Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney - 229

ADVICE:

EXPERIENCE
ou want to get on the
career ladder. You've
got the necessary
qualifications and the
skills required. You've
applied for jobs, but
have yet to be invited for an interview.
One way to improve your chances is
to prove you are employable by getting
a placement in the workplace, either by
volunteering or through an internship.
Although these are two different
options, there is a certain amount of
crossover. Volunteering is giving up your
time for a cause you believe in, for no
financial gain. You can do this for a set
period (undertaking a three week stint
in an animal sanctuary, for example),
or regularly (such as working every
Saturday at your local charity shop).
A professional internship is a paid
position, where you gain hands-on
experience in a role you wish to pursue
as a career. However, there are also lots
of unpaid internships about, which are
basically work experience, similar to
what you would undertake at school or
college. You won't receive pay for these,
although you may get travel expenses.
Make sure you know exactly what type
of internship you are being offered before
you sign a contract, as some unscrupulous
employers use a succession of long-term
internships to avoid employing full-time
staff or paying salaries.
Whichever you choose to do, having
experience will look good on your CV,
boost your confidence and allow you to
gain new skills. All these things can only
benefit your future job hunting efforts.

Volunteering
Charities rely on volunteers. It's estimated
there are over 13 million people working as
volunteers in the UK. Volunteering is ideal
for people straight out of education, who
may have qualifications but no hands-on
experience. It's also a good option if you're
between jobs, work part-time, want a career
change or have been made redundant.
Opportunities are varied, from fundraising,
retail and public relations, to working with
the elderly, youth work, cooking, caring - the

list is endless. With so many opportunities,
you can utilise your existing skills and gain
valuable new ones. You won't get paid, but
some companies may pay travel expenses.
Volunteering boosts your confidence,
fills gaps on your CV, and shows a positive,
pro-active approach to working that will
impress future employers. So you're helping
others, and helping yourself. Win, win.
See www.volunteering.org.uk and www.
do-it.org to find opportunities in your area.

Words: Kia Hansen. Photographs: Getty Images.

Internships
An internship provides direct
experience of working in a
particular role, and is usually
undertaken by those who know
what type of job they want to do.
You can apply to do an
internship straight out of
school, after college, or
post graduation. Many
employers offer
internship
programmes,
using them to
assess a

student's/graduate's capability.
Many then go on to recruit interns
into full-time roles.
An internship can last from a
few weeks during the summer
holidays, to a year, depending on
the sector and employer.
Student internships tend
to be shorter in length than
graduate internships.
Be very wary of doing
unpaid internships. While
working for free for a
few days or a week

won't do you much harm
financially, and may benefit you
by increasing your practical skills
and knowledge, working for free
is not sustainable or beneficial
in the long term. You may find
yourself following one unpaid gig
with another, in a fruitless search
for 'valuable experience' and still
have no job offers.
Employment legislation states
that anyone required to work for
a minimum number of hours,
who is set tasks and who adds

value to a business, is classed
as a worker and consequently is
entitled to the national minimum
wage. This rule applies to all
businesses, regardless of size
or profits, excluding charities.
So, if you're doing work for an
organisation, and not just
shadowing, for example, then
you are classed as a worker and
are entitled to earn the national
minimum wage. See www.gov.
uk/employment-rights-forinterns for more information.

J O B S & C A R E E R S /// 2 2 9
http://www.volunteering.org.uk http://www.do-it.org http://www.gov
Jobs & Careers with Piers Linney

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