Role of Work Placement Experience in Job-seeking

Almost two-thirds of survey respondents agreed ‘a lot’ or ‘completely’ that they had told prospective employers about their placements when they were seeking work. Another 17% agreed they had told prospective employers ‘to some extent’ (Figure 32). There was a general feeling among respondents that a placement ‘makes my CV more attractive to employers’, but one also commented that they would like more assistance with ‘support on bringing the skills to life professionally.’ Another commented, ‘In two interviews I had after the Erasmus+ experience, there didn’t seem to have as much value placed to a two-week Erasmus+ placement. Although the short two-week experience may not be “measured” as equivalent to a long-term task/employment, the gains were intrinsic and real.’

This may be an area where sending organisations could provide some guidance or instruction to help VET learners ‘package’ their experience for presentation to employers.

Looking to the in-person research group, those who were in employment emphasised the importance of using LinkedIn and other networks to help secure interviews, as well as the need to draw connections between the skills acquired on work placement and the requirements of a job.

• I always put it on my CV. I’ll always do it. I actually uploaded my presentation and our report to my

LinkedIn profile. It really makes a difference when they scroll down your profile and they see that you attend workshops, attend a work placement, that you are active. Dorota • If you go in for a job interview and say, ‘I haven’t just stayed on the one little small island, I’ve been around the world and gone to different countries and seen different work cultures – I’m aware of how different people function’, it looks good. Steven • It was an amazing experience, one that I will always remember, and a fantastic opportunity that

I’m very grateful for. I strongly believe that it opened my eyes, and allowed me to be immersed in another culture and a different way of doing things, that I otherwise wouldn’t have had the opportunity to do so. I have been asked about it in several job interviews (as it is on my CV) and it did make me stand out from other contenders. Survey respondent • At an interview I had for a similar position which would mean monitoring invertebrates on numerous farms in England, the fact that I had the technical language that I’d learned and acquired while there through the identification of different specimens and even the pinning – those words mean a lot during an interview. I believe it was just having that kind of ability to speak in that manner that got me through a lot of the interviews and got me, as I said, two offers. Oisín

Dorota also commented that she was very nervous about public speaking before her placement and felt her development in this area helped her perform better in job interviews.

Because an interview is like public speaking, right? If you would ask me before (my placement) to have an interview with you I would be really stressed. I would do it but I would not be comfortable. So this was like a cold shower. And [my placement] is always at the back of my head because it was such a positive experience for me that I just keep reminding myself. It’s been a few years but I’m so grateful for it.