Where should I look for placements?
There are a wide range of websites that are really helpful when searching for placements and internships, as well as graduate roles. Here are some of the key platforms that can be used:
Career Connect (the University of Sheffield’s Careers Service job board)
Rate My Placement, Prospects, Student Ladder, MilkRound, Indeed Jobs, Bright Network, LinkedIn
Some more specific places to search:
Based in Sheffield: RISE Graduates
Charity / NGO / Social Enterprises: Bright Network
When to start applying for placements?
Companies usually start posting placement openings from September, but they can be released for months afterwards and the opening window for applicants to apply can vary depending on the role.
To give yourself the best chance of getting the placement role you want, we would recommend that you begin looking as soon as you can when you begin your second year. Also, apply as soon as possible to ones you may be interested in because when the vacancy receives enough applications, the position may no longer be available.
What support does the Management School provide?
The Management School’s Employability Hub is a fantastic resource for you to utilise. Industry experts Emma and Mike can help you with anything employability related – from reviewing your CV to offering presentation advice. Appointments can be booked through the futures first website here, with a 1:1 session allowing you to cover the topics you need help with the most. They’re super friendly and very knowledgeable so be sure to turn up with a few questions already prepared.
Secondly, the Futures First mentoring programme allows you to get advice from returning placement students on applying for placements, day-to-day work of a placement student, or anything else employability related. If you would like to speak to an ambassador, send us an email at: ffambassadors@sheffield.ac.uk. We’re happy to help and support you along your journey!
Finally, the Careers Service and the Management School host regular careers events you can attend for free. Look out for talks from top employers and networking opportunities to broaden your horizons and learn more about a company and the roles on offer. Many of us Placement Ambassadors only knew about a placement from attending a networking evening and talking to recruiters. You can learn a lot from speaking to people who work for the firm to see if it’s something that aligns with your interests.
Top tip: Be sure to keep a look out for ‘Hub Headlines’ in your University email inbox! This is a weekly newsletter published by the careers team in the Management school listing placement vacancies and relevant careers events.
How can I find accommodation for a placement year?
There are a few different options available for finding accommodation for a placement year. Sometimes your company will put you in touch with other placement students who are starting at the same time as you so you can find a place to share together.
Alternatively, if you know other placement students, it might be a good idea to take charge yourself and contact others to see if they are looking to rent. If not, or if you would rather be more independent, some good options to begin your search are SpareRoom, IdealFlatmates and FlatShare.
A key element to consider when thinking about location is considering transport links and working out the commuter time and costs every day, to your place of work. Try to live near a train / bus line if you do not have a car.
Alternatively, if you’re working in your home town, you can consider moving back home and saving some money on rent. If you know of other Management students who are also completing a placement year, it might be worth considering living together and having a house share. However, you should only consider this if working in a nearby location to one another. Additionally, in previous years students have found placements around Sheffield, allowing them to live with their friends continuing into their final year at Sheffield.
How can I prepare for verbal/numerical tests?
In terms of the various tests that organisations may ask you to complete in the initial stages of your application, the University provides free access to Graduates First, a great website to practice tests including:
- Numerical Reasoning
- Verbal Reasoning
- Logical Reasoning
- Situational Judgement Tests
Additionally, recapping simple maths skills such as percentages, tables & graphs and converting different units of measurements will be beneficial.
How can I prepare for interviews?
One of the most important ways to prepare for an interview is to understand the company you are applying for in-depth. You need to know their values and mission as a minimum, so that you can ensure you portray yourself in a way which is in line with what the company is looking for. Moreover, knowing the role and the company in detail can help you with another important step which is preparing answers to potential questions.
It is good practice to use the STAR technique (situation, task, action, result) before your interview so that you can bring up some practiced answers if related questions are asked. At the minimum you should know why you want the role, why you have chosen the company and why you are the right person for the job.
Find out more about the STAR technique.
How can I prepare for an assessment centre?
Each assessment centre will be different and you should research the specifics of the particular company and job role you are applying for. A great place to start is going directly to the company’s website, you will often find careers resources and tips for assessment centres. In addition, use resources such as Glassdoor and The Student Room for advice from previous students, you should never rely entirely on this information but it can provide some insight into the assessment centre.
