to ten weeks. projects

include building wells, teaching children

and working on conservation projects.

Costs range from £1,500 to £2,995.

Global xchangewww.globalxchange.org.uk

A serious organisation for those who not

only want to make a real difference but

are also considering humanitarian work

as a career. Not only must you take part

for 6 full months, but you also have to

apply at least 6 months in advance and

be prepared to attend assesment days.

you will be teamed up with a partner

and spend 3 months in their country, and

3 months here in the UK. Upcoming

exchanges include Xi’an (China) to

Glasgow and Kaduna (Namibia) to

Brighton. Candidates are expected to

raise at least £600.

The Adventuristswww.theadventurists.com

The adventurists works hard to make sure

you can have a real adventure while

raising money for charity. Don’t think your

friends will pay to see you sit in a tub of

baked beans? How about to see you

battle your way unaccompanied across

south America on a sofa-bike? yes, a

sofa-bike.

Other challenges include the World's

longest horse race, a Rickshaw Run

across India, and the now famous 10,000

mile Mongol Rally.

Adventure organisers

Looking for ways to make your CV stand

out before you even get to the world of

work? Then these are the programmes

for you.

Work the Worldwww.worktheworld.co.uk

If you want a career in medicine, you

can never do too much to get ahead.

Work the World offers medical student

elective placements that meet all British

Medical school requirements.

specialities include dentistry, midwifery

and new radiography placements.

It’s not exactly cheap, with costs

excluding flights and visas and ranging

from £940 for 2 weeks in Nepal, to £1,840

for 6 weeks in Tanzania.

cactus Languagewww.cactuslanguage.com

spend up to 3 months living abroad

and brush up on your language skills

while there. Cactus covers everything,

from lessons and accommodation to

day trips and socials. you can also do

shorter courses in more exotic locations,

like learning Quechan in peru. prices

range from 1 week for £150 to 3 months

for £1,000.

Global Vision internationalwww.gvi.co.uk

As well as offering standard adventure

and volunteer gap years, GVI also gives

the opportunity to train up while

travelling. Gain a TEFL qualification in

Thailand, a BTEC (Level 2) in team

leading, or in more specific subjects like

biological survey techniques - or even

become a qualified safari guide.

GVI also offers a job finding service

for those who TEFL qualify with GVI. Fees

range from £495 to £8,315 for an entire

year abroad.

Work experience and learning

Agencies Just need someone to put you in

touch with the right people?

Wwoofwww.wwoof.org

Wwoof (WorldWide Opportunities on

Organics Farms) has been running

since 1971, and has spawned it’s own

verb – wwoofing. The premise is

simple and successful – you get to

travel round the world and be

housed and fed in return for a few

hours working on someone’s farm.

There is usually a small sign-up fee to

access each country’s list, but this is a

fantastic resource for those on a tight

budget.

Se7en www.the7interchange.com

A bit like Wwoof, se7en lists social and

environmental low-cost or free

projects. One year's membership

costs £10.

WorkAwaywww.workaway.info

Another list of people looking for

volunteers, but with less eco emphasis

and more wide-ranging jobs: from

bar tender in the Venezuelan

rainforest to theatre technician in the

Negev Desert. It also has a ‘last

minute’ section, for hosts who need

someone urgently. you can view hosts

for free but to contact them it costs

£18 for 2 years (£24 for couples).


WoRk expeRience | GAp yEARsRWRW

When applying for jobs, that

gap-year that you took

three, maybe four years

ago can be a difficult thing

to highlight on your C.V or in an interview.

you know that you experienced all those

new things in new cultures and

surroundings but does that mean

anything to potential employers? The

answer is yes, you just need to detail it

properly. With the help of some leading

gap-year experts, Real World has put

together a list of 10 ways to sell those

gap-year experiences.

10 waysto put your

gap year on your cv

Whether it was a year-long holiday or 12 months of hard graft, make employers take notice of that gap year.

2 “Employers want to see evidence

that your gap year has helped

you to develop leadership, team

building, negotiation, resilience,

resourcefulness, independence, and

flexibility; that you have matured and

had life-changing experiences,” says

Linden Baxter, marketing and

communications manager at Lattitude

Global Volunteering.

1“Employers admit that they actively

seek to recruit those who have

taken a structured gap-year because

they are more likely to have developed

key skills such as teamwork, project

management, risk assessment,

languages and communication skills –

stress these points to employers.” Alex

sharratt, editor of the Gap-year

Guidebook 2011.


