Work experience

gingerdan

I am currently unemployed and looking to do work experience in banking, I have looked online but its mostly for Graduates.

I am thinking of sending letters to business but would the letter go to head office or the branch.
cheers

gibson123

There is a problem with work experience when you are unemployed, basically if you are doing work in a business and this is unpaid, then there is a risk that you could make a claim under NMW legislation. This is even true even of you have volunteered to work for free.

Many (good) companies will not take the risk so to ensure that taking some-one on work experience does not pose a risk to them, then they will only do work experience for those at school, currently studying, recently graduated or as part of a back to work or employability programme. This is so the business can prove that the work experience is for the benefit of the individual not for the benefit (profit) of the company.

So before applying for work experience it is worth calling up and asking about their policies.

dizzyrascal

gibson123 wrote: »

There is a problem with work experience when you are unemployed, basically if you are doing work in a business and this is unpaid, then there is a risk that you could make a claim under NMW legislation. This is even true even of you have volunteered to work for free.

Many (good) companies will not take the risk so to ensure that taking some-one on work experience does not pose a risk to them, then they will only do work experience for those at school, currently studying, Only if it constitutes part of their course and even then they should be paid the NMW unless it is only work-shadowing or can be shown to be a charity or not-for-profit organisation

recently graduated -again they should be paid at least the NMW if they are actually working but there are some sectors like journalism, fashion and PR who abuse the good will of the graduates

or as part of a back to work or employability programme. This is so the business can prove that the work experience is for the benefit of the individual not for the benefit (profit) of the company.

So before applying for work experience it is worth calling up and asking about their policies.

Banking is notoriously difficult to get work experience in, even for graduates.
If I were the op I would start making a list of the reasons why you want to work in banking (so you can convince the employers you write to) and do a skills audit to see if you have what the banks are looking for.

marybelle01

Work experience in a bank may not be realistic. Many require CRB, financial and security checks. That implies an investment in you that they may not be willing to make just for work experience.