# Welcome to SMIRK Unit
9 - Placement: getting
what you want

- Getting what you want out of work experience
- What might go wrong
- Evaluating what you have achieved
- Jayne's work experience diary
- Work experience diary - skills gained
- Work experience diary - reflection and further action
- Finding out about a specific job
- Beyond work experience
- Back to main index

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Getting what you want
out of work experience

Preparation
Now that you have thought about what you want to get out of work experience, it is time to discuss this with your employer. Arrange a meeting, print out the checklists below and negotiate what you need to know to be up and running from day one!

Some of the issues covered by the questions below might be better covered in an induction programme in the first few days of your placement. Induction programmes are crucial if you are going to carry out your work effectively and safely, so check what will be provided for you. Work Experience Vital Information and Induction Checklist

Consider:

- Do I now have all the information I need to begin on day one?
- What do I still need to find out that will be covered in an induction programme?
- Reflect on how you are feeling about starting your placement.

Completing this form covers the practical issues. You also need to use this meeting to negotiate what you want to learn on your placement.

Talk now, avoid disappointment later!
Establishing aims and objectives that both you and the organisation feel are relevant and realistic mean that both of you will feel satisfied with the placement. This meeting is also the opportunity for you to explain what skills, knowledge and previous experience you have to offer the employer or organisation.

Achieving My Learning Objectives Print out this list and take it to the meeting along with the Learning and Development Objectives which you have noted down.

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# What might go wrong

Anticipating what might go wrong... and solving it before it does!
Things are less likely to go wrong if you plan in the ways previously suggested. You are less likely to be doing dull, monotonous work if you have been given a project to complete and you won’t be stuck just making the tea if you have explained your skills and experience and what you have to offer.

Here are some situations you may encounter and suggestions about how to overcome them:

- I will have to get up early 5 days a week. The routine on work experience may well be different to life as a student, but if you plan your journeys and pace yourself (go to bed earlier?!), you will soon get in to the swing of things.
- I might not be able to do the work. If you have acted on the suggestions made about meeting with your employer beforehand, then you will have discussed what work you will be doing and matched it to your skills and experience. You should also have a supervisor or mentor you can talk over any problems with.
- The work might not be what I expect and I might not like it. Sounds harsh - but this is one of the benefits of work experience - finding out what a job is really like. Try to make the most of the work given to you. Look for other tasks that you could take on and suggest them to your supervisor. If you do this appropriately, it will show that you have initiative and motivation.
- I might not get on with the people I am working with. It is an important work skill to be able to form effective working relationships with colleagues - you don’t necessarily have to like them. Think about the people skills section in your learning and development objectives.

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Evaluating what you
have achieved

During your placement and certainly when you have completed it, it will be important to capture and record the skills, knowledge and experience you have gained as this will be crucial to the job application process - evidence on your CV, information to answer questions on application forms and real life experience to talk about at interviews. So…don’t let it pass by in a blur - keep a record of what you have done and what you have achieved.
Work experience diary
If work experience is part of your course, you will need to agree with your tutor what format your diary will take and how often you should complete it. If there is some flexibility, suggestions are that for a year long placement, you record and reflect upon key events or complete your diary on a monthly basis. For shorter placements, you could write up the diary each day.
Skills gained
I was able to… Look at each of the categories on your learning and development objectives sheet - Academic and learning, People skills, Organisational awareness and skills, Career management, Work culture, Personal impact. In the day, month or event you are recording, which elements from each of these have you covered?
Reflection and further action
I feel more confident to… Analyse what you did and what you feel that you gained. What was good and bad, what were your reactions and feelings? What action could you take to build on these experiences?

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Jayne's work
experience diary

Jane is a B.A. Business Studies student on placement in the third year of her course. She is working at Warbuton's where her role involves working closely with their Business Development team and the National Accounts department. Working in Business Development, she works with the team who sell the brand by regularly visiting business customers and building excellent working relationships.
In National Accounts, she works closely with staff who manage the accounts at head office level to achieve growth, sales targets and manage customer expectations.
Summary of activities
Read the extract below where Jayne describes some of the things she has been doing on her placement:

Date: 31.06.2014
Continued with my weekly and monthly tasks. Each Monday morning, I dedicate to checking retail proces and promotions in the market across all accounts. Today I have also produced an order fulfillment data sheet to share with the whole team. It is essential I check all the numbers thoroughly to see how successfully we have fulfilled orders. This is passed on to my comercial colleagues, including Marketing and Category marketing, PR, Business Information and National Accounts.

