{"id":9575,"date":"2015-11-30T11:57:37","date_gmt":"2015-11-30T11:57:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.studentemploymentservices.co.uk\/?p=9575"},"modified":"2016-07-13T18:33:59","modified_gmt":"2016-07-13T18:33:59","slug":"work-experience-preparation-5-steps-to-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.studentemploymentservices.co.uk\/staging\/3440\/blog\/work-experience-preparation-5-steps-to-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Work experience preparation: 5 Steps to Success"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you\u2019re a fan of The Great British Bake Off, you\u2019ll know that preparation is everything. Work experience is much the same. Lilli Hender from OfficeGenie.co.uk<\/a> offers five strategies to help prepare for a showstopper of an internship.<\/p>\n

Financial planning
\n<\/strong>It\u2019s been estimated that a month of unpaid work experience in London could cost up to \u00a3926<\/a>. The potentially huge expense is an important factor to be aware of but do not fear. To help cut costs, see if you could stay with nearby friends or family and always check your university\u2019s funding policy.<\/p>\n

If sourcing the money from your parents is an available option that\u2019s great, if not, getting a part time job is a good alternative – it counts as further work experience and you, personally, will have earned your place.<\/p>\n


\nMental preparation
\n<\/strong>Work experience can feel daunting but remembering that you\u2019re doing it for your own good is key to lifting your spirits. The chances are you\u2019ll enjoy your stay at the company (and you might even be offered a full time role) and if you don\u2019t, it\u2019s a short amount of time out of your life for long-term benefits.<\/p>\n

Your placement will ease transition into working life and show employers you\u2019re an accomplished and dedicated candidate; knowing this should help you feel positive about the experience.<\/p>\n


\nDaily planning
\n<\/strong>Generally, people respond well to structure and routine. When a large portion of your day will be dictated by your new employer, it\u2019s important to put measures in place to ensure you feel you\u2019ve had a significant input too. Apps like Evernote are a great aid when it comes to organizing your work.<\/p>\n

Planning what you\u2019re going to wear, what you\u2019re going to eat, and how you\u2019ll get to and from work will help with this. Not only will you be more prepared, eating food you enjoy and wearing clothes you like will help you feel more comfortable in unfamiliar surroundings.<\/p>\n


\nResearch
\n<\/strong>While you can never truly know what to expect from your work experience, researching the company, the location, and the department\/role you\u2019ve been assigned will aid settling in and impress your manager. The more familiar you are with the company, the less you\u2019ll have to stress if you\u2019re asked any questions about it.<\/p>\n

Research isn\u2019t just for working hours though, if you know there\u2019s a great Chinese restaurant round the corner you can plan to go there after work. Perhaps ask a colleague along, if that proves too scary, there
\nare much worse things that sitting alone amidst a sea of spicy squid and towers of prawn toast.<\/p>\n


\nKnow what you want to achieve
\n<\/strong>How will this placement help me in the long run? And what can I do to optimise the benefits? These questions can be tricky to answer but it\u2019s important you ask them of yourself, that way you can make the most out of the experience.
\nFinally, a few tips to help:<\/p>\n