Going for Gold

So here they are. 7 years in the making and despite some predictable grumbling about security and upsetting the North Korean women’s football team, the Olympics are set to kick off with a bang on Friday night. For the next two and a bit weeks competitors from around the world will be going for gold after weeks, months and years of preparation. To get this far, Olympians will have had to dedicate themselves to their sport, make personal sacrifices and shed blood, sweat and tears along the way. Competing at the Olympics is the pinnacle of an athlete’s career and with very few exceptions (Eric the Eel comes to mind) they get there after years of training and commitment.

I understand that there will be something like 24 digital tv channels showing live coverage of the Games, so students enjoying the summer break will be able to feast upon a variety of sports. However, while building up expertise on relatively unknown events such as Modern Pentathlon, or catching up with the latest round of the Water Polo competition, I would encourage students who have just completed their first year at university to take a leaf out of the book of the Olympic competitors and start planning ahead for their next big challenge, namely securing a placement.

The start of the new academic year may be a couple of months away, but it is never too early to get the ball rolling. The fact that the likes of Accenture, Deloitte and Deutsche Bank are already accepting applications for placements and internships should be enough to convince a student that they are already under Starter’s Orders and don’t want to be left stumbling out of the blocks. In the next six to eight weeks, lots of the better known placement schemes will open for the 2013 intake so here is some simple advice to enable students to hit the ground running.

1. Focus your thoughts on what sort of role you are interested in. At this point you may not be too sure yourself, but contact your Placement Office to find out the sorts of jobs that students from your course typically do for a placement. So for example, if you are on a finance-related course, do you want to be an Accountant? Maybe a Financial Analyst. Perhaps you see yourself in Banking or want to pursue a career as an Actuary. When making applications it is better to be clear about why you wish to apply for a particular role, rather than spread your bets in a half-hearted fashion.

2. Once you’ve got your head around the sort of placement you are looking for, it is time to identify employers who offer what you want. Again your Placement Office can help you with this, or you can tap into the 10,000+ reviews that have been posted on Rate My Placement 

3. Get your CV updated and ready to send. Don’t be surprised if this means completely re-writing a CV you have previously used to secure part-time employment. What was good enough to get you a job serving coffee or stacking shelves may not be up to the professional standard expected by blue chip organisations. Get in touch with your Placement Officer about your CV during the summer and you are more likely to get an immediate appointment than during the autumn term when you will be vying for attention with hundreds of other students.

4. If there are any obvious gaps on your CV at this stage, you still have time to do something about it before making applications. Work experience, whether through part-time jobs, internships or volunteering is key. If you can find something short term over the next couple of months, it can be added to your CV, provide you with material to write about in applications and demonstrate to a recruiter that you have employment experience. Sitting around watching the Olympics on TV is not going to help you, getting involved with a community project might.

5. Use social media to your advantage. Some companies have dedicated Twitter or Facebook accounts to engage with students. Examples include Ernst & Young (@EY_StudentsUK) , IBM (@IBMUKGraduate) and Barclays (@barclaysgrads) Follow them and be kept updated on their opportunities and deadlines.

In your search for a placement you will face many challenges. There may not be the physical demands that Olympic competitors face, but making applications, sitting online tests and attending assessment days will require you to dedicate time and energy if you are to achieve your aspirations. Finding a placement is more like a marathon than a sprint. If you want to secure gold, you need to put in the hard graft to push yourself into contention. Do your preparation now and you’ll give yourself a competitive edge.