So, you\u2019ve decided that you want to do a placement year. Next step, finding one. The task at hand can be incredibly daunting (there\u2019s literally so many things to consider) and can\u00a0be very stressful if you have no idea what you’re doing. This handy guide\u00a0will\u00a0help you on your way to getting a placement year.<\/p>\n
The biggest downside to a placement year is the stress and time that goes into getting one. Like, who has the time for lectures, assignments, and securing a job? Get around it by setting a deadline for each step, i.e. completing your CV and applying, and by deciding how much time a week you want to commit.<\/p>\n
Unless you\u2019re some kind of super-student, you probably don\u2019t know exactly what you want to do with your life. No, you don\u2019t have to decide that for your placement year, but make sure you pick a job that is somewhat related to what think you want to do.<\/p>\n
There are so many options. You could move back home, stay at uni, or try somewhere completely new. But it\u2019s important to consider what you will be able to afford (base it on an average placement salary), where you will feel comfortable, and who you will live with- not all of us want to move in with a bunch of strangers in a London house share.<\/p>\n
Whilst each job will need an adapted application, it\u2019s in your best interest to make a CV and cover letter which can be slightly changed depending on each role. You can find tons of online help or drop into your university careers service for some personal advice. And don\u2019t forget to make a LinkedIn.<\/p>\n
By far the longest step, but the most important. RateMyPlacement and Indeed Jobs are great websites- they are a goldmine of opportunities. Apply for somewhere between 30-50 roles, tweaking your CV for each one.<\/p>\n
*Top Tip: \u00a0don\u2019t just apply for big-name companies, they have way more applicants.<\/p>\n
Most companies utilize multiple online steps before inviting you to an interview, so expect to spend a few hours on video applications (these are horrible, but you have to suck it up) and long answer questions.<\/p>\n
You won\u2019t get a reply from three-quarters of your applications. It\u2019s just the way it is, and it doesn\u2019t mean you won\u2019t get one eventually. Lot\u2019s of companies put finding their placement student at the bottom of their to-do list, so don\u2019t let it get you down, and don’t keep staring at the clock.<\/p>\n
When you get invited to interviews and assessment days, don\u2019t go in blindfolded. Use your university resources to perfect your interview technique and see if you can find any details online about what a companies interviews are like.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019re at a dead end with no replies and no hope, send off applications to smaller companies that haven\u2019t advertised. A crazy amount of placements on offer don\u2019t get uploaded to job boards, and it\u2019s your job to\u00a0send letters like mad to find them.<\/p>\n
Not that this needs to be said because you will go a little bit mental waiting, but check your inbox at least twice a day. And check your spam. Your job could be hiding from you. You don’t want to miss out on getting a placement year because you forgot to check your email!<\/p>\n
So, you\u2019ve decided that you want to do a placement year. Next step, finding one. The task at hand can be incredibly daunting (there\u2019s literally so many things to consider) and can\u00a0be very stressful if you have no idea what you’re doing. This handy guide\u00a0will\u00a0help you on your way to getting a placement year. 1.…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24228,"featured_media":122009,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":true},"categories":[1793],"tags":[11447,8590,8705,8056,7921],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-122007","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uni-life","tag-placement-year","tag-student","tag-student-life","tag-uni","tag-uni-life"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n