WoRk expeRience | GAp yEARs RWRW

4 If you took part in voluntary or

community work for an extended

period of time, mention this on your CV

rather than simply listing where you

went. you need to show that your work

had a long term, sustainable impact

on a community while also challenging

and stretching you. It shows you were

happy to be challenged and taken

outside of your comfort zone, which

gives potential employers a feel for

your work ethic and dedication.

3 Be honest. Detail the dates of your

travels and mention what you did,

i.e. June 2008-June 2009: gap year

travelling – visited: India, Thailand, New

Zealand etc. If you learnt a language

then mention it, but don’t make your

time away sound more vocational

than it was.

10 “Think about how different you

felt after your gap year, did it

meet your expectations?” advises

Linden Baxter. “Talk about how you

have changed as a person, your

perspectives, outlook, and cultural

awareness. As well as ‘employability

skills’ related to a particular job,

employers want someone who will fit

well with their organisation, who shares

the company’s beliefs and culture

and who can make a real, significant

contribution to the organisation. Being

able to understand what makes you

tick as a person will help them to

decide if you have the personality

they are looking for.”

so there you have it, a plethora of

ways to show potential employers that

your gap year was more vocational

than vacational. Remember, a good

employer will not just look for a list of

academic achievements, but for an

interesting person too.

9 Did your gap year improve your

confidence? If so, mention it.

Maybe you were nervous talking to

people you didn’t know before, but

aren’t now. perhaps you find

communicating with people from

different age ranges easier now than

immediately after you left school. Are

you a better public speaker?

8 “Don’t be scared to elaborate on

what may feel like very personal

experiences,” suggests Linden Baxter,

“your CV is more than just a list of

achievements; it’s a reflection of who

you are as a result of the life you have

led. Being able to articulate how a

particular experience, good or bad,

has affected you and what you have

learned from it will make you stand

out. Even little things such as learning

to live without running water or

electricity and cooking over charcoal

every night can be spun to show your

resilience, resourcefulness and

adaptability!”

7 “Emphasise that you made

detailed research and planned

your gap-year carefully. show how you

made an informed decision and

chose an opportunity that will improve

your future,” says Alex sharratt editor of

the Gap-year Guidebook 2011

6 “Think about skills that you

developed which may not be

immediately obvious” advises Linden

Baxter, marketing and communications

manager at Lattitude Global

Volunteering. “perhaps you learned

patience or tolerance while working

with children with disabilities; perhaps

you were thrown in at the deep end

teaching 'A'-level subjects to classes of

80 children which taught you valuable

organisational and people

management skills; perhaps you were

responsible for planning lessons and

marking work which taught you to

better manage your time. Maybe you

now speak conversational Zulu or

learned to haggle with Vietnamese

market traders, perhaps you helped to

set up or run a project helping street

children in Ecuador or coached your

students through their end of school

exams in India, helping them to get into

university or maybe your experiences

have given you a passion for the

particular career path you wish to

follow.”

5 If your gap year was self-funded

then explain how you raised the

money - be it a part time job or

putting on fundraising events. It's

worth mentioning these on your CV

to show firstly your determination to

go away and secondly your ability to

organise and arrange something.


WHAT’S NEW IN | CAREERRW


Ph

oto

gra

phy

: © C

olin

Why

ma

n

Golden opportunities

...and the silver and bronze, just in case

When everyone’s chasing the same coveted placements, thinking about your other options might just offer better prospects anyway.


WHAT’S NEW IN | CAREER RW

Ph

oto

gra

phy

: © C

olin

Why

ma

n

A good work experience

placement can make all the

difference between a CV that

gets tossed in the wastepaper

bin and one that fights its way to the top

of the pile. Sadly that makes the process

of getting work experience almost as

hard as getting the job.

Real World spoke to Catherine von

Altheer, senior account executive at Fuel

PR, about looking for work placements off

the beaten track.

“Waiting lists for unpaid work at

companies such as The Times newspaper

or Goldman Sachs can be as long as two

years because of the clout that comes

with such impressive names. But fixating

on the market leaders might not always

be the best strategy. Yes, big names look

good on a CV but the experience may

not always be the most valuable.

After completing my post-graduate

degree in Public Relations, I targeted a

small, boutique agency for 2 months work

experience. I was immediately thrown in

at

the deep end and was

soon writing press releases, organising

photo shoots, contributing to pitches,

meeting clients and talking with national

media. It was a complete dream for me

since I had been planning my career in

PR since studying for my A Levels, 6 years

earlier.

