Applying....

Placements narrowed down and at the ready. Now it’s time to sort out your CV over the summer...

Re-vamp your CV there are templates online, but are they relevant to you? If you’re applying for a more creative role, maybe you should change the style of your CV to appeal to the company you are applying for (make it creative- go on take the risk). Ensure that your CV is tailored to the various jobs you are applying to, they must be personalised, don’t be lazy change it!

 If possible, if you can get hold of the job description of your desired role, pick out the key words and try and include these into your CV. (Employees usually spend less than 30 seconds looking at a CV and now, new software can screen your CV checking for those important key words. You have been warned... include those key words!

After completing your CV, it’s time to do your covering letter. I did this over the summer at the end of my first year. Within my CV, I expressed my passion for marketing, why I felt I’d be a key asset to the company and my real passion for working for the VAG group. Use a creative example to help you, express your passion and show your enthusiasm (this is what I did). NO spelling mistakes, check over it, get someone else to check over it, your friend, your Mum, your Nan, who ever, just make sure it’s concise and engaging.

Now you’re in your second year. Wow. November time has struck, time to start applying.

With most placements, they ask various questions. Before submitting, type out the questions on to word (to check spelling/grammar mistakes) and save the documents. Once you have completed the questions, get someone to read over them. Once you’re happy, submit the questions. Make sure you keep to the word count and try to express yourself clearly. Let your passion shine through and be confident in what you’re saying. Never lie and make sure it’s you, if someone else has wrote the questions for you, the ‘big guys’ are going to know.

Find out the deadline date for submission. You don’t want to do all the hard work and then miss the deadline date. Be organised, put it in your phone, diary, stick it on your wall, on your forehead...anywhere as long as you remember!

In the application, they will ask you questions about you, current issues, what you know about the company, why you want to do a placement, you extra-curricular activities etc. So make sure you have these questions nailed as they are your first encounter with the company. You need to come over strong and competent. Do not come over as if you know it all because you don’t, remember you’re not even graduated. Come over confident but express the fact that you are passionate about learning new skills and how the industry works etc. Being confident or a big head are two different things, get the balance right and you should be sorted.

First stage over fingers crossed....

(Do not let placements take over your University work. If you do, you’ll feel the consequences. Make sure you manage your time effectively. At the end of the day, if you’re letting your Uni work slip, you could end up doing your second year again. So focus and have a good balance. I cannot stress how important it is to prepare over the summer months for placements. Trust me, it will really pay off!... It did with me.) I wish you the best of luck...

Read my 2^nd blog for the next stage in the placement process.....

Getting Started...

Tips on getting a Marketing and PR Placement...

To apply for a placement, you cannot be a normal student. You need to have some pazaz about you. If you don’t have any of the following, then try to adopt these skills ASAP:

·         Work Experience

·         Part of a society at University (Business, Photography)

·         Part Time Job

·         Contributed to the University somehow (i.e Open Days)

·         Sport Club (Football, Netball, Rugby)

·         Certificates

·         Volunteering

·         Charity work

·         Etc........

First things first, we know that your first year results do not count towards your final grade in 3^rd year...but don’t be fooled. Oh no, to do a placement most companies look at your first year results. Most, if not all, want you to have a 2:1. So have fun in your first year, but not too much. Work hard, play hard.

Attend all of the PDP sessions, if you’re serious about getting a placement- trust me this really does help. Don’t be lazy either; you have the chance to write a reflective log towards the end of the year, this is so that you gain a certificate for PDP- if you don’t you’ve wasted all that time for nothing. Although PDP is not a module-it is an additional skill/achievement. Employees like this. So get the award to stand out.

Right so now, you’ve finished University for the year, you should have got your grade back and got a 2:1. Brilliant!

Now here is where some people go wrong. You have so many weeks off in the Summer... So get hunting for your ideal placement NOW! Do not make the mistake and do it in your second year, no no, no! In your second year, you have to start reading the chapters, seminar work, journals, extra reading etc. There is no time to faff around. Get organised and write a list of the placements you want to apply to.

It’s important that you read the job titles advertised for placements, so in the summer if they say they want work experience (which they will).... get out the yellow pages and start trying to find some work experience (RING AROUND, DON’T BE SHY). Work experience is so important, it teaches you so much and without it you won’t know what role you really want to apply for.

So now you’ve got your list narrowed, find out where there head office is. If you want to live near to University, home, then research it first.

Look at the website; see if this is a company you want to be a part of. If you don’t it will show through in your interview, the company wants someone who is passionate about the brand. You need to love, breathe, live the brand values!

A helping hand.

Hey all.

I want to help out fellow University of Lincoln students. How I want to do this, is to pass on my knowledge and tips for when applying to a placement/s.

In June 2012, I shall be taking on the role as VW Marketing Assistant & I cannot wait!

Hearing from others, I can understand how hard it can be to get a placement. So I've decided to do this blog to give you people a helping hand. I really hope it helps, fingers crossed for you guys, let’s hope this helps you secure a placement.

Today is 'The day'

Time for a last minute rehearsal!

This is where we finished last minute slides, and ensured that what was being said, met the objectives of the brief. As a PR agency, it was essential that we followed CIPR regulations. CIPR regulations, state PR practitioners must “maintain the highest standards of professional endeavour and personal conduct” CIPR code of conduct (2011)

Particular group members shone when delivering the pitch. Understanding that not everyone felt as comfortable to pitch, hints and techniques were passed along to help others when presenting.

Within a group it’s not about yourself, it’s about the team and how you can pass on your strengths to help someone overcome a weakness. Our team worked well together showing a good sense of teamwork and moral. Belbin (1981) states “The constitution of the group itself is an important variable in its success” highlighting the importance of group activity, and how we should work together to ensure success.

When working within a team, the leader/s have specific expectations, which they need to live up to. I believe I am correct in saying that most people would like direction, motivation, advice, criticism and democratic leadership style from their leader/s.

The three factors that a successful team must obtain are: integrity, competence and confidentiality. Team members must also be good at communicating and should have outstanding time organisation skills. This is to ensure that they are chosen again by their clients, reflecting and ensuring that they gain an outstanding reputation.

Westfields Fashion Poster

Chloe's Creative Posters

Light at the end of the catwalk

Today was interesting. The day before a presentation is always a peculiar meeting. With each group member having a last minute panic, debating whether or not we felt that we’d meet the brief... it was time to get motivated!

Each group member put forward the work that we had done. Chloe did a fantastic job, she successfully devised some background research reflecting on who, what, why questions about why we decided to host the fashion catwalk in Westfield’s London. Shrada, put forward a creative mood board, which included a mock press release. Kirsty and I worked together on comprising the slides, and did extensive research around the brief to ensure that we had met every aspect. I worked on the layout and the visual aids of the slides and carried out more research with concerns to the budget alongside Kirsty. Kirsty and I, really cracked on with the presentation over the holidays. Together we really pushed the boat out to come up with more creative ideas to help aid the fashion show.

Each of us worked well, to help each other amend last minute slides. Delegation of tasks occurred once again with each group member being assigned a task which needed to be completed for the next morning.

You learn someting new every day

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