A Student Guide

To Finding
Work Experience

© Prepared by Work Based Learning & Placement Development

Career Development & Employment Service (CDES)
Department of Student Services
Email: shortplacements@londonmet.ac.uk
 A Student Guide to Finding Work Placements

This document has been produced to support your search for the work placement that you
will undertake as part of the Professional Work Placement module. In it you will find
information on:

 Important points to remember

 Drawing up a plan of action
 Identifying your areas of interests
 Gathering information
 Researching opportunities
 What skills do I have?
 Creating your curriculum vitae
 Writing telephone scripts
 Composing letters of enquiry
 Completing application forms
 Interview points
 Checklist of activities

Please remember that if you are planning on taking the Professional Work Placement
module your work placement that you arrange must meet the following standards. Ask
yourself

"Is my placement..."
 For a minimum of twenty-five days* in length?
 Related to my degree programme?
 Of a level suitable for an undergraduate/HND student?
 Giving me some responsibility for my own work and achievements?

(* The placement length does vary according to the subject, you are studying. The
standard length is 25 full days, but make sure you ask your Work Placement Co-ordinator
and the Module Tutor in your department how long your placement is meant to be!)

If you can say yes to all these points then you can progress with the Professional Work
Placement module. To complete the module you need to closely liaise with Work Based
Learning & Placement Development (Career Development & Employment Service
[CDES]), and your placement must be approved prior to you starting work.

Important Points to Remember...

At all times you should remember that you are a representative of London Metropolitan
University and our student body. You have a responsibility to show anyone that you deal
with concerning your work placement that our students are motivated, polite, professional,
enthusiastic and capable undergraduates.

You may have many questions that need answering, and this guide should help you along
the way. However you must take responsibility for driving yourself forward in your search
for work placement. It is you who will benefit from a challenging and enjoyable work
placement and therefore you must take the initiative in all your activities.
20 Questions to ask yourself...

1. Who do I want to work for on my placement?

2. What do I want to do?
3. When do I want to do my placement?
4. Where do I want to do my work placement?
5. Who do I not want to work for on my placement?
6. What can I offer to a prospective employer?
7. When can I do a work placement?
8. Where can I realistically travel to?
9. Who offers placements to students?
10. What placement options are available to me?
11. When should I contact people?
12. Why should this company take me on placement?
13. Who do I need to talk to?
14. What do I need to do to apply for a placement?
15. When should I apply for my placement?
16. Why do I want to work for this company?
17. Who should I send my applications to?
18. What are my responsibilities as a placement student?
19. When should I follow up on applications?
20. Why do I want a work placement?

Some of these questions have easier answers than others, material is provided in this
pack to help you with the answers. Spending some time thinking about them will help you
in your search for work experience, and the quality work placement that we hope you are
looking for.

20 Questions, Hundreds of Answers

"Who do I want to work for on my placement?"

Have a think about what existing contacts you have. Do you currently work for an
organisation that you are keen to have a graduate career with? Do you aspire to work for
a particular organisation when you leave university or even later in your career? A
placement might be the ideal opportunity to investigate potential employment with that
organisation. Are there organisations that you have come across in your studies, or that
you have read about and you admire them in some way? Searching for a placement in an
organisation you really want to work for will make the process an enjoyable one, and will
ultimately give you a more satisfying placement.

"Who do I not want to work for on my placement?"

You may want to build on your past experience and therefore avoid working for employers
that you have already worked for in the past. You may also have strong beliefs about
working for an organisation with ethical operating practices, or that align themselves with a
cause that you support. Identifying those organisations that you do not want to work for is
just as valuable as identifying those that you do want to work for.
"Who offers placements to students?"
The vast majority of students, who undertake short placements, do so with organisations,
who do not have an official placement programmes. You will need to research
organisations within the field you are interested in working in, and utilise all the resources
available to you. The induction workshops that support this module will provide assistance
on how to approach organisations and ask for placements, as will this document. It also
contains information on some of the sources of advertised placements.

"Who do I need to talk to?"

The more people you can involve in your research regarding your placement the better.
You will definitely need to discuss your placement options with staff from Work Based
Learning & Placement Development, CDES, but there are others who can assist you in
your information gathering. Your tutors, the Careers Advisers from CDES and your fellow
students may be able to point you in the direction of information regarding organisations in
your potential career field. Do not underestimate the power of talking to your friends and
family about the idea of work placements - you may be surprised at the information that
they have, or the contacts they may be able to give you.

"Who should I send my applications to?"

One of the keys to a successful application is the application actually reaching the
appropriate person. It may be obvious with advertised placements to whom you send your
application, but in the case of speculative applications it is important to target the correct
person. This will involve some research, usually calling ahead to check the name and full
address of the person whom might be best placed to receive your application. 'Cold
calling' letters addressed to dear sir/madam or to the managing director rarely reach a
person in a position to give you a placement. There are also a number of agencies and
brokerage organisations that you can apply to for placements, more details of which are
later in the document. A note of caution - please be wary of posting personal information
on web sites claiming to recruit placement students, particularly third party organisations.

"What do I want to do?"

The big question! It is one that you have to think about and at least have a partial answer
to. Doing 'anything in the subject field' is not an acceptable answer however, as
prospective employers will expect you to be focused, and to have a purpose to your
search. It is your responsibility to investigate what careers might be open to you, and what
you might have a passion for doing. Think about answering this question in terms of short
term and then long-term goals, and about how a placement could act as a stepping-stone
towards an eventual career.

