Okay...so I have got this far..but no one is noticing me?

If you have been able to find some kind of voluntary work then congratulations! As Tesco's says "every little helps".

It actually does help! Even the odd bit of ad-hoc work can show the ability to fit in a little extra work around your busy schedule. This ability shows excellent organisation skills and a team player. At this stage of the job-market-game, strong organisation and team player skills are essential as the jobs a graduate would primarily go into after University are within a team and with low responsibility.

In the last post, I discussed how a university student could get voluntary work within university societies. But, why bother with voluntary work? "What if I am in a position where I can get paid work within my chosen field, should I still bother?" Well my friend, you are one of a small percent who attain the chance to do so, so well done you!

As previously explained, short term placements and training in the right field for a graduate is extremely tough and can be just as competitive as a full time job. The competition is getting tougher by the year as more and more graduates pour out of university.

If you get a contract for a placement or training during uni, you are still competing against others for full time jobs at the end of your degree who might have a similar background as you, but with a bite. That bite could be a little bit of voluntary work or a project they have done in their spare time. It's unfortunately not enough these days to have one project under your belt.

Your CV needs to look so full of varied training, that the recruiter or future employer would be mad not to employ you.

I want experience, but I can't give up my holidays for voluntary work.

For whatever reason you can't give up your holiday time for voluntary work or a summer placement, The answer may be closer to home (well, uni).

Summer placements nowadays are becoming just as competitive as internships and let's not get started on work placements. Some are just about as competitive as graduate schemes! But there will be many out there who can't afford to work for free or travel half way across the country for a few weeks - if you don't have friends or family that are close that will let you stay, a massive fortune will have to be spent on B&B's. Many will want to do summer work closer to home to afford that holiday they rightly deserve, or many have great plans for a summer full of partying (we can never do enough at the ripe old age of 20yrs old and by god do we deserve it!).

So, what's the answer? Well, the good news is it's at uni and it's not so competitive. The answer is to join a society/group that is relevant to your ideal career.

So if you are interested in PR, why not join the union newspaper society? If you are interested in Marketing or Accounting, join a society and become the secretary/ event's secretary or treasurer. These don't sound as prestigious as a summer placements with Ernst and Young or a top PR firm down in London, but it shows interest from an earlier starting point and at least you'll have something down. If there isn't a society that fit's your ideal career, why not create one?

Prospective Lawyers look into debating teams or human/animal rights society

Events Management: join a society (or sporting society) and try for the events secretary - if they don't have one, say they should and try run for it! (I did!)

Radio or TV? A good number of Universities have a TV or radio station within the union. If they don't have one - well, make a start in getting one!

Prospective teachers could look into a society that offers voluntary teaching within the local community.

Future politicians could also look into the debating team and go into the society that represents their chosen party and be as active as possible within the university and local community.

Anymore you can think of? Feel free to comment below.

Hope this post will be hopeful for those looking for a chance to gain experience within their chosen field.

H