The importance of resilience and preparation

In this guest post 2 Royal Holloway Business and Management students talk about the resilience and the steps they required to overcome the challenges of securing a placement year. 

Chenzira Gwenzi is studying BSc Management with International Business (Year in Business) and has secured a placement position with Hays Specialist Recruitment consultancy within their Leicester branch.

My process in applying for a YIB started earlier than most students in early September time, although I sent many applications I did not receive much response back. I attended a couple of interviews and online assessments although I failed to make it to the next stage. I began to feel disheartened with the lack of response, while seeing my peers attend assessment centers and receive officers. Then deciding to take a break from applications and when I returned I began to reapply with less pressure on the outcome.

 I applied for a role at Hays using my CV after finding the job on Linkedin and reading the short job description. The recruitment process was streamlined and efficient. The process took 10 days in total, from application to offer (including phone interview and Teams interview). Finding this placement speaks to the saying ‘everything happens for a reason’ - after being rejected by many prospective employers but then finding the right one for me.

 The main take away I have from this process is the importance of resilience and applying for jobs that you have a true interest in. Additionally, don’t just apply for the companies you know - there are amazing opportunities available everywhere. For some companies the application process can seem long and arduous, even more so with a lack of response, keep persisting as that application could lead to a job.

Sophie Cutler is studying BSc Business with Marketing (Year in Business) and has secured a Digital Marketing placement with Hewlett-Packard (HPE). Sophie shares her experience of finding a placement during Covid times and her advice for fellow students.

My experience of trying to find a placement has been really challenging. I applied to every company I thought I’d be a good fit in and was checking my emails constantly for updates. I had quite a range of applicant days – some days being six hours, others being two and a half, and it’s exhausting to put all that work in just to be given another rejection.

My advice would be to ensure you’re fully prepared – have notes for possible questions and do IN-DEPTH research into the company – everyone can read the company’s website so go further and look into product launches, the market they work in and their competitors. This year is really hard, so you need every advantage to stand out across a screen.

A great website I’d recommend would be Craft.Co, which offers you the company’s competitors, financial information, an in-depth report on the company’s culture and work structure – so it’s great for figures, basic information and statistics. I’d also recommend looking at product launches or events on Youtube and their social media as it gives you a talking point in cover letters, interviews and applicant days.

For both students the placement process was tough, but the outcome was highly rewarding with the offer of a prized placement position. If Royal Holloway Business and Management YIB students need more guidance on the process they should contact MN-YIB to set up a 1:1 call. There is also extensive material available from the Career service – on both the Careers’ moodle page and Careers’ website. https://intranet.royalholloway.ac.uk/students/jobs-careers/home.aspx

Career Consultant appointments are available for CV checks and practice interviews and can be booked by the Royal Holloway Careers’ portal