"What placement options are available to me?"

The Professional Work Placement module allows you to make your work placement
flexible - but receive academic credit for it. You can work full time or part time, paid or
unpaid, during the summer or during term time - the choice is yours. Other forms of
placement might include you taking a year out, either as an official sandwich placement or
just as a year's experience - you might even just take a semester out. You might think that
you need to start off slowly or that you want to gain experience in an area that is not
directly related to your degree programme - so you might decide to become a volunteer.
"What can I offer a prospective employer?"
You are going to need to sell yourself, your skills, knowledge and abilities to any potential
employers. This means that you need to have a self-awareness about your abilities and
have the confidence to articulate them with the evidence to reinforce your statements.
This is something that the induction workshops can help you with.

"What do I need to do to apply for a placement?"

You will need to complete application forms, have a current curriculum vitae and put in a
lot of hard work. Whilst it is not an easy process and does require hard work on your part,
it is very rewarding to secure a work placement. In addition to this, the skills that you will
learn during your search for a placement will help you in your search for employment after
graduation.

"What are my responsibilities as a placement student?"

You must remember at all times that you are on placement as an ambassador of London
Metropolitan University and your behaviour should always be professional. The placement
student code of conduct gives some more guidance with reference to this. You must
remember to respect any boundaries of confidentiality that your placement organisation
may set. It is also your responsibility to maintain the appropriate documentation necessary
for the module, and complete all your assessment on time.

"When do I want to do my placement?"

The main decision to make is whether you want to do your placement during the semester
or during the summer vacation. Each option has its advantages and disadvantages and
you will need to see which option best suits you.

"When can I do a work placement?"

Official placement schemes often have fixed times during which they operate. Speculative
placements are often more flexible and you may wish to take this into account when you
are looking for your placement.

"When should I contact people?"

You should start your preparation early and get yourself organised. You can start actively
researching the field a year ahead of actually doing your placement, as this will give you
maximum time to gather all the information you need. It will also allow you to talk as many
people as possible about the placement opportunities that might be open to you. Contact
Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES as soon as you think you might
be interested in undertaking the Professional Work Placement module. You must contact
the Unit if you decide to proceed with a placement.

"When should I apply for my placement?"

Official placement schemes have application dates that would obviously need to be
adhered to. Speculative placements are often best arranged around three months in
advance. This gives the organisation enough time to prepare for you, but is close enough
that a decision can be made about hosting a placement.
"When should I follow up on applications?"
Official schemes often have automated response processes in place, either by email or
postal notification. When you are approaching an organisation requesting a placement it is
important to appear keen and enthusiastic without being pushy and over zealous. A good
way of leaving a way open to follow up on an application is to express your intent to follow
up at the first stage, for example ending a letter with a sentence that says you will call next
week to find out if the application was of interest. It is important to note that if you say you
will do something then you must make sure that you do it, whether it is sending some
information like your CV or making a follow up telephone call.

"Where do I want to do my work placement?"

There is no restriction on where you geographically do your work placement, and students
in the past have travelled as far away as the USA, Brazil, Thailand, Greece, Cyprus and
Nigeria. Please bear in mind any language barriers that you might encounter if you are
keen to work abroad. There may also be visa issues to deal with, and the cost of living /
accommodation will need addressing.

"Where can I realistically travel to?"

Bearing in mind that most short-term placements are unpaid, you will need to think about
your travelling arrangements - how practical it is to travel long distances and how you will
fund it. You may underestimate just how tiring your placement might be, particularly if you
are doing a full time placement, and long travelling distances would not help. You may
need to consider staying somewhere closer to your placement organisation.

"Why should this company take me on placement?"

You will need to sell yourself as a product to the organisation, and you must develop an
understanding as to the sort of person that might work there. It relates to the exercises in
self-reflection and self-assessment that you will do as part of the induction workshop
process.

"Why do I want to work for this company?"

Research the organisation and map the skills that you have to the activities that you are
likely to be doing on your placement. Think about what you will get from the experience
and what that company can offer you. This is a typical question that you might get asked
at a job interview.

"Why do I want to do a work placement?"

Potential employers will most likely ask you this question - you need to have an answer for
it - and it is the focus of one of the brain storming exercises we will give you as part of the
induction programme.
Drawing up a plan of action

You will need to...

 Research - potential careers, potential organisations, yourself.
 Compose - curriculum vitae, letters, telephone scripts.
 Review - seek opinion on the written documents you compose.
 Check - proof reading is very important.

Research

Career
 Investigate potential careers in your chosen field - Use CDES and their information
library to help you with this.
 Talk to other students and your tutors about their perceptions of working in your
subject field.
 Talk to people who already have the career you are interested in - This is called
informational interviewing.
 Talk to your friends and family and ask their honest opinions of the career field you
are investigating - and your suitability for it.

Organisations
 Use the information library in CDES to research companies you are interested in
working for.
 Sign up to Employment Online (www.londonmet.ac.uk/careers/employment) and
utilise it as a rich resource of organisation contact details.
 The Internet is a quick and easy way to gather information about organisations.
 Check out the press for your subject area; raise your awareness about
organisations in the field. See what kind of jobs they advertise.

Self
 Work out why you want to do a placement, and what kind of career it is that you are
interested in investigating.
 Think about what personal skills and qualities you have to offer a potential
placement employer.
 Look at your 'history' for the purpose of compiling the strongest possible CV and/or
application forms.
 Map your skills and abilities to those that you think are required in your subject
field.

