The process, the search and the rejection

Worried about finding a placement?

You're not the only one trust me! I know its easy to say don't worry but try not to.

I began my placement search back in December 2010, a bit later than some of my class mates and I have only just secured my last and final placement (August 15th 2011). It's a long and yes sometimes painful process but one that has to be done.

I would say to start looking as soon as you start your second year, get prepared and start drafting your CV and put together a general covering letter.

CV's take time to put together and you will find your self writing them and re-drafting them all the time like I did.

When writing your CV and covering letter make sure that you:

• Use the placement team at the university to help you
• Ask friends and family to look at your CV
• Give it to your current employer to take a look
• Look on websites and examples to decide what style you want to take and the sort of things to include
• Don't be modest! you need to sell your self and make yourself stand out
• Spell check- if there are mistakes they won't even consider you

Experience
It sounds silly but it does help to have experience before you look for a placement. Many jobs that I applied for required some sort of experience and some wouldn't even let you apply if you didn't have any. So try looking for charities, schools, local clubs or businesses to gain this experience. Yes it may be unpaid or not what you want to do but in the long run it will help you get the placement that you really want or need.

The search
Searching for a placement is dull, it takes time and unfortunately you will probably face rejection more than once.

The thing to remember is to keep applying and not to let the rejection put you down. You should try and set time once a week, say a Thursday morning just to apply for placements and spend a few hours looking and collating contacts.

Don't be afraid to use the phone!
Phoning up companies for placements I found was more successful than just sending an email or CV. Go on to a companies website (whether they state they do placements or not) and get a contact preferably the contact you need to talk to or if not someone that can get you that contact.

By phoning you get to tell them what you are looking for, you get to ask if they do placements or if it is something they are interested in? It also shows that you are keen, confident and gives you a yes or no instead of waiting for a reply.

Many companies that I rung said to send in a CV which I did and because I had rung them up they were at their computer waiting for it, so when they received the email the majority emailed me back within minutes after talking to them on the phone.

The university has a database but don't use this as your only resource. You will have to look yourself. Try using social media to find placements, myself and class mates found this very useful. You can find contacts or get them to spread the word that you are looking for a placement.

Help each other! Yes you will be competing with your class mates to get a placement but at the same time use your classmates to help you get placements, if you find your friends getting placements get them to keep an eye out for you, get them to spread the word.

DON'T GIVE UP keep looking and applying to placements. Use rejection as a learning tool, if they say no then ask why!

You will find at some point that all of a sudden your class mates will start getting interviews and then placements. I was one of the last to get my placements sorted; I started to ask my self what is wrong with me? How come I can't get one, what do I do if I don't get a placement will I fail?

Try not to panic there is nothing wrong with you. You were just unsuccessful. You have to remember that you are competing against not only your classmates but hundreds if not thousands of other students who are looking for a placement.

Interviews

• Be prepared (the university has booklets so use them)
• Wear smart but comfortable clothes
• Know where your going, get on Google Maps the night before
• Allow for mistakes on the journey e.g. traffic, cancelations
• Take examples of university work
• Take a copy of your CV even if you have sent them one
• Be yourself
• Finally, try to have fun and enjoy yourself

If you manage to get an interview good start, if you get the job amazing, if you don't then use the interview as experience.

So be prepared for a long process and ups and downs but once you get the placement (which you will) it's the best feeling in the world and all the work would of been worth it :)

Happy blogging,

Hannah