Hallo Leute! My name is Patrycja and I’m a Marketing Management student at Lancaster University. Currently, I’m doing my placement year as an International Marketing Intern at Schwarzkopf Professional in Germany.

If you’re going to start searching for your placement this year, you’ve come to the right place! Today I’m going to give you some tips on how to increase the chances of finding your dream work experience.

The sooner, the better!

Make sure to start applying at least in October. Set your pace. Be conscientious and create your own routine. Don’t get crazy about it and don’t get overwhelmed! I advise you to create a list with your favourite offers and the deadlines. Keep checking RateMyPlacement and LinkedIn once per week to update the list. Then, most importantly, prioritise and apply to 1-2 positions each week. Remember, focus on quality of your application, not quantity!

From my experience: Bear in mind that a lot of companies (especially the big ones) can finish recruitment before the deadline if they find suitable candidate, that’s how I lost my opportunity in Disney ☹ So…the sooner, the better!

We're here to help!

Don’t hesitate to reach out for support from the beginning of your job hunting. Stay in touch with the placement team and use The Careers and Employability Service. These wonderful people with huge experience will guide you, help you with your CV, cover letters and mock interviews, but most importantly, they won’t let you feel overwhelmed and lost in this stressful time <3 Remember that we all play in the same team so don’t think twice, get in touch with any of us, student ambassadors and placement students! We’re here to help!

From my experience: one placement student shared her experience with me and made me realise that it really doesn’t make sense to push into something that you’re not going to enjoy. Don’t apply for the industries which you don’t find interesting. Believe me, if you don’t enjoy your work, it will not help you to develop at all.

Stop scrolling Instagram...start scrolling LinkedIn!

Update your profile, make connections, and stay tuned for the news from the industry! Don’t be afraid to tell your story on LinkedIn, mark all your successes (and failures!) to show how you develop as a young professional. Everyone at the university will tell you how important it is to be active on LinkedIn and trust me, they are right!

From my experience, after I had an interview for one of the start-ups that I applied for, I noticed that the woman who interviewed me checked my LinkedIn profile straight after. What did she find? Blank spaces, outdated information and my random profile picture. It was the moment when I realised that I need to pay more attention to my LinkedIn profile instead of posting stories from the Sugarhouse on my Instagram.

The most persistent win.

Keep trying! Be patient and go easy on yourself. First weeks of applying can be demotivating since it’s the period when everyone tries their luck, and the huge companies hire 1-2 candidates choosing from hundreds or even thousands of applications! Work on your CV and cover letters, try to get some mock interviews and believe me, if you stay persistent, a few months later you will smash it!

From my experience: I started applying in September/October and I got my internship in May. Almost 9 months of stress, doubts, ups and downs. But I made it! What’s more, I know people who got amazing offers even in July! So don’t give up and remember, only the most persistent win!

University is your starting point.

Keep an eye on Lancaster University’s Employment and Recruitment Service and try to get your first job experience at the uni. It’s a perfect opportunity to get valuable content for your CV and real work experience in your field. Try to meet as many inspiring people as you can, attend networking events and make connections!

From my experience, thanks to one of my student ambassador shifts I got to know about the internship which I’m doing right now!

Last but not least, everyone gets tons of rejections so don’t worry about it, just apply, forget and keep moving! If you have any questions or wish to talk more with me, don’t hesitate to contact me on LinkedIn! I’m more than happy to help!

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Disclaimer

The opinions expressed by our bloggers and those providing comments are personal, and may not necessarily reflect the opinions of Lancaster University. Responsibility for the accuracy of any of the information contained within blog posts belongs to the blogger.