Make use of all the information available to you. You may particular want to look at the
following resources that can be found in the CDES library:
 Video - "Can I Have a Few Minutes of Your Time?" (AGCAS video on informational
interviewing)
 Books - "Placement & Vacation Work Casebook", "Petersons Internship Guide",
"Directory of Voluntary & Employment Opportunities", "How to Work for a Charity
on a Paid or Voluntary Basis", "The International Directory of Voluntary Work".
 There are also a large number of occupational files, together with booklets
produced by AGCAS giving information on career fields.
Compose

CV
 Have a think about the different styles of CV that are possible, and which styles
might be best suited to you and your experience.
 Think about the purpose of a CV, what it should convey and what its message is.
 Start by getting all the facts down on paper, you can select and edit information
depending on the focus of the CV.
 Remember that the CV should represent you and what you are looking for. If you
are using it to get work experience in the IT field, you don't want the main focus to
be your retail employment history.
 Style is important - but it doesn't make up for bad spelling, grammar or poorly
expressed content. Try to look at it from the employer’s perspective - what will they
be looking for in your CV?
 Check out our basic CV checklist for hints and tips on style.
 Get your CV checked by someone who sees lots of them – speak to Work Based
Learning & Placement Development, CDES, the Careers Advisers or friends who
work in recruitment.

Letters
 You will need to think about the types of letters you will need to write; first
enquiries, initial applications, follow ups.
 You should use standard business style in all your letters.
 Think about the purpose of your letter. If enclosing your CV for example, don't
repeat information from your CV in your letter.
 It is inadvisable to send a letter to an individual that is not expecting it. If you are
not responding to an advertised placement, call ahead before sending the letter -
see scripts!
 Letters are best kept brief and to the point. They should flow and have an active
conclusion that will allow you to follow up either with another letter or a telephone
call.
 Check out our application letters checklist for pointers on style and layout.
 Always get another person to proof read your letters - if you make mistakes
employers will spot them very early on, and will not be impressed!

Telephone scripts
 You will need several scripts; first enquiry, response to adverts, following up an
application.
 It sounds silly but write it all out word for word - it will make you more confident
during the call.
 Use the script to structure your call, always be polite and ask if you are calling at a
convenient time.
 It is important to have all your information to hand during the call; have your CV and
details of your degree programme available in case you need to talk about it.
 Keep a notebook with your during the call. If you can make the calls from a quiet
place so that you can hear everything clearly, and make a note of action important
points - or action you need to take.
 Always thank the person for their time - even if they were not that helpful.
  Making calls can be time consuming - but will make any applications you send out
have a better chance of being successful.

There are a huge number of books, web sites and leaflets available to help you with
writing your CV - and many will give you conflicting advice. It is confusing but merely
illustrates the point that there is no 'one right way' to write a CV.

Some resources available to you in the CDES library that might be of use when you are
composing your CV and letters are:

Video - "Looking Good on Paper" AGCAS

Books - "The Perfect CV - all you need to get it right first time" Eggert
"The Perfect Interview - all you need to get it right first time" Eggert
"How to write a CV" University of London Careers Service (ULCS)
"How to complete an application form" ULCS
Booklets - AGCAS The Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services produce an
excellent range of booklets that are available for you to take away from the
Careers Service. Some of the titles we would recommend would be:
"Going for Interviews"
"Job Seeking Strategies"
"Making Applications"
They also produce a wide range of booklets within their occupational series, covering
some fifty broad career areas.

The CDES Information library is located in Student Services,Tower Building at North

Campus and at Goulston Street, City Campus. It is accessible between the following
hours:

 Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9.00-6.00

 Wednesday 10.00-6.00
 Friday 9.00-5.00
 Vacation time 10.00-4.00

There is also a smaller Careers and Information Library available at Ladbroke House,
which is staffed by a Careers Adviser Tuesdays 11-3 and Wednesdays 9.30 until 12noon.

The Careers Advisers operate a drop in service - please call them on 020 7133 2094 for
details of days and times, alternatively email careers.studentservices@londonmet.ac.uk.
The next section of this guide also gives more information on creating your CV,
composing letters of enquiry, completing application form and points to remember when
going for an interview.

Review & Check

As the above information indicates it is important to get draft copies of your letters, scripts
and your CV reviewed by people who can give you an objective opinion with regard to the
content. Never think of this as a time of criticism - anyone you shown your drafts to wants
to help you have the best possible chance of succeeding in your application, so any
constructive comments will only benefit you. It is also important to get the final drafts proof
read by 'fresh eyes' as it is easy to overlook mistakes when you have worked for a while
on a document. Both the Careers Advisers and the Work Placement Co-ordinators can
offer this to you, through their drop in services.

Identifying Your Areas of Interest

Some people are very clear about what they want to do after they leave university.
Perhaps you came to university to study a subject you have real passion for, and the love
of the subject is what drives you on. You may have chosen your course with a very clear
career path in mind, or you may be so confused that you can't remember why you chose
your course in the first place.

The Professional Work Placement module gives you an opportunity to explore a career
area. Research with students who have done the module in the past has indicated that
75% of them have a better idea of what career to follow having done the placement.
Whilst the placement gives you the opportunity to make contacts and gain experience in a
potential career area - it can also be valuable in identifying those careers you don't want to
enter after graduation. It should give you a greater understanding of what it means to work
in that sector, which in turn should significantly focus you more when you are searching
for a job on graduation.

