Placement dilemma.

bewildered123

OP I would agree with the poster above that you might want to think about the type of job you want after university. If you do want an international element then seriously consider doing ERasmus. Despite every British university offering Erasmus exchanges, so few students actually have the courage to go (particularly if you're not doing languages) that it really can help you stand out from the crowd. In particular, living and studying abroad is seen by employers as rather different to gap year type travel, as it can show that you're adaptable and resilient. One angle you could consider as well is whether it might be possible to get some work experience alongside studying - if you ask the person running Erasmus if s/he could put you in touch with students currently there, you could ask whether that's a possibility.
I did a year abroad in Germany as part of my degree and it really was a life-changing experience. It was very hard at times, but it increased my confidence no end and more importantly it opened my eyes to lots of opportunities that I would never have known about had I stayed in the UK. I'm still in touch with the friends I made from all over Europe, and look back on it as one of the best years of my life.

Lawpf2001

bewildered123 wrote: »

OP I would agree with the poster above that you might want to think about the type of job you want after university. If you do want an international element then seriously consider doing ERasmus. Despite every British university offering Erasmus exchanges, so few students actually have the courage to go (particularly if you're not doing languages) that it really can help you stand out from the crowd. In particular, living and studying abroad is seen by employers as rather different to gap year type travel, as it can show that you're adaptable and resilient. One angle you could consider as well is whether it might be possible to get some work experience alongside studying - if you ask the person running Erasmus if s/he could put you in touch with students currently there, you could ask whether that's a possibility.
I did a year abroad in Germany as part of my degree and it really was a life-changing experience. It was very hard at times, but it increased my confidence no end and more importantly it opened my eyes to lots of opportunities that I would never have known about had I stayed in the UK. I'm still in touch with the friends I made from all over Europe, and look back on it as one of the best years of my life.

Thanks Bewildered123 great post really helpful.

As part of my course I am currently taking two international modules one looking at businesses running abroad and the other looking at trade, finance and investment internatioanlly. So international business is something I am interested in looking into for the future.

My main thoughts are that I am likely to graduate with a 2:1 (If i work hard possibly a 1st) generic business degree from a mediocre University. In terms of standing out from other graduates I can't think that many students will have taken years abroad as part of their course specifically a business course. This will show a adapatability, communication, problem solving (due to language barriers) and taking ownership and a drive to achieve (as I have obviously considered what i want in life and done my best to achieve this). These are 5/7 core competancies that one of the large IT companies whom i'm have an interview with next week look for from their interns/graduates.

I have been considering possibly getting work out their if possible. Due to the large amount of hotels and hostels in Barcelona i'm sure many would want a native English speaker to help with their running. And from this I hope I could get some work experience in running of a business. As I have mentioned in a previous post I have taken a gap year and worked for 10 months in a large bank in a proffessional office environment so in many ways I already see myself as having one up on my peers whom have just had a job at the local supermarket.

Edit: From re-reading this maybe my mind is made up. I seem to be talking up the year abroad and finding ways why I should not take a work placement.

MusicalLawyer

Lawpf2001 wrote: »

As I have mentioned in a previous post I have taken a gap year and worked for 10 months in a large bank in a proffessional office environment so in many ways I already see myself as having one up on my peers whom have just had a job at the local supermarket.

It isn't about where you have worked. It is about what you have done within that job. Some would say opposite to what you have stated, depending on the role you have taken and duties you have undertaken.

Either way I think you've made up your mind Good Luck!

rozmister

You may have one up on the people on your course who have only got experience working in a supermarket but you won't have one up on the ones who worked in a supermarket and did a sandwich year relevant to their degree. Working in an office is different to a sandwich year; sandwich years are only allowed if you can prove the direct relevance of the position you take to what you study.

I did a sandwich year (compulsory on my course) and they are actually very strict about what you do whilst there. It's not simply office experience you are expected to do the kind of things you would do in a junior entry position post graduation not simply answer phones and make coffee (although there is a small bit of that). They check in on you regularly (by phone and face to face) and most universities expect you to produce a report at the end applying the theory/modules you learnt whilst there to your experience on placement.

I'm not saying this because I think it's any better than an ERASMUS year in Spain but it is foolish to think that 10 months in a professional office setting is equivalent to a placement. Unless you landed very much on your feet with your office job you probably didn't have a role that incorporated everything you then went on to study at uni. Employers love placement years too; I don't graduate until June but I've already got 2 grad job interviews lined up (both paying 18k+ per annum) and a full portfolio to show at interviews as well as a lot of relevant experience and transferable skills to take with me. I don't have to apply for entry level roles because I already have the prerequisite 1 years relevant experience to go for the next level up which offers a better role and better wage packet.

Lots of sandwich year placements are actually paid; at least with the bigger companies. I took an unpaid one because I wanted third sector experience and unfortunately there isn't a lot of money washing about there.

Anyway I just wanted to give you a balanced overview of placements and their benefits from the view of someone whose already done one

Also there's nothing wrong with a supermarket job, it is what you make of it. If you don't care and sit on the till for years then yeh it won't help in a graduate market but I was a Supervisor within 4 months of starting at my p/t job and it's always good to be able to show the responsibility you held in an interview.