My peers at some of the more

well-know firms were not having such an

enjoyable time. While I was learning

about the realities of press deadlines, my

former classmates were making tea, or

running around buying lattes and

basically acting as glorified personal

assistants. Many were let go after their

short placements ended and although

they found the name-dropping helpful

when trying to secure interviews with

future employers, I, on the other hand,

had made myself indispensible (partly by

volunteering to do all the jobs that

nobody wants to do, like taking the

minutes) and was offered a full-time job,

which of course I took. Even if I not been

offered the role, I had still gained

experience that would enable me to

demonstrate a true understanding of the

industry, illustrate my capabilities and

convince interviewers that I was best for

the job.”

With Catherine's advice ringing in our

ears, here are some alternative work

experience options to consider.

Catherine von Atheer, Fuel PR

Top options... and the back-up plans

... in the media The Guardian awards work experience

as a prize for its Student Media Awards

and the BBC has a whole page of work

experience placements. The story’s the

same for any well-known media

organisation. The chance to fight it out for

a placement is usually only a click away.

If you don’t quite win that fight (and

even Rocky lost a few) there are other

options. Local papers are just as good

for learning what the job is like and are

less competitive because there are

more of them. Also sign up to

gorkanapr.com to find out about

internships and other work to add to

the resume.

The Guardian's Media pullout on

Mondays is also useful to look through.

... in the GovernmentThe Civil Service fast track scheme is a

great way to get a foot in the political

door as are internships or volunteering

with MPs. Despite all MPs wanting

interns, there are only so many to go around, so what are the alternatives?

Work experience with a local

councillor can be just as good for the

career and give an insight into politics

at its most active grassroots level.

Shantanu Rajawat, local councillor for

Heston West (in the London Borough of

Hounslow) told us: "An ideal way to gain

understanding is to shadow a local

councillor and observe how they

engage with their local communities.

Not only does this provide an insight

into the value and power of the local

voice, it can also help local

representatives develop the local

agenda from a youth perspective.”

...in lawTo quote a law student’s joke:

“Question: what’s the difference

between a good, cheap, honest lawyer

and work experience at a law firm?

Answer: The first one is easier to find.”

While the crowds flock to the big law

firms, like Shoosmiths, Clifford Chance,

Reed Smith and Linklaters, why not find

a more relaxed entry route? Large

companies and most charities need

lawyers, and work experiencing with

Tesco or the Citizens Advice Bureau

might give you expertise that over law

students lack.

...in ITMicrosoft might have internships

coming out of its eyeballs and Google

might give its interns free meals and

laundry but the superpowers aren’t

alone in the industry. There are plenty

of IT companies that plug te gaps and

make sure everything in IT land is

running tip top. The website www.

itjobsforgraduates.com, has a good list

of employers in the industry, although

looking outside the industry can give

just as good results. Charities, banks,

supermarkets and call centres all have

IT departments where experience-

hungry graduates can hone their skills.

‘Hack days’ and ‘Gamejams’ -

where industry experts gather

together to share ideas and

developments - are other good ways

to show skills and build up a portfolio

of creations.

With internships as excellent as ours,it’s easy to start getting ahead of yourself.Enterprise InternshipsIf you’re already planning a successful career in business, you should makethat all important first step with us. After all, with a global turnover of more than$12 billion plus 3,400 people in the UK and Ireland alone, we’ve plenty of tipsand pointers to get you off to a flying start.

As a paid Intern with Enterprise, you’ll learn what it takes to run a successfulbusiness while acquiring valuable skills and experience covering everythingfrom fleet management and marketing to profit and loss analysis and salestechniques. And you’ll be learning by doing too, taking on the same challengesas our first and second year full-time professionals.

From a few weeks over the summer to a year-long placement, we can offerplenty of flexibility with regards to how long your internship lasts. There’s plentyof scope for promotion too, including the chance to work your way up from anIntern into a professional role when you graduate.

Start getting ahead of yourself by visitingwww.enterprisealive.co.uk/RWIntern2010 or calling 0870 850 1232.

