How Can Work Experience Help You?

Work experience can be an excellent way into a new career. It’s on-the-job practice which is always valuable to employers, and it can set you in good stead to achieve your aims and ambitions within your job.

You will often have the chance to undertake work experience when you’re at school. If you’re given the opportunity, always take it up. You might be able to try your hand in a field you’ve always dreamed of working in. Even if this isn’t the case, whatever you do can be added onto your CV to show that you have practical life experience outside of the classroom. You might even be able to secure yourself a Saturday job from it.

Work experience after school is often a popular way into a career. It’s also a way for you to find out more and decide whether a certain job sector is for you. Often work experience will last for a week or two, though it may be possible to do it for longer if you wish. Employers might well give preference to people who have undertaken work experience with them as they already have an advantage over those with no prior knowledge.

It’s never too late to undertake work experience. If you want to change careers or get some knowledge of a different area, you could always try taking on some work experience on a more casual basis. Offer to do some voluntary work in your spare time or ask to shadow someone for a day to see what their job entails.