Have a think about what it is you like about the subject you study, what personal
aspirations you have, what jobs you think you would enjoy - and what skills and
knowledge you think you have that you could bring to these potential jobs.

Whilst it is important to be thinking about what you are eventually aiming for, be realistic in
terms of your placement. If it is your ambition to be a Hollywood director, don't expect a
placement producing the latest James Bond film - but it is reasonable to aim for working
with a director in a television environment. It should be seen as a stepping-stone
experience, giving you the opportunity to 'test the waters' in either the field or the
occupation of your choice.

Prospects Planner

This is a computer system hosted on student access machines in the university, and also
from the computers in Student Support Services that helps you to think about:
 What you are good at
 What careers will suit you
 Your chances of getting into those careers
 How to make effective job applications

Prospects Planner is a simple to use computer system designed to help you at all stages
of your career planning. It does not set out to tell you what to do. Instead it helps you to
explore key aspects of career planning in a systematic way, with you always in control.
You can use Prospects Planner to explore any or all of these aspects, at your own pace.
Use it to create your own personal work-related profiles, a list of matching occupations
and effective applications and CVs.
Instructions for Use

You can use this programme at any student-networked machine within the University.
 Click on Start and then select Programme, which will give you options - you need to
choose Careers and then click Prospects Planner.
 When you enter the programme you will be asked to a 'user name' and 'password'
you simply create these yourself; it is important to remember these, as they will
help you to access the programme in the future.

Once you have finished using Prospects Planner your work will be saved on the network
and, as long as you remember your user name and password, you will be able to return to
your work. In order to printout any information from the programme you will need to use
the laser printers.

The Prospects web site at http://www.prospects.ac.uk has a shorter version of the

Prospects Planner online and is well worth a look.

Gathering Information...
Researching Opportunities...

When you are gathering information about placements, and researching opportunities it is
important to have a well-organised and methodical approach. Keep a folder of when and
where you got your information from - this will pay dividends at a later date if you need to
retrace your steps.

Firstly our web pages contain all the essential information about the Professional Work
Placement module, and links to many organisations that provide placements for
undergraduate students. Check these out:
https://intranet.londonmet.ac.uk/studentservices/careers/work-based-learning/work-based-
learning_home.cfm

There are a number of national placement schemes, and organisations who act as a
clearing house advertising placements to undergraduate students - but please do not rely
on these as the only source of placements.

Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES does not find work placements.
However, we are often approached by employers looking for placement students. If we
receive details of any placement vacancies, we notify all students, who are registered with
Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES, by e-mail. To register with us,
please email shortplacements@londonmet.ac.uk and we will email you our enquiry form.
Our placement vacancies also appear on Employment Online.

There are many web sites that we recommend that you look at for information on
placements, please so our web pages for the most up to date list of pages. Some details
are given below of sites that we think will be most helpful to you initially:

Shell Step Programme

Shell Step is a leading provider of project-based work-placements. Their aim is to enable

motivated students to work together with small and medium-sized companies and
community organisations in order to solve business problems, develop invaluable
personal and technical skills and forge successful careers. Over the past fifteen years,
Shell Step has delivered over 13,000 summer projects throughout the UK, however Shell
Step projects are now available throughout the year.

For eight weeks every summer, 1500 undergraduates join small and medium-sized
businesses and community organisations to undertake specific business and technology
related projects of real and lasting benefit to the host organisation. Students receive a
training allowance of £185 per week as well as training, access to leading skills
development software and a full support service. For more information please see the
Shell Step web site at: www.shellstep.org.uk

Prospects

This is the UK's official graduate careers web site and is run by CSU. Its home page is
http://www.prospects.ac.uk There is useful information on this web site about career
planning, work experience and jobs in general.

Hobsons

This company produce the Placement and Vacation Work Guide that are available from
the Careers Service, and some of their information is available online at:
http://www.hobsons.com

As well as information about placements, their web site contains information on CV

writing, filling in application forms, taking psychometric test and attending assessment
centres.

Business Directories

When you are researching your organisations, getting contact details can be difficult.
Make use of the online business directories that are available;http://www.yell.co.uk
http://www.scoot.co.uk. The more research you can do about an organisation before you
contact them the better. To be able to start a conversation with... I read about 'xyz' on
your web site and I thought it sounded like an interesting department, will impress any
employer.
Information for Students with Disabilities

SKILL - the national bureau for students with disabilities has a useful web site, and gives
particular guidance on the options regarding disclosure:
http://www.skill.org.uk

Please feel free to make an appointment to discuss any particular concerns that you may
have as a student with a disability thinking about work placements. We can arrange for
this meeting to be held in a private space and all information disclosed will be treated on a
strictly confidential basis.

Other Useful Contacts

The University of London Careers Service has a useful site that we recommend you use.
The site has an excellent page of links: http://www.careers.lon.ac.uk/links/index.htm

Students interested in travelling overseas for their placements should think about the
following schemes:
 BUNAC - 16 Bowling Green Lane, London EC1R 0QH
020 7251 3472
http://www.bunac.org.uk
 Council Exchanges - 52 Poland Street, London, W1V 4JQ
020 7478 2020
http://www.councilexchanges.org
 Raleigh International - Raleigh House, 27 Parsons Green Lane, London, SW6 4HZ
020 7371 8585
http://www.raleighinternational.org
 VSO - 317 Putney Bridge Road, London, SW15 2PN
020 8780 7500
http://www.vso.org.uk

Some general sites with information about work placements and work experience:

 The National Council for Work Experience

http://www.work-experience.org/
 National Council for Voluntary Organisations
http://www.ncvo-vol.org.uk
 Vacation Work
http://www.vacationwork.co.uk
What Skills Do I Have?

