Everyone knows that employers look for work experience. But when is the best time to get it?

Don’t wait until you graduate to start looking for quality work experience. Feedback from employers and universities shows you need to be doing this while you’re studying.

Last month we talked to a range of UK employers about how they viewed the need for work experience. This month we talked to some of the UK’s top universities about the benefits of a quality summer 2010 internship and how this enhances not just future job prospects, but can lead to higher degree marks in years to come.

From talking to UK employers in October we heard that work experience along with a qualification was essential, a degree alone is not enough. We also heard that International work experience was seen as a bonus and something to distinguish or differentiate yourself from your competition (other students).

If you missed this article you can catch up on what UK employers said here:

Summer 2011 Internships – What do Employers Think

Why is relevant work experience so important?

But hang on, we hear you cry, I already have work experience. That may be true but how relevant is it? We see hundreds of CV’s each month and we see the same thing 95% of the time, lack of relevant work experience.

The type of work experience we see usually is serving tables at a pub or scanning groceries at a supermarket, nothing relevant to the degree a student is studying, or the profession they want to go into. Certainly not something that jumps off the page to graduate employers.

What are the benefits of getting your work experience early?

Intern Options talked with a range of university careers and placement teams on this subject. Suki Clayer, Placement Manager at De Montfort University believes the biggest benefits of gaining quality work experience relevant to your studies while you are still at university are:

1. Relevant work experience on your CV can make it easier to gain employment for your sandwich placement
2. To test ideas and try subject areas you are interested in
3. To see if that is the career area you really want to work in (rather than testing this when you graduate)

Lindy Blair, Placement Manager for School of Management, University of Surrey had this to say about the importance of students gaining relevant summer work experience in their degree subject area after the first year:

“Probably the greatest benefits we see for our students is applying their course work to the real world of business and especially applying concepts that are often hard to grasp when taught in a classroom environment. The university sees improvement in students’ attitude and approach to studies and there is a real link between students that have undertaken relevant work experience and higher degree marks when they return to their studies”.

At Intern Options we realise there needs to be a choice made between working in a paid job to save money over summer OR getting real world quality work experience in your area of study to put you ahead of your class. A sacrifice is needed in today’s world and the earlier a student can make this, the more beneficial it will be to you.

Why international work experience?

In a recent article on the BBC website titled “Life in a harsh jobs market” they report that with unemployment in the UK reaching 2 million and half of employers not looking to take on graduates or school leavers in the coming months, young people looking for work should think about spending time abroad.

“We are but one country in the global landscape. There are lots of countries round the world where GDP is growing not shrinking… don’t constrain yourself to thinking about the UK.”

Reference: BBC website “Life in a harsh jobs market”

One of the biggest reasons students don’t search out work experience opportunities in their second or third year, is they don’t believe they have studied for long enough for employers to want to take them on.

Louisa, a graduate from Manchester Metropolitan University has been placed into a fantastic position in Sydney, Australia in Fashion Marketing. Louisa had heard how hard it was to get a job as a graduate with a degree, so never thought she could land a proper job in marketing or fashion as an undergraduate.

Can I really get a good summer internship in my second year?

Jon from Intern Options said: “I don’t think students realise just how good the positions are that Intern Options can place them into, and how early… when we talk to students about the type of jobs we can place them into any time after their first year of studies, students are amazed”.

In Australia, specifically Sydney and Melbourne there are some excellent summer internships to be had working in some very good positions.

What kind of work experience can I get over the summer?

Holly from the University of Bristol who was placed into Sydney for a 16 week internship had this to say about her experience:

“In my first week they threw me in at the deep end doing things I’d never learnt before,” she says. “It was good, because I’ve learnt so much in a really short space of time. It was kind of nerve-wracking taking on jobs I wasn’t familiar with, but it’s the best way.”

To see example company and position descriptions in your subject area, click through to the Summer 2011 Internships page for full details.

To talk through the kind of internship we can look at for you in 2010, or if you have any questions on Australia or New Zealand, pick up the phone and call the experts on 0207 353 7699.

Previous articles in the Summer 2011 Internships series

This is the fourth article in the Summer 2011 Internship series, if you missed the first three articles, don’t fear you can check them out here:

Article One – Summer 2011 Internships – Where to Start

Article Two – Summer 2011 Internships – How to Budget

Article Three – Summer 2011 Internships – What’s the Big Deal

Article Four – Summer 2011 Internships – What do Employers Think