It is particularly important to research the core values and goals of the organisation you are applying to, having a good understanding of these will ensure you can highlight your most relevant strengths and really impress the recruiters. If you are nervous about attending an assessment centre, it may be a good idea to attend a mock assessment. Keep an eye on the University’s careers events page and the Employability Hub’s events page for upcoming sessions. If you require some one-to-one advice then you can always book a meeting with a Career Consultant at the Employability Hub!
Here are some top tips for making the most of your preparation:
- Be sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before your assessment centre. The last thing you want is to be tired before the big day.
- Have a good breakfast. There’s nothing worse than leaving the house and feeling hungry.
- Leave your house early and prepare enough time for your commute. It’s much better to arrive early than late, so even if you’re sat waiting in reception, you have saved yourself the worry.
- It’s ok to feel nervous but also have confidence in how far you’ve come! Recruitment processes can be vigorous so congratulate yourself on getting to this stage.
How long should my CV be?
For a placement application you should be aiming for a CV which is roughly 1-2 pages long. Your CV should provide recruiters with evidence of your skills to back up what you can talk about more in-depth in your cover letter. Advice on writing a CV can be found here.
How many placements should I apply for?
There is no right or wrong number of placements to apply for. That being said, applying to more placements will give you a better chance of getting one in the end. This does not mean applying for the sake of it, but there will probably be a range of placements that interest you.
Furthermore, by applying to a wider variety of opportunities, when given the chance to get to know the company more through interviews/assessment centres, you can see which companies/roles you think you will be happiest in.
Where can I get advice on my application, CV or cover letter?
The University Careers Service offers 1:1 appointments with Careers Advisors, CV and application writing workshops and insight sessions with employers – all of which can help you understand what to include when applying to placements.
The Management School Employability Hub also has Careers Consultants, Mike and Emma, who are available for 1:1 appointments where you can ask any careers questions you have, have your CV checked or learn how to structure a cover letter. You can book an appointment with Mike or Emma here.
The Placement Ambassadors are a group of 6 final year Management school students, all having completed a placement year and are available to offer support on applying for placements. The team can be contacted by email: ffambassadors@sheffield.ac.uk.
A great way to ensure your CV and cover letter are of a good quality is to look at a company’s website to understand their culture, values and exactly what skills they look for, so that you can tailor your application accordingly.
What are the benefits of doing a placement?
There are numerous benefits of doing a placement. Not only will the experience make you more employable and provide lots of networking opportunities, but you will also gain invaluable skills that will help in both your final year and university and your future career. For example, many placement students find they return to Sheffield with a much greater ability to manage their time and organise their week. A placement will allow you to approach graduate applications with confidence, having had many experiences to talk about and well-developed skills to set you apart from the competition.
What should I expect in terms of pay and University fees?
Placement roles typically pay between £16-20,000 for your time on placement, although this will really depend on the company and role, but also location. For example, in London the cost of living is much higher and so pay will reflect this. Employers understand that you may have rent / taxes / University fees / transport to pay for, therefore should they make sure that the salary is enough for placement students to live comfortably.
You can check University fees for students taking a placement year here
Should we tailor our CVs and cover letters to the different organisations we apply for?
Yes! Organisations want to see you have researched the role you are applying to, understood what is expected and you should be able to reflect this in your CV as well as cover letter. Attributes such as your work experience, club/society engagements or voluntary work will remain the same, but make sure you’re drawing on the skills the company is looking for. If the company’s values centre around integrity, respect and responsibility, you should look to emphasize these within your application. If you were to send a generic CV, this might suggest to recruiters you haven’t made much effort and could hinder your application.
Will I be the only placement student in an organisation?
The answer to this question depends on the organisation you work for. For example, a large organisation is more likely to have a bigger cohort of students just like you. Such organisations could include PwC, KPMG, Disney, L’Oreal, Microsoft, SAP and Unilever. These larger companies will have the capacity to incorporate placement schemes for a mass number of students. Whereas, independent/smaller organisations or family-run businesses may only facilitate a few interns or even just one.
I’ve just secured a placement, what do I need to do?
If you have secured a placement please email mgt.employability@sheffield.ac.uk, to inform the Employability team in the Management School so they can send all the relevant documents and instructions to you. This will ensure you can change your degree to show a degree with employment experience.