You will need to communicate to any potential employer that you have a wide range of
skills that will equip you to be a productive employee for their organisation. Whether you
will have to demonstrate this on application forms, on your CV or at interview, there will be
an initial stage where you will need to articulate the skills you have. Firstly this will require
you to honestly assess what skills you think you have. There are many skills assessments
available online, and there are many classifications of what 'skills' actually are. Try to think
in as broad terms as possible, and think about what you have to offer in the first instance.

It is worth taking some time to brainstorm the skills associated with the following areas.
Although this list is not comprehensive it gives a good starting point for articulating your
skills.

Organisational skills - Include references to time management, work patterns,

punctuality, working to deadlines, multi-tasking, adaptability,
flexible working and project management.

Management skills - Include areas of management such as finances, people,

projects, workloads, difficult situations or resources.

Subject specific skills - Most academic subjects incorporate a set of certain skills
relevant to the discipline. Think about what skills are particular
to your subject field.

Research skills - Think about all the ways that research skills are developed.
Library skills, internet, interviewing, questionnaires, surveys,
data interpretation and analysis are all forms of research skills.

IT skills - Include word processing, spreadsheets, databases, email,

presentations packages, as well as any programming skills you
have. Also think about indicating your level of competency.

Communication skills - This area should include visual, aural, oral and written
communication, and be more specific than an unsubstantiated
statement like 'good communication skills'.

People skills - Highlight whether you are good at networking, working within
groups, feeling comfortable with strangers, good at conflict
resolution or good at putting people at ease.

The AGCAS booklet 'Making Applications', which is available from the Careers Service in
Student Services has a section on expressing personal skills, using key action phrases
and words. You may find this useful in helping you to articulate the skills and abilities that
you have.

It is also important to remember that each potential placement organisation may have a
different perspective on the skills it is looking for in students. It is worth researching any
promotional or recruitment literature the organisation produces to see what kinds of
abilities they highlight as being important to them.
If you can demonstrate that the skills you have can be mapped onto the skills required by
a potential employer you stand a much greater chance of successfully securing a
placement. Don't exaggerate your abilities, and always justify any statements you make as
this will make them far more credible to any employer. Give evidence for any skill
statements you make, for example;

"My team working ability has been greatly developed by the group
work I undertake as part of my degree."
"As treasurer of the Student Law Society I have enhanced my
financial management skills in a practical setting."
Creating Your Curriculum Vitae

Having looked at the Compose section of this guide you should be ready to draft out your
CV. Remember that whilst your CV is a 'record of life' it does not necessarily have to tell
the reader every tiny detail about yourself.

Think about the purpose of the CV you are creating, and the focus that it has and what
focus it should have. It is a representation of you on a piece of paper and therefore it
should try to convey to the reader a clear and true illustration of you and what you have to
offer.

There is no 'one way' to prepare and present a CV - although there are some practices
which are fairly standard when it comes to the information you include on your CV.

It is expected that you would include the following information:

 Name
 Address (term and vacation time)
 Telephone numbers (home / mobile)
 Email address (if you regularly use it)
 Education and qualifications
 Work experience / employment
 References

Personal profile and / or career objective statements give you the opportunity to make an
impact with your CV. Avoid using bland statements and blanket claims to skills. You need
to show focus and direction in a realistic yet ambitious manner. Whilst this section would
be optional, if you choose to include it remember to keep this section relatively short.

References should be included and two referees are normally required. One should be a
lecturer or tutor, the other from your work or personal life- but not a member of your family.
Always ask their permission to name them. It is better not to put 'References available on
Request', but to include full and correct contact details.

Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES offer a CV reviewing service,
with free advice and helpful hints on your CV. Please feel free to e-mail your CV to
shortplacements@londonmet.ac.uk. The Careers Advisers also review and assist
students with CV production and you must have a draft CV with you when you attend your
appointment.

The following page gives an example of how you might present your CV - it is not a
template for you to copy, but merely illustrates one way of designing your CV. Please see
the AGCAS Making Applications booklet [available from the CDES Library] for further
examples.
 Alicia Han
18 Dorset Road, Archway, London, N7 3WA
020 7267 2789
E-mail: 00123@londonmet.ac.uk

Personal Profile
Combining degree level study with the need to earn money throughout my course has developed
my self-discipline, time management and determination. The importance of Education only hit me
after I left school, and I have been making up for lost time at college and now University. I am
serious and focused in my study and am making the most of University life by involving myself in
the Students Union, and by taking on the role of course representative.

Education
2006 – present London Metropolitan University
Beng (Hons) Communications Engineering
Degree performance to date 2.2
(Specialist option on Mobile Communications )
Team Project: To work with Business students to help a local theatre identify
options for upgrading their technical equipment. Had to produce a report for
the company and make a presentation.

