Work experience isn’t always advertised or may not be routinely available in your area of interest. To discover opportunities you’ll often need to approach employers directly.
Find hidden opportunities
Uncovering hidden work experience opportunities isn’t easy, but perseverance pays off. First, talk to family, friends, fellow learners, teachers, tutors or anyone you know through hobbies or extracurricular activities to see if they know of anyone to approach. They might have links to a company of interest and pass on their contact details.
Social media
Use sites such as LinkedIn or X to keep up to date with what companies are doing and connect directly with employers online.
Check your own social media. To make a good impression on recruiters, conduct yourself professionally and only post content that you’d be happy for an employer to see. Find out more about social media and job hunting.
Make sure your email address and social media identity sounds professional, too. Something that amuses your friends may not sound right in a work context. You don’t need to close your existing email account, you just can’t use it when interacting with potential employers.
Avoid addresses using @yahoo.com, @aol.com, @hotmail.com or @outlook.com. They look old fashioned.
Small employers
Local small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often a great place to find opportunities. Big companies tend to advertise formal internship and work experience schemes but SMEs often rely on word of mouth and speculative applications – so do some research into smaller organisations in your area, such as high street independent optical practices.
Write your cover letter
Briefly introduce yourself; who you are, what and where you’re studying. Be clear about the type of experience you’re looking for, but show willingness to be flexible.
Show your interest in the company and say how this relates to your career aspirations. Then give some background information – your interests, skills, qualifications and other work experience or relevant training. Explain how this relates to the work experience you want.
Mention any extra-curricular activities that demonstrate skills useful in the workplace. This could be timekeeping, attention to detail or teamwork, for instance.
Show that even in a brief work experience opportunity you have something to offer. Include information about your availability to work and how to contact you.
Always use a professional tone and double-check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Ask someone else to read over your letter.
Close your message positively and politely, reiterating your interest, willingness to provide more information and that you hope to hear from them soon.
Thank your contact for their time when considering your application.
Create a tailored CV
Take a look at the company’s job adverts for clues about what they do and what kind of qualities they look for. Make sure your CV reflects what the firm does. Any experience you list must be relevant – industry experience, something you’ve learned on your course or an extra-curricular activity.
The aim is to make your application as tailored to the company you’re applying to as possible. If you want an organisation to create an opportunity, you need to demonstrate that you know what they do and are keen to work for them.
Don’t be afraid to walk in
If you are approaching local, smaller firms, you could visit to drop off your CV. Explain to the receptionist or front desk that you are interested in work experience opportunities. Mention why you are interested in this company and be polite. Avoid especially busy times, such as Saturdays for hairdressers.
Find out more
- Learn more about how to write a cover letter
- See an example
- How to write the perfect CV