121110d2 297 x 210 12/11/10 10:36 Page 1


WoRk expeRience | thE DIRECtORyRW

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50 topWoRk expeRience placements

13m UkWork experience. paid year-long work experience placements in

many sectors, usually 25 vacancies a year.www.3m.com

2agustaWestlandplacement. paid year long placement in either the buisness

or engineering departments. applicants must have relevant prospective 2:1 [email protected]

3allianz insrancesummer placement. placement offered to undergrads with

prospective 2:1 degree in any subject. Job offer to successful students. 20 places a year.www.allianz.co.uk/graduates

4Bae systemsindustrial placement. paid year long placement in either the

buisness or engineering departments. applicants for buisness placement must have prospective 2:1 in any subject; for the engineering placement applicants must have a prospective 2:1 in engineering, numerate or scientific subjects. www.baesystems.com/graduates

5Baker and mckenziesummer placement. Unpaid short placement for students

studying any degree and in their penultimate yearwww.multiplyingyourpotential.co.uk

6Barclaysinternship. 50 placements available to graduates with 2:1

or above. paid. www.seemore-bemore.com/interns

Work experience. it’s the first rung on the sometimes-rickety-but-always-worth-it, careers ladder. But which companies offer placements? What do you need to be accepted? and when should you apply? the answers are here. it’s not an exhaustive list but you’ll find some of the top names in most sectors.


WoRk expeRience | thE DIRECtORy RW

7BBcWork experience. experience available in all BBc departments.

Lots of compitition for places and specialist schemes.www.jobs.bbc.co.uk

8BDoSummer internship. 1-4 month paid summer placement.

www.bdo.co.uk/careers

9BlackRockSummer internship. paid summer internships open to students with

2:1 degrees.www.blackrock.com/careers

10Bluestream World Media Ltdinternship. 3 month media sales internship leading to

full time job for successful candidates. www.blackrock.com/careers

11cancer Research Ukinternship. 120 places per year. [email protected]

50 topWoRk expeRience pLaceMentS

17eDF energy industrial placement. paid year-long placements

available across all departments of the company. open to students wanting a year in industry as part of their university degree.www.edfenergy.com/careers

18enterprise Rent-a-carManagement training program. training program open to

graduates with any degree. www.enterprisealive.com

19ernst and Youngplacement. “elite Fasttrack” placement programs available

for student from any background.www.ey.co.uk/studentstories

20exxonMobilplacement. paid placement for undergrads with possibility of

job offer. [email protected]

21 Georgeplacement. paid 12 month placements available as well

as 1-2 weeks work experience. www.george.job/gettingstarted

12centricaSummer placement.paid summer placement with

offer of job for successful students. www.centrica.com/graduates

13cScGraduate programme. 24-month graduate

program open to graduates with 2:1 or 2:2 with relevant experience. www.cscgraduates.co.uk

14cumminsplacement. paid year-long placements available

across all departments of the company.www.eujobs.cummins.com

15Deloitteindustrial placement. paid placement for students with

prospective 2:1, any level of study.www.deloitte.com/graduate

16e.o.n.placement. Summer and year-long paid placements

open to students with prospective 2:1 degrees, preferably in either Quantity Surveying, Building Surveying or project Management.www.eon-uk.com/graduates


case studies | fINE ARtRW



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22 HsBc summer placement. unpaid short placement for students studying any

degree with a prospective 2:1. [email protected]

23 imB industrial placement. Year long placements

across all areas of the company. www-05.ibm.com/employment/uk/industrial-placements/

24 intel corp Graduate internship. 13 month internship. paid.

www.intel.com/jobs/unitedkingdom/students/internships/

25Jaguar land Rover placement. 3-12 month paid placements open to

students studying engineering-related degrees. successful students can win a place on a graduate scheme. www.jaguarlandrovercareers.com/

26 John lewis industrial placement. 10-month paid placement

available to students wanting a year in industry as part of their university degree. www.jlpjobs.com/graduates

27lidl uk placement. paid 48-week placement, 15 places

available to students studying buisness or retail. [email protected]

28 lockheed martin uk industrial trainee placements in various

departments of the company, open to applicants with prospective 2:1 degrees in any subject. 20 paid places a year. www.lockheedmartin.co.uk/careers/grads-interns.html

29 l’oreal uk internship. 90 paid internships available for

students with any degree. 3,6,9 and 12 month placements. www.lorealbuisnessclass.co.uk

30marks & spencer Business placement. can apply with a degree in any subject. 40-50

paid placements a year. [email protected]

