A perfect internship

As of tomorrow, at 5.15pm I will have finished my two weeks’ work experience placement with The House London. It has gone unbelievably fast. Too fast even. I guess time really does fly by when you're having fun. I’m hoping tomorrow will go reeeaally slowly so that I can savour every last bit of my placement with them. This is what I would consider to be my first ‘proper’ placement that is career focused, and it’s been such a good start to showing me the world of work. 

To name the projects I have worked on: 

• I have designed an app, which, once polished up in document form will be taken to the Home Office to present it to them.
• I have worked on a project for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in association with Cannes Lions.
• I have worked on PR releases for an app The House has designed.
• I have created a fictional advert campaign for a new perfume release.

Luckily I have not experienced any of the intern horror stories of photocopying all day, filing or making teas and coffees like there’s no tomorrow. They have fully accepted me in to the team, have taught me the ropes and provided me with responsibility. It’s been fantastic. The environment of the office is so different to those that I have experienced before too. As it’s a creative business, the ambience is relaxed and causal, which I believe encourages productivity and increases the happiness of the employees. 

This placement has only anchored my excitement to enter the world of work and I could only hope I end up with a company like this after I graduate in 2014. I start my next placement on Monday, and I’ll be sure to keep you updated with my progress there too. Wish me luck!

Take a chance, it might just be the best you'll ever take

Having written my article on The Guardian’s job advice tips a few days ago, my train of thought has led me to chances in life. Anyone who believes the age old saying of “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” is, in my opinion, still half right. Only nowadays I believe with the job market being as bleak as it is that the saying should run something like this: it’s what you know and who you know. Fortunately for some lucky individuals in life they are born into a wealth of contacts, and perhaps even wealth itself. These people it often seems get the sought-after jobs in the top law firms, or businesses alike. I am not denying that these people work hard in their job levels, but for the many of us who aren’t the fortunate few we have to really strive hard to build up a network of contacts that will hopefully see the talent and potential in us and will invest in us as future employees. It is nigh on impossible for people to leave sixth forms and colleges now and to walk into a secure and permanent job. Why? Because every company, no matter how big or small, require prospective employees to have an abundance of experience because they cannot afford the risk of expenditure on extensive training programmes if the employee turns out to be less than suitable. It’s a vicious cycle of so desperately wanting to get on the career ladder but no one being willing to take a chance on you. We have become a risk averse nation in these frighteningly bleak economic times.

Granted there are a significant proportion of people my age who are just plain lazy. For those who are that way inclined, be assured, the world owes you nothing. There are so many opportunities for students at university to become more employable that there really is no excuse. From work experience, internships, volunteering or even simply having a job alongside your studies all of these activities prove committment and dedication. If you have used your initiative in your choice of projects, i.e. they are relavent to your career choice, it’s bound to get you noticed and will put you a cut above the rest in the job market.

Some of the best brands, companies and employees arise out of taking risks, big or small. Entrepreneurs being an obvious example. Whatever happened to the saying you’ve got to spend money to make money? So take chances, companies, because you might well just find the best employee you otherwise would never have had the pleasure of meeting.