Working in the UK - The Gap-Year 2015 - page 296

CV stand out and rise above the competition of the near 400,000 graduates leaving the
UK's 168 universities every year.
Rajeeb Dey, founder of Enternships, a company which connects students with entrepren-
eurial work experience and full-time roles, told us: “Remember that the workplace is be-
coming increasingly competitive. Gaining work experience from an early age is essential
and you're never too young to start.
“One of the most important pieces of advice I was given while being an intern was: 'Do not
just follow directions. Think about why you are doing what you are doing'. This is such an
important point: the education system doesn't always prepare us to think for ourselves. So
entering the world of university, where you are given far less direction in how to manage
yourself and your time (and not to mention your money!), taking initiative and being entre-
preneurial in your outlook can be a culture shock for some. Nevertheless it is essential.
“One of the most important benefits of an 'enternship' is that enterns are given the oppor-
tunity to build this skill and also their own self-confidence. This means that not only is an
enternship before university an impressive addition to your CV for when you leave uni-
versity, it will also equip gap-year students with skills they will need while at university,
and help them to get the most out of time that will seem to fly by.
“You should take every opportunity to develop new skills and gain experience; do not think
that the only time to get work experience will be the summer holidays of your penultimate
year at university. Times have changed - you need to get more proactive about the world
of work; take every opportunity you have to do short-term work placements.”
Check out www.enternships.com for ideas about some of the opportunities that are out
there.
There's also some good information at: www.allaboutcareers.com/careers-advice/in-
ternships
Interviews
Once your persistence has got you an interview, you need to impress your potential em-
ployers.
Attitude - confidence and knowledge are probably top of the list for employers, so that is
what you must portray, even if you're a bag of nerves and haven't got a clue. They want to
know you're committed.
Dress - make sure you are dressed appropriately (cover tattoos, remove nose piercings etc ,
don't show too much flesh, have clean and brushed hair - all the stuff that your teachers/
parents tell you and really annoys you). If you're going for a creative job (advertising, art,
etc ) then you can probably be a little more casual - when you phone the secretary to con-
firm your interview time and venue, you can ask whether you'll be expected to dress form-