31mayer Brown summer internship. 36 paid places available a year, available to

graduates with 2:1 degrees. www.mayerbrown.com/careers

32microsoft paid internship. 90 places. www.microsoft.com/uk/graduates

33moody’s investors service Graduate internship. 6 month highly paid internships providing formal

credit training in london, paris or Frankfurt. Finance, economics or maths degree essential. www.moodys.jobs

34morgan stanley Work experience. 10 week paid summer placements for students in

their penultimate year studying any discipline. www.morganstanley.com/about/careers/


WoRk expeRience | REsOuRCEs RW


WoRk expeRience | thE DIRECtORy RW

0


35national Grid industrial placement. Year-long paid placement

open to students in their penultimate year of study. www.nationalgridcareers.com

36nationwide industrial placement. paid summer placement

for students with prospective 2:1 degrees in either maths, economics, statistics, it, Finance, Banking, law, engineering or physics. www.nationwide-jobs.co.uk/graduates

37nats industrial placement. paid placements available

to sudents studying a relevant engineering or physics degree. www.natscareers.co.uk

38pcW Business placement. 11- month paid placement

in swindon, open to any prospective 2:1 degree. www.pcw.com/careers

39 psa peugeot citroen industrial placement. 21 paid placements

available for undergrads and graduates. www.psacareers.co.uk

40 Reynolds porter chamberlain llp Vacation placements.

24 places available for students from a law or non-law background. paid. www.rpc.co.uk/training

41Rolls-Royce Work experience. paid work placements

available is various diciplines. www.rolls-royce.com/careers

42Rothschild Work experience. 10 week paid work experience,

usually 20-25 places per year. www.rothschild.com/careers

43Royal Bank of scotland Group internship. paid internship

with over 600 places available to penultimate year students.

44sainsbury’s Work experience. paid work placements

available for periods of 6-12 months across the departments. [email protected]

45samworth Brothers Undergraduate internship. scheme is split into two

6-month placements and is paid. Food science degrees preferred but not essential. 12 placements available. www.tastyjob.com

46slaughter & may (law) paid internship. 100 places. www.slaughterandmay.com



0


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What the staff say:“The atmosphere at NCYPE is amazing, everyone is really helpful.”“The organisation is very committed to staff development and allstaff are very supportive of each other.”“Each day provides many worthwhile challenges.” For further information about our work and career opportunities,visit www.ncype.org.uk

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and guarantee tointerview all applicants with a disability who meet the minimum criteria. We arecommitted to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.An enhanced police disclosure will be required.

Charity No. 311877www.ncype.org.uk

47 snR Denton placement open to any 2:1 degree. success in the

placement can lead to a 3 year training contract, at the end of which you earn £59,000. [email protected] / www.graduates.snrdenton.com

48softwire internship. paid internship offering training.

www-05.ibm.com/employment/uk/industrial-placements/

49standard life internship. paid intership based in edinburgh, with

accommodation included. 10 weeks. applicants must have at least a prospective 2:1 in any dicipline. only 2 vacancies per year. www.standardlife.com/graduates

50tata steel Graduate placement. 12 month paid placement

in all areas of the company. [email protected]


WHAT’S NEW IN | CAREERRW WoRk ExpERIENcE | CAsE stuDIEs RW

case studiesThere’s only one way to get the real story - to hear it from the horses' mouths. Real World rounds up some steeds.


Name: Lauren BondsAge: 24Degree and university: Business, Finance, Government, University of Texas at AustinJob Title: Global Banking & Markets - Analyst

What is it you actually do? I work in corporate Finance in Mergers & Acquisitions and I’m currently working on a rotation in the TMT (Technology, Media & Telecommunications) Sector Advisory Team. I am involved in all steps of the project – from generating the ideas to creating the final products for our clients.

How did you get into the industry? As I researched various banks, I came across the corporate Finance Group within RBS’ banking division of GBM. Initially, I applied

and accepted an internship programme at RBS and this gave me more of an insight into the bank - I found it to be a great place to work.

Why did you decide to go into this sector? Most of my classmates at university took up graduate positions with banks in the US, but I was looking for greater exposure to international business and believed working in London would provide greater opportunity for cross-border deal experience.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? crucial for me is the exposure to such a challenging business environment in which I am working as part of a dynamic team. I have found RBS a great place to work in terms

of the people and culture - in an industry with a reputation for challenging work and long hours, this aspect of my job in a significant part of the overall experience. I cant' say there are any downsides! I knew coming into the role that it would be challenging, but I have found the team and role to be a perfect fit.

What advice would you give to other graduates?

