Information for secondary students and school leavers
A step-by-step guide to getting work experience
8 steps to getting work experience
Applying for work experience is very similar to applying for a job. Follow these steps to gain valuable work experience:
Step 1: Decide on the job you would like to try
What ideas have you had already? What are your interests? Use these interactive tools to help you figure out some more job ideas:
- Jobs by Interest- get a list of job ideas based on your interests
- Skill Matcher - what are you good at? Match your best skills to job ideas
- Subject Matcher - match your favourite school subjects to job ideas
Step 2: Find a helpful contact in the industry
You can find a helpful contact in several ways:
- Ask family, friends and teachers if they know anyone who works in this kind of job or industry. Church, clubs, sports teams and other community groups you are involved in may also have useful contacts. Ask them if they can help you get in touch with someone in your chosen job or industry.
- Talk to your careers adviser at school to see if they have any contacts in this job or industry. They might be able to set you up with the Gateway programme, which means you can go straight to Step 4!
- Try doing some research on the Internet, on this website, or by looking through industry magazines or the Yellow or White Pages for companies or organisations who do this kind of work.
Industry contacts that can help you set up work experience
Step 3: Get in touch with the right person
- Now that you’ve narrowed down some companies or people that could offer you work experience, you need to get in touch with the right people.
- Contact people either by letter, email or phone to ask them about work experience. Be prepared to tell them why you are interested in their company, and why you want work experience. You could offer to post, email or fax a CV if you have one.
- They may not get back to you straight away – it could be a few days or weeks if they are busy. If you haven’t heard anything within two weeks, give them a follow-up phone call, or try another company on your list.
Information on how to contact businesses and what to ask them
Step 4: Meet the employer
The person you make contact with may like to meet you first before they agree to work experience. Treat this like an interview.
You will need to be prepared to:
- answer any questions they may have
- present a clean and tidy image
- be on time.
Questions you can ask at an interview
Step 5: Plan and write down the details
Congratulations, the interview went well and they’ve offered you some work experience.
Now you need to talk to them about what you will do in your work experience. Things you need to cover are:
- what day/s you will work
- how long you will spend with them
- what kind of tasks you might do
- some goals you’d like to achieve from being there.
Also check you have:
- their name
- their address
- starting date and times
- transport to and from the workplace.
If you’re unsure of anything, it’s best to ask.
Step 6: Survive your first day
The first day of anything can be nerve-racking. Things will be new and you might not know where to start. Remember to take one step at a time, and that it is a learning experience. Here are some tips to help the first day go smoothly.
- Be there on time.
- Don’t be afraid to ask questions, especially as this shows the employer you are interested.
- Have the right attitude – treat it as you would a real job. This could be your next employer.
- If you have any problems or misunderstandings, speak to the person looking after you.
Step 7: Make the work experience count
Try to make the most of your work experience. If there are parts of the job or organisation you want to know more about, and haven’t had a chance to try, ask if you can include them in your programme.
When you reach the end of your experience find a time to talk to the supervisor. Things you should cover are:
- whether you are interested in working for the company in future. Be enthusiastic if this is the kind of job you would like. There could be openings you don’t know about!
- checking the paperwork needed if you are doing the Gateway programme, so that you can earn credits for your work
- whether your supervisor is willing to act as a referee for future job opportunities.
You should also leave them a copy of your CV that has up-to-date contact details.
Use our templates to help you draw up a CV
Step 8: Stay in touch with your employer
If you enjoyed your work experience, it’s a great idea to stay in touch with the company.
- You could send a thank you card or letter, or send an email saying how much you enjoyed your time with the company. This will help them remember you in the future.
- If you stay in touch with the company after you have left, you can find out about future job opportunities.
- Record the details of your work experience on your CV, including your new referee and their contact details.