2005-2006 London Metropolitan University

HITECC Foundation
2004 Hackney Youth Workshop
NVQ2 in Data Processing, Hackney Youth Workshop
1999-2004 Hackney Comprehensive School
GCSE Design Technology (B) GCSE English Language (C)
GCSE Mathematics (D)

Work Experience
Summer 2007 Pell and Bales: Telemarketing Assistant
Worked as a call operator and canvasser on fund-raising campaigns for
non-profit making organisations. Learned tact & diplomacy in phone calling,
and overcame my fear of ringing strangers to make requests.
2004 - 2006 McDonalds Restaurants: Crew member
Have worked part time for several years, doing all the basic jobs. Have
helped inducting and training staff, and have occasionally deputised in the
manager's absence.

Positions of Responsibility
I am a student envoy, this involves taking groups of younger applicants around the University,
giving presentations to college leavers. Additionally I help a small group of local primary children
with their reading.

Interests
Computing I design and print my own fanzines.
Travel I organized a trip to Mexico last summer to look at Aztec sites.

Referees
Professor A.G. Bell, Course Tutor Mr J.W. Smith, Manager
London Metropolitan University McDonalds
166-220 Holloway Road 17 High Street
London, N7 8DB London, N5 1DB
CV Checklist

There is no single 'right' or 'wrong' way to do a CV but there are certain basics that any CV
should get right. The following will help make sure your CV has maximum impact.

Content

Weighting The amount of space devoted to a section or topic depends on the

emphasis you wish the employer to give to it. For example, your
university qualifications should to given grater prominence than
school qualifications.

Words Use positive action words e.g. 'organised', 'initiated, 'co-ordinated'.

Skills Be specific about your skills. Be clear, for example, about the level of
proficiency in any foreign languages you have. Or, if you say you
know something about computer software packages be precise about
how well you know them. Also, when claiming you have skills make
sure you provide evidence of where and how you developed them.

Referees Two referees are normal. One academic, one work/character related.

Dates Avoid significant gaps - see a careers adviser for guidance if this
applies to you.

Length Ideally it should be no more than two pages - you will probably need
two to give enough information to capture an employers attention.

Logical order The most important information has to come first. Section should
include personal details, education, employment, skills, interests and
references.

Presentation

 Your CV should look neat and tidy, with all the information easy to find.
 Use CAPITALS and bold to separate out different sections.
 Use bold and italics (sparingly) to highlight important points or words.
 Underlining is probably best avoided, as it can give the CV an old fashioned look.
Avoid going overboard with special effects.
 Use good quality paper and a printer that produces a clean output. White paper is
usually best.
 Spelling and good grammar are paramount, and spelling and grammar checkers
can be misleading.
 Employers expect perfect CVs.
Writing Telephone Scripts

Although you may feel uncomfortable contacting potential placement employers by

telephone it is often the most efficient way of finding a work placement. Provided you are
prepared and well organised, you can greatly impress an employer by presenting yourself
in a professional and enthusiastic manner on the telephone.

Initially you should have a list of people / organisations to call as a result of your research
that you have done into companies in your subject sector. It is important that you have
these details all to hand first - include the address - before making the call.

Before you start there are some important things to remember:

 Try and make your calls from a quiet room so that you will have a clear line.
 If you are calling from a mobile or a cordless telephone, make sure that the battery
is fully charged and not likely to cut out midway through the call.
 Have all your information to hand, including a copy of your CV and details of your
Work Placement Co-ordinator - you may need to pass some of this information on.
 Have a notebook and a pen ready to take down any details they give you.

Writing a script can seem a little unnecessary but it will help you to 'manage' the telephone
call and not 'babble'. You should not need to read from your script word for word but use it
as an aide memoir to make your call structured - and to ensure that you do not forget
anything.

You should always remember two things when you are first calling an employer;
1. The person who answers the telephone may not be the best person for you to
speak to regarding work placements.
2. The person who answers the telephone may be the right person to speak to, but it
might not be a convenient time for them to talk.

Your opening enquiry needs to take these things into consideration and your exact
remarks will depend on where you gathered the contact information. You may have a
main switchboard number, or you may have the appropriate person's direct line. If you
have a main switchboard number it is probably best to approach it in the following way:

"Hello. I have an enquiry about work experience. Could you please

direct my call to Human Resources or another appropriate office?"

Alternatively you could ask to speak with the manager of the relevant department you are
interested in working for:

"Hello. Could I please speak with the manager of the Events

Planning department?"

Once you are through to what might be the appropriate person, remember to check if they
are the most appropriate person and if they have time to talk to you:
 "Hello, is that Devinder Gupta the manager of the IT department?
My name is Thomas O'Connor and I'm a student from London
Metropolitan University. I was ringing to enquire about the possibility
of work experience and I was wondering if you could spare me a
few minutes to talk?"

If it is not a convenient time or you have reached the wrong person be sure to use the
opportunity to check when might be a good time to call back, or to get the details of the
correct person to speak to.

Also be prepared to leave a voicemail message as many organisations have these

systems in place now. This is something well worth 'scripting' as it is very easy to sound
confused and garbled on a voicemail message. Something along the lines of:

"Hello, this is a message for Devinder Gupta of the IT department.

My name is Thomas O'Connor and I'm a student from London
Metropolitan University. I was calling to discuss the possibility of
undertaking some work experience with your organisation. I would
be very keen to talk to either yourself or a colleague about this matter
and I would appreciate it if you could return my call. My telephone
number is 020 7607 2789. Many thanks."

Make sure that you speak slowly and clearly, spelling any difficult words, and making sure
that your telephone number is clear. It may be worth repeating your telephone number to
reiterate it.

