Thinking about looking for a placement year in the middle of your degree? Doing a placement year, or sandwich year, is an absolutely unique experience to get a taster of a specific industry you might want to pursue a career in and to learn a lot about yourself along the way.
From fitting into and finding where you can add value to a business, to learning the nuances of how to send a corporate email with just the right tone – embarking on a placement year is an experience I cannot recommend enough. It’s a fantastic opportunity to get a sense of the professional world, with the safety net of returning to university after a year (and returning to student life!).
For all its positive takeaways, however, setting out to look for a placement year which fits you and what you’re looking for can be a daunting process, as there is just so much out there.
From searching for, and now being over halfway through, a placement year myself. And from speaking to and seeing the experiences of some of my close friends with their placement years – I’ve compiled a few tips, almost a ‘what I would go back and tell myself’, to hopefully make the task of looking for a placement slightly more manageable.
Start Looking Early!
This may seem arbitrary but time really is of the essence. I’m absolutely guilty of procrastinating myself but deadlines are deadlines, and the earlier you start looking the better. This tip was unanimously agreed upon by all those I asked!
The earlier you start searching, the more opportunities you come across, and the more scope you have to refine what you’re looking for.
In the same breath, if you don’t secure one early, or decide to do a placement later on, no need to lose hope. Two of my friends secured theirs as late as May, but starting early can save a lot of stress down the line – speaking from experience, unfortunately!
Starting to look later on can just result in limited opportunities, which makes the application process seem all the more daunting.
It’s For Everyone
You may have a really specific idea of an industry or type of business you’re looking for – if so great, I’m very jealous! But if you’re like me, doing a very broad degree and with only very vague ideas of a career plan following it, the task of finding the right placement year seems unconquerable, filled with vague industries and companies offering all sorts of indecipherable roles.
A productive way to look at it is to narrow down a few things you want to get out of the year. These may not be industry-specific, but more general goals.
Remember that one of the beauties of a placement year is that it isn’t forever, and it’s a chance to try something out. There’s so much to learn and so many transferable skills – any experience can be good experience!
Keep An Open Mind & Don’t Rule Things Out
Along the same lines, don’t discount yourself from processes due to your degree – not that many degrees (particularly those of us who chose humanities) are directly applicable to industry placement years.
As a not-even grad, your best skill set is your interpersonal skills. The way you think, and often your perspective as a 20-something-year-old (including your tech skills, even if they just involve turning things on and off!). If it’s an opportunity that you really feel you could be a good fit for, put yourself out there and give it a go.
Alongside choosing an industry to look at, the size of the business is also an interesting factor to consider. You’ll get different experiences in different sizes of business. While it’s easy to be pulled into only applying for big firms, I have personally loved the experience of joining a smaller business, and the increased exposure and responsibility that this brings.
Keeping an open mind in terms of business size and industry really widens your opportunity pool, and allows you to consider other factors which are arguably equally important.
Do Your Research Into the Company
For me this is absolutely crucial – know what you’re committing to!
Make sure you understand the business and role that you’re potentially going into absolutely. Getting the best possible sense of the working environment and where you’ll fit into this is crucial.
I can’t put enough emphasis on the way that your working environment will shape your experience. In any junior level role you will often be dependent on the support of your colleagues, particularly at the start, and having that supportive friendly environment is absolutely invaluable. Without the brilliance and support of the team at Inclusive, I have no doubt that I wouldn’t have enjoyed my time so far even half as much!
Check Glassdoor reviews. Websites such as Companies House and social media pages such as Linkedin. And most importantly, if you get an opportunity to ask questions at any stage, ask as many as you can and don’t be afraid to.
Application (& Unfortunately Rejection)
In terms of the actual application processes, they can be taxing, time-consuming, and at times, a bit overwhelming. Make sure you’re putting aside enough time to complete applications – I promise it’s worth it in the end!
Showing specific interest in the company is really important, and remembering that it’s as much about you choosing them as them choosing you – it needs to be right for you both.
Don’t be disheartened by rejection. It’s part and parcel of applying for anything, and placement years are often competitive. Be prepared to fail, and learn from it.
Again, this was echoed by all of my friends who went through the application process as it is absolutely universal. Try and take positives and treat each one as a learning curve.
Look After Yourself
Although the work itself and the business you join is very important, it’s worth considering the year as part of a whole package. You (hopefully!) won’t be living at work.
Factors such as location are huge and can change your perception and experience completely. Placement years can be a fantastic opportunity to experience life in a new city, but consider the wider implications of the role, and take your own mental health into consideration.
Work/life balance, the option of flexible remote working, and company culture are all factors that can have significant ramifications on your lasting impression of your year. Although challenging at times, a placement year should absolutely be something you enjoy and remember fondly, so make sure you consider the year as a whole, as well as the role itself.
The Benefits of Getting a Placement Year Job
Personally, and in the case of all those I know also undertaking a placement, it has been an incredibly worthwhile experience. And, while secondary to the other benefits, it has certainly given me a newfound appreciation for the flexibility of a student sleep schedule!
It generates a multitude of applicable skills as well as teaches you about your own strengths, weaknesses and passions, which you can use to shape and inform decisions about your future.
Although challenging at times, it provides a fantastic foundation and sets you up with skills a degree isn’t necessarily able to provide, and I honestly couldn’t recommend it enough.
To anyone considering a placement year, best of luck searching, and I hope you find one with a business as fantastic as Inclusive!
