Welcome back to paaarrtttt three in this series of posts on
how to successfully secure a placement/year in industry. All advice is based on
my own experience of applying and getting placement offers. As in my previous
posts, I want to share everything I did right with the hopes that the
application process will be more smooth for you :)
In this post, we'll be talking about the process of filling out job applications. Let's get started.
1) Staying organised
I highly recommend using an excel spreadsheet to keep track of what placements you applied for and where you are in the application process for the job. I also used to copy the links of jobs I liked the look of, but hadn't applied for yet and filled in the Excel box with yellow (and turned it green when I applied).
To make dedicated time in the bustling student life for specifically applying to placements, I used Google Calendar to organise my time. I found it real useful. I would put my lectures, sports, placement application times all on the calendar. That way, I wouldn't forget to apply and was held accountable for what I did with my time.
When filling out the applications, I recommend using your university email address, mainly because it looks more professional. I also made folder on my email account specially for placements, to make it easier to find the emails later on and just keep things organised.
2) Don't neglect your lectures, unless you have an interview.
Up to personal discretion of
course, but try to make all your lectures if possible. I made time to apply for
placements working around my lectures/labs.
3) Workdays!
WhAT iS wOrkDaYs? Workdays is the 3rd party that a lot of companies outsource to for candidate applications. A lot of job applications on Workdays have the same format of asking for personal info, experiences, CV & cover letter. With that in mind, instead of typing out a Workday application each time you can copy and paste from a previous Workday application. However! You should make sure that you're spelling and grammar is completely flawless before doing so. Believe me, it's always worth it to double check. Also make sure the copy and pasted details are still relevant depending on the role you are applying for.
4) Double check you're application before sending it off.
One time I applied for a job and
got an email back saying "Thank you Fahdah Sarah for submitting your
application", because I had entered my first name where the last name
should go. I wasn't surprised when they didn't progress my application.
5) Cover letters
As mentioned in the previous
post, use AI assistance to help write your cover letters. Simply upload a
really good previous cover letter, paste in a job description and then ask AI
(I used ChatGPT) to adapt your current cover letter based on the job description.
You could also upload your CV with the cover letter if you want it to branch
out from the experiences only mentioned in the cover letter.
6) Making use of your university's placement team.
As well as giving great interview advice, you're uni's placement team can review your CV, cover letter and answer any questions you have.
7) A quiet, peaceful space
Some job applications will require you to
complete a mini puzzle, quiz or maths test. One-way interviews (questions
appears and you just talk at the camera) are becoming more common. For any sort
of assessment, I recommend finding a space where you won't be interrupted.
Hmmmm how many placements should I apply for? Really up to you! I had an unusual amount of energy heading into Year 2 (now that it's spring, it's very much depleted) so I was averaging around a placement application a day. However! One fab application is better than a sub-par one, and it's important have a routine that fits your lifestyle and makes you happy.
Best,
Sarah
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