Try writing a draft of a script- and feel free to get a member of staff from Work Based
Learning & Placement Development, CDES to check it for you before you make your calls.

Be precise and listen carefully during the conversation, altering anything you say to show
that you are listening to any information that they give you. Once you have reached the
correct person to speak to, and ascertained that they have time to speak to you, maintain
a logical approach and a polite manner:

"As part of my Computer Science degree programme we are

encouraged to undertake short periods of work experience that we
can use as part of our course. I have been doing some research into
organisations in this field and I would be interested in gaining a
placement in a department such as yours. I would like to know if
there might be a possibility of a 5 week work placement with your
organisation this summer?"

Be prepared to give them some more information about what you would be interested in
doing, what the placement might involve and who they can contact at the university for
more information.
Make a note of anything said during the conversation and particularly with regard to any
action you need to take i.e. sending your CV. It is important to have everything, like your
CV, ready to go before you make your calls as you must follow through with any action as
soon as possible. It is no good impressing an employer in a telephone conversation and
promising to send your CV, then taking a week to actually send it. It is always best to send
any further information in the post either the same or following day.

You may even need to call back a week or so after having sent your CV if you have not
heard anything and chase up on the contact:

"Hello. My name is Thomas O'Connor from London Metropolitan

University. We spoke last Wednesday about the possibility of a work
placement in your department, and I sent you a copy of my CV
following our conversation. I was wondering if you had had a chance
to look at it yet?"

Preparation is the key to telephone canvassing being a successful activity, and as you are
likely to be nervous the first time you ring, it is best to practice from your script aloud to
allow you to become familiar with the phrases.

You may need to make many calls to be successful, but be persistent. Some people will
be rude and abrupt and just say no without listening. Try not to take it personally, the
chances are it is not your fault and they are just stressed in their own workplace. Many
people are very helpful and can often point you in the right direction or provide you with an
alternative contact if they cannot help.

Once you have finished speaking to someone, always remember to thank them for the
help they have given you - even if they have been less than helpful. Remember that you
are calling as a student from the University and your behaviour reflects on the institution
as a whole - good manners cost nothing!

The next step is to follow up on your calls, by sending in your CV and a covering letter.
Composing Letters of Enquiry

When writing to potential placement employers it is ideal to have made initial contact,
either face to face or via the telephone. The type of letter you send with your CV will
depend on whether your letter is:

 A first contact to a department

 A first contact to a named person
 A first contact via a friend
 A follow-up from a telephone call

We would always advise you to call ahead first and try and get the details of the correct
person to send your letter and CV to, as this will increase the chances of its success.

There are some rules to remember when you are writing covering letters that you must
always adhere to:

 Get your layout correct. It is conventional for a business letter to have your address
at the top ranged right, followed by the company address ranged left, followed by
the date ranged right.
 There is no excuse for spelling and grammatical errors. Most employers will spot
these straight away and use them as a perfect excuse not to take you on. They
expect their employees to be literate and to have a eye enough for detail that any
correspondence they send should be proof read.
 Choose a neat and non-fussy typeface for your letter. The eye reads text best when
it is not fully justified, rather it is better to range it left. Make sure that the letter is
spread out well across the page and not bunched together too much.
 Do not repeat large chunks of your CV in your letter that is the whole purpose of
enclosing your CV.
 Keep it relatively short. A covering letter needs only to be a side long, and you
should not need to go into great detail in an initial covering letter.

Also you need to think about the purpose of your covering letter. It should communicate
the following to the reader:
 Who you are and why you are writing
 Why you are interested in working for that organisation and what you have to offer
 What information you are enclosing
 Invite the reader to follow up your enquiry

What follows are some suggestions as to how you might phrase parts of your covering
letters - they are not a template and you are strongly advised to draft your own letters
which Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES offer to check for you.
A first contact to a department...

Thomas O'Connor
Flat 100
The Arcade
385-401 Holloway Road
London
N7 0RN

Manager, IT department
University of West London
300 High Street
Kensington
W2 6RE

Monday 16th March 2007

Dear Sir /Madam,

I am a second year BSc (Hons) Computer Science student from London Metropolitan
University and I am writing to you to enquire about the possibility of getting some work
experience in your department.

As part of my course I have the opportunity to take an academically assessed five-week

work placement during the upcoming summer vacation. I am particularly interested in
systems networking and the challenges of maintaining complex systems in large
organisation such as a university. I would be looking to do my work placement at any
convenient point between June and September, and I am prepared to undertake the work
on a voluntary basis.

I have enclosed a copy of my curriculum vitae that gives details of the relevant modules I
have studied as part of my course, and of my previous work experience. If you feel that
you could offer me a work placement, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with
you in more detail. I can be contacted on 020 7607 2789 or by email at
thomasoconnor@londonmet.ac.uk. I look forward to speaking to you in the near future.

Yours faithfully,

Thomas O'Connor
A first contact to a named person, to whom you have not spoken...

Thomas O'Connor
Flat 100
The Arcade
385-401 Holloway Road
London
N7 0RN

Devinder Gupta
Manager, IT department
University of West London
300 High Street
Kensington
W2 6RE

Monday 16th March 2007

Dear Ms Gupta,

I am a second year BSc (Hons) Computer Science student from London Metropolitan
University and I am writing to you to enquire about the possibility of getting some work
experience in your department.

As part of my course I have the opportunity to take an academically assessed five-week

work placement during the upcoming summer vacation. I am particularly interested in
systems networking and the challenges of maintaining complex systems in large
organisation such as a university. I would be looking to do my work placement at any
convenient point between June and September, and I am prepared to undertake the work
on a voluntary basis.

