Need work experience?

The importance of gaining work experience, and how to go about finding the right option for you. By Miriam Liberman

After years of hard work it's finally time for the much longed for and well deserved graduation day. Standing there, surrounded by friends and family with your diploma in one hand and a champagne glass in the other you probably feel like you're on cloud nine, ready to take on the world, only to wake up the next day and realise that in a globalised world which is currently suffering from a severe economic crisis a university degree will in most cases not be enough to help you take that all important first step on the career ladder. The reality is that in recent years there has been a sharp increase in the number of university graduates, so to stand out from the crowd and show employers that you are the right candidate for the job, you also need work experience.

For some students, getting work experience can seem like a 'Catch 22' situation – to get work experience you need to have a job, but to get a job you need to have work experience. But there is no need to worry. There are plenty of opportunities out there and it is possible for everyone to gain the work experience needed in order to become more attractive on an increasingly competitive job market.

Getting work experience doesn't automatically imply that you have to scour the internet and newspapers looking for job openings. You can also gain valuable experience while studying by doing a so-called Sandwich course. This type of course is quite common and offers students a chance to spend a year (usually between the 2nd and 3rd year) with an employer organisation in an industry which is related to the subject they're studying.

Another good way to get work experience before you graduate is to combine your studies with a part-time and/or vacation job. By doing this you will not only make sure that you have theoretical as well as practical knowledge when you graduate, you will also earn some money to help you pay your way through university. It doesn't really matter if the type of job you find is low-level and has little to do with your course or future career plans. What employers are looking for is skills that can be gained from most jobs, such as for example learning to work together with a variety of different people, taking responsibility, being able to process new information quickly and dealing with customers or clients. If you can't find a job, you might consider some form of volunteer work. Working for a charity organisation or a political party can be both interesting and rewarding and will look good on your CV. You might also consider getting involved in Student Union related activities. If you have been a Student Union officer or president of a student society/sports club, potential employers will know that you have leadership, administrative and organisational skills.

For those who can't or doesn't want to work whilst at university, there are also ways of getting work experience after graduation. It has become more and more common for graduates to do an internship before proceeding to a 'real job'. There is no clear definition of the term internship, but in short it can be said that it is a temporary position aimed at giving young people a taste of working life and some on-the job-training. The job you're doing should ideally be related to the career you're planning on pursuing.  Internships are offered by private companies and organisations such as for example large multinational companies, media organisations, think tanks and NGOs as well as public sector institutions such as the UN, the EU and national, regional and local government.

It is relatively easy to find an internship. Use internet search engines, visit the university careers centre and try to make good use of your social network. You can also send open applications to companies that you find particularly interesting. When looking for an internship it can be a good thing to be creative and think 'outside the box'. Sometimes there might be an opportunity where you least expect it. But it is also important not to become too desperate and try to remain critical, because even though most companies and organisations that offer internships are legitimate, there are those who take advantage of recent graduates and may trick young people into doing very simple routine tasks or make them do qualified work for very little or no pay. To avoid ending up at one of those places, make sure you do proper research before you accept an offer. A simple Google search can often give you useful information and talking to previous interns is of course a great way of finding out more about a certain company or organisation and get a better idea of what the day-to-day work is really like. Asking questions at the interview is always a good idea and don't be afraid to turn down an offer if it doesn't feel right. Remember that it's your future career that's at stake!

Miriam Liberman received an MA in European Governance from the University of Kent, England a few years back and currently resides in Stockholm, Sweden