Each team works together to supply market share data, brand awareness, innovative new product ideas and customer satisfaction. Everyday I act as support for the business development teams. I help them complete their reports, solve queries or respond to concerns. I create the templates for the Business Development reports and monitor them to ensure all have been completed on time and with enough detail.

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Work experience diary -
skills gained

Career Management
Jayne has clearly gained a number of skills. Read the extract below to see what experience she now has in some specific Learning and Development Objectives. Remember the six categories; Academic and Learning, People Skills, Organisational and Awareness Skills, Career Management, Work Culture and Personal Impact.

Diary date: 4.7.2014
I have gained a variety of skills working within Warburtons. The most evident being the strengthening of my communication skills. Within the commercial environment there are 60+ employees from students to directors working in one large office where everyone is made to feel equal. I have learned who to communicate certain issues to and how to approach different people to gain the most benefit. I feel confident to communicate matters on all levels and to achieve a significant outcome. I have understood the importance of building points of contact. This has been very easy in Warburtons with its unique culture and friendly environment.

Working within a team has many benefits and is a crucial factor in most companies, especially within Warburtons and my role. I have become a solid support for the Warburtons Business Development teams and with this have learned to provide accurate and consistent work withn a time restraint. I have positively contributed to their current reporting systems and helped to maintain this over the past twelve months with much research and development.

Many people have become reliant on me and I have become dependant on many people, which is why I value the importance of effective teamwork.

My role has a large numerical foundation, dealing with figures daily to produce reports used by the commercial team and beyond. My knowledge and understanding of company targets and budgets has increased significantly, making me feel more confident to confront numbers in the working world. This has also helped to develop my I.T. skills and feel positive and competent to work on a range of programmes. With all the reports I produce, I have acquired a keen eye for perfection and a sharper response to detect errors. another key learning taken from my placement is the importance of prioritising. On my return to university, this will help me to be more organised and efficient when completing work.

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Work experience diary -
reflection and
further action

In this extract, Jayne reflects upon what she has gained from the placement in terms of her skills and knowledge.

Date: 12.7.2014
I feel more confident to communicate issues to individuals on all levels within a business. A key learning at Warburtons is the value of teamwork and the benefits to be gained from a well-rounded and respectful team. I feel I have formed strong, reliable relationships and have gained the confidence to continue to do this within any working environment I encounter.

The main advantage of my placement is being able to substitute business theory into real practice. A placement provides you with a unique experience. I have optimised my learning relating to course content, developing personal and interpersonal skills, whilst learning professional expectations and behaviour.

I have gained a rewarding, productive and positive industrial placement year, developing additional knowledge and skills to complete my final year at university and prepare me for my future career. I will use this experience as a basis for directing and focusing career plans and will have that competitive edge of relevant experience and skills when entering the job market.

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Finding out about a
specific job

Take the opportunity whilst on work experience to look at a specific job or jobs, to analyse if it is something that you would like to do. Choose a job and arrange to interview a person doing that job using this form. Talking to the person and recording their answers should take approximately twenty minutes.

When you have completed the interview and recorded the information, reflect on what you have learned:

- What aspects of this job would you enjoy?
- How does it match your skills and experience?
- If you would like to do this job, what action must you take to be a good applicant (such as add to qualifications and experience)?

Here's an example of a completed job profile.

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Beyond work experience

Using your experience in the job application process
You will be able to use the experience you have gained through work experience as evidence on your CV, information to answer questions on application forms and real life examples to talk about at interviews.

Moving on and keeping in touch
As well as recording what you have done and the skills and experience you have learned, it is important to keep a record of the people you have met who may be able to help you in the future. This is sometimes called networking. It would be a good idea to have the following details:

- Name of person and company or organisation
- Job title and contact details
- What you worked with them on, for example a particular project or event. This is so you can contact them in the future and say 'We met when I was on placement with the company when we worked on….and I am now making contact to ask if you would…' (act as a referee, help with a job application and so on.)

Thankyou and goodbye!
It is important to leave your placement with a good impression. Not only is it widely considered to be courteous to thank people who help us, there are other good reasons:

- You contribute to the reputation of the university and your course
- You help maintain good relationships that will benefit future placement students
- People will remember you thanked them and this might be important for future contacts that may help you with your future job hunting
- Employers value the feedback

Some final tips…

- Write the letter soon after completing the placement
- The content might include how you found the placement helpful, what you enjoyed and examples of what you learned.
- Thank the person that you are writing to for their help and ask them to pass on your thanks to the people who you worked with.

This is the end of our section on placements, good luck!