I have enclosed a copy of my curriculum vitae that gives details of the relevant modules I
have studied as part of my course, and of my previous work experience. If you feel that
you could offer me a work placement, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with
you in more detail. I can be contacted on 020 7607 2789 or by email at
thomasoconnor@londonmet.ac.uk. I look forward to speaking to you in the near future.

Yours sincerely,

Thomas O'Connor
A first contact via a friend...

Thomas O'Connor
Flat 100
The Arcade
385-401 Holloway Road
London
N7 0RN

Devinder Gupta
Manager, IT department
University of West London
300 High Street
Kensington
W2 6RE

Monday 16th March 2007

Dear Ms Gupta,

I am a second year BSc (Hons) Computer Science student from London Metropolitan
University. I have a friend, Michael Lancaster that worked for you last summer, and he
suggested that I contact you about the possibility of getting some work experience in your
department.

As part of my course I have the opportunity to take an academically assessed five-week

work placement during the upcoming summer vacation. I am particularly interested in
systems networking and the challenges of maintaining complex systems in large
organisation such as a university. I would be looking to do my work placement at any
convenient point between June and September, and I am prepared to undertake the work
on a voluntary basis.

I have enclosed a copy of my curriculum vitae, which gives details of the relevant modules
I have studied as part of my course, and of my previous work experience. If you feel that
you could offer me a work placement, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this with
you in more detail. I can be contacted on 020 7607 2789 or by email at
thomasoconnor@londonmet.ac.uk. I look forward to speaking to you again in the near
future.

Yours sincerely,

Thomas O'Connor
A contact to follow up on a telephone call...

Thomas O'Connor
Flat 100
The Arcade
385-401 Holloway Road
London
N7 0RN

Devinder Gupta
Manager, IT department
University of West London
300 High Street
Kensington
W2 6RE

Monday 16th March 2007

Dear Ms Gupta,

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me on the telephone on Friday. I am the
second year BSc(Hons) Computer Science student from London Metropolitan University
that called about the possibility of getting some work experience in your department.

As I explained, I have the opportunity to take an academically assessed five-week work

placement during the upcoming summer vacation. I am particularly interested in systems
networking and the challenges of maintaining complex systems in large organisation such
as a university. I would be looking to do my work placement at any convenient point
between June and September, and I am prepared to undertake the work on a voluntary
basis.

I have enclosed a copy of my curriculum vitae, as promised, which gives details of the
relevant modules I have studied as part of my course, and of my previous work
experience. If you feel that you could offer me a work placement, I would welcome the
opportunity to discuss this with you in more detail. I can be contacted on 020 7607 2789 or
by email at thomasoconnor@londonmet.ac.uk. I look forward to speaking to you again in
the near future.

Yours sincerely,

Thomas O'Connor
Completing Application Forms

Some organisations will ask you to complete an application form rather than send in a
copy of your CV. You need to take great care over completing these forms and it is
advisable to first take some photocopies of the blank forms to allow you to practise your
responses before finally completing the form.

Always read through forms carefully before you start to complete them. Many stipulate
that you must complete them in black ink, or in block capitals. It is important to follow any
instructions given as many employers will automatically discard any forms that are tatty,
messy or do not follow the guidelines on completion.

We recommend that you draft your answers to application form questions and then make
an appointment to see a member of staff from Work Based Learning & Placement
Development, CDES to discuss your responses.

Once you have completed an application form, make a copy and keep it in a safe place.
Not only will it be important if you get an interview with the organisation, but you will find
that many application forms are similar and you may be able to use your responses from
one for another.

Interview Points

Whilst there are many books published on interview techniques, we are only summarising
a few points here. You are unlikely to be called for a very formal interview process for a
short voluntary placement. If you are, and you would like further guidance please see a
member of staff from Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES.

General points to remember if you are called for an interview:

 Be early - everyone knows the problems regarding public transport so you should
make allowances for this and leave plenty of time to get there.
 Be smart - it may not be necessary to go in a suit, but at the same time you cannot
slob along in your jeans and a T-shirt, smart casual is usually acceptable.
 Do your homework - find out a bit about the organisation first, and have some
questions ready to ask.
 Take a copy of your paperwork - your application, any letters, your CV and - if
appropriate - examples of your work.
 Relax - interviews are never as bad as they are made out to be, maintain a
professional manner but let your personality shine through and give them the
chance to see what a valuable addition you would make to their team!
Checklist of Activities

 Register your interest with Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES
 Attend induction workshops
 Action plan
 Follow up on your applications
 Keep your Work Placement Co-ordinator informed of your progress

Once you have secured a placement that answers the following questions you are ready
to progress to the Professional Work Placement module:
Ask yourself "Is my placement..."
 For a minimum of twenty-five days* in length?
 Related to my degree programme?
 Of a level suitable for an undergraduate?
 Giving me some responsibility for my own work and achievements?

(* The placement length does vary according to the subject, you are studying. The
standard length is 25 full days, but make sure you ask your Work Placement Co-ordinator
and the Module Tutor in your department how long your placement is meant to be!)

This documentation was prepared to assist you with your search for a suitable work
placement. Work Based Learning & Placement Development, CDES produce more
materials to assist you with the Professional Work Placement module. Once you have
secured your placement, you are ready for the next step.

Good Luck!