Make sure you look for a graduate programme that gives you real opportunities and early responsibilities from day one - this was a huge part of my experience at RBS and gave me an opportunity to shine. You can make a real difference if you are involved in challenging roles/ projects from day one.


WoRk ExpERIENcE | CAsE stuDIEsRW

Name: Laura Jayne FynneyAge: 22Degree and university: BA (Hons) Business Management & IT at University of WinchesterJob Title: customer Service Manager for online Retailer

What is it you actually do? Daily tasks including dealing with orders from our website, talking to customers about our products, any queries they have or orders they want to place, adding new products to our websites, writing articles, news and press releases, contacting and ordering from suppliers, looking after our Amazon and eBay accounts, stock control. other tasks include carrying out job interviews, visiting our warehouse to talk about changes in our process and visiting trade shows to look for new products to offer to our customers.

How did you get into the industry? Being unsure on a specific career path, I saw the internship advert which sounded interesting and in a field that I knew I could put my previous experiences and education at university and college into practice.

Why did you decide to go into this sector? Sounded like an intriguing role to take and

Name: kiron MairAge: 23Degree and university: Law LLB (Hons), University of NottinghamJob Title: Account Executive/producer

What is it you actually do? I work in the marketing/advertising industry – for a creative agency - in client services and account management. As an Account Exec I support one of the account teams delivering creative work for clients. My job is to manage individual projects and make sure they get delivered on time, on budget, and to the best standard, while also supporting the Account Managers on whatever they’re working on.

How did you get into the industry? Through a bit of networking I managed to get the details of a guy who worked in the industry. Because of my enthusiasm, interests and skills, he offered to take me on as an intern for a short time to give me experience.

Why did you decide to go into this sector? I stumbled across it while thinking about what I wanted to do with my life. Met the guy, his line of work sounded interesting, so I gave it a try and realised I really liked it.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? I really like being able to get involved with the creative work and get stuck into projects. It’s a good feeling to be involved from the very start and see it all the way through. on the other hand, it requires a lot of organisation, process and admin work which can be a headache. It also means you have to quickly adapt to multi-tasking and handling pressure, which is hard at first.

What advice would you give to other graduates?Don’t limit yourself to what you did for your degree. Think about what you’re most interested in and what your key skills are, and look for roles that involve those things. Then, start putting yourself out there. offering to work unpaid or looking for internships is a good place to start. I spent nearly two years in internships and junior roles at many different agencies, more often than not unpaid (or just expenses), before I got my current role.

it's a sector that I believe is a key part of our world today. I knew that this would be a job that I would learn a huge amount from as it was a small business and an environment where I had little specific experience.

What do you most like about what you do and are there any downsides? As a small company I get to delve into every aspect. While I have a specific job title, I do a lot more. This has opened my eyes into the true amount of planning and work it takes to run a business.

Being in a small team we are very focused and enjoy working together, which I love. Having previously worked in larger teams, it's quite refreshing.

I have to say that so far I have not found any downsides to the job, as with any business there are sure to be some but at the moment I think I'm still learning and enjoying every bit.

What advice would you give to other graduates?To gain as much experience as you can. You may not start in the position you would like to be in, but experience is key. You can move forward.

Take as many opportunities to learn and gain experience as you can.

EXPLORING ALL THAT THE FUTURE HAS TO OFFER.

WORK. WHAT’S IT TO YOU?

When it comes to financial services, Private Banking is one of the fastest-growing areas. And at the same time as working to become a top-tier global wealth manager and advisor, Barclays Wealth is also working in innovative ways to attract the talent who will fuel our ambition. Our ten-week summer internship will offer you a fantastic insight into our business. You’ll discover how we meet the wealth management needs of high net worth and affluent individuals and families, what our plans for the future are and the opportunities that offers you. And as well as providing you with plenty of hands-on experience, exposure to senior management and the chance to experience what it’s like to make a pitch to a client, you’ll also gain an edge on your career competition.

Explore everything a summer internship with Barclays Wealth has to offer you at barclayswealthgraduates.com/Internships

We’ll judge you on your ability and nothing else.

Barclays Wealth is the wealth management division of Barclays and operates through Barclays Bank PLC and its subsidiaries. Barclays Bank PLC is registered in England and authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Registered No: 1026167. Registered office: 1 Churchill Place, London E14 5HP.

028257-297x210-RealWorld.indd 1 11/11/2010 14:00

Documents

Work Experience Special Edition 2011