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Work experience vital information and
induction checklist

Name of Company or Organisation:

Name of superviser or person responsible for me:

University contact details I will need (such as placements officer, course tutor):

Address of company or organisation and how I will travel there:

Dates of placement:

On Day 1__________________ (date) I should report to_____________________________(who) at________(time)

Hours to be worked:

Health and Safety (Procedure in event of fire or emergency including location of alarms, fire extinguishers and exits; how to get first aid; responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act; any restrictions or precautions concerning your duties (such as Manual Handling and Lifting regulations):

Rules and professional Standards (Absence procedure, appropriate dress/uniform, customer care procedures (for example, how to greet customers, ‘script’ for answering the ‘phone):

Insurance (Types of insurance relevant to you and your work experience. Seek clarification that you are adequately covered):

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Achieving my learning objectives

- What are the main activities of the company or organisation? Is there a mission statement, or business objectives?

- How will I contribute towards what the company or organisation does?

- What sort of outcomes are the company or organisation expecting from me and by when? Is there a particular project for me to carry out?

- At this point, explain the skills, knowledge and previous experience I have to offer.

- If there is a particular project to complete; who in the company will offer me support or act as a mentor?

- Can a job description or list of duties be provided?

- Is there an organisational/structural diagram showing people’s positions and responsibilities?

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Job profile

Title of Job
Type of organisation

Can you describe your job and what it involves?
What do you do on a typical day?

What qualifications are needed to do this job?

How did you get this job?
(Where advertised, via a contact?)

What do you like most about the job?

What skills, knowledge and experience do you use?

What don’t you like about the job?

What training is available?

What job could you progress on to after your current one?

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# Completed job profile

Title of Job Marketing Assistant
Type of organisation Public Sector Company

Can you describe your job and what it involves?
What do you do on a typical day?
I deal with enquiries that come in to the department via ‘phone, email, letter etc. We usually have an event to plan. There are a variety of duties involved with this such as organising the advertising (including dealing with the advertising agency, getting quotes etc.) I arrange the design of publicity and get it approved. I book rooms for the event, negotiate with staff who will be attending, organise the catering. I check that the publicity goes out to people who are likely to want to attend the event. I maintain a database so that people can register on-line.

What qualifications are needed to do this job?
I don’t know if you need to be a graduate, but all the people I am working with are graduates and it helps to have the knowledge and skills gained from doing a degree.

How did you get this job?
(Where advertised, via a contact?)
I knew that I wanted to work for this organisation, so I kept checking its website for suitable vacancies.

What do you like most about the job?
I have a lot of responsibility. My boss trusts me to work independently because she is confident in my ability. I like the variety in the job e.g. there are lots of different aspects to organising an event. I like the variety of people that I meet each day.

What skills, knowledge and experience do you use?
I have to be able to talk confidently to a wide range of people from children to senior managers. I have to represent our organisation professionally to outside agencies. I have to be able to prioritise my work and often complete several activities at once. Sometimes there are problems to solve e.g. I needed participants at an event to be ‘bussed between venues and there was a last minute problem with providing the ‘buses.

What don’t you like about the job?
When we are in the middle of a busy event, the hours can be long and will include weekends.

What training is available?
I can access the staff development opportunities open to all employees.
I am looking in to studying the CIM Professional Diploma/Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Marketing course. Until recently there have been two members of the team studying on this course, they have now both moved into better positions with external companies including one management position. Both former employees still have one year until they complete the course but believe that just by studying on the course they have furthered their careers. This alone is an incentive to undertake the CIM Diploma.

What job could you progress on to after your current one?
I could aim to become a marketing manager of a team or move to a central marketing function

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm

# What do you aim to achieve 6

Personal Impact
To maximise your impact, become indispensable and provide evidence of the value you add to the organisation. Here are some examples:

- Provide an objective view, such as an ability to observe, analyse and solve problems.
- Provide an extra pair of hands, for example the project no one has time to do.
- Understand how to add value to the organisation.
- Promote the impact of any achievements made.
- Challenge the norm and bring new ideas.
- Improve the organisation, expand and develop publicity and customer services.
- Improve the organisation's performance, for example, sales.
- Pass on the benefits of your experiences to others.
- Improve the organisation's profile through marketing or market research.
- Bring in new expertise and skills, like fund raising skills.
- Improve IT systems.
- Improve administration procedures.
- Improve the working environment and enhance ethical values.
- Help the organisation become more effective.
- Free up people's time

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SMIRK - Preparing for placement by Leeds Metropolitan University Employability Office, modified by Marion Kelt GCU is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Based on a work at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/metoffice/employability/resources/learning_objects/workexperience/index.htm