www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Work Abroad Placements: Next Steps
Dominic Prosser
Global Employability Consultant
CareerZone
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
[email protected] 23/10/2013
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Why do a work placement?
65% of employers think that candidates with
international work experience are more employable
“The value of international experience goes beyond
purely the acquisition of language – it lies in the ability
to see business and personal issues from other than
your own cultural perspective.”
(Charles Macleod, Head of Global Resourcing, PwC)
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Why do a work placement?
80%
76%
62%
DLHE 2012 Survey of graduates in graduate jobs or PG study 6 months after graduating
MFL students who did a work placement for YA in grad job or PG study MFL students who did Language Assistant placement for YA MFL students who did neither work placement nor LA for YA
77.1% all Exeter students
n. (MFL 2012 graduates)= 137
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Why do a work placement?
doing a work placement boosts your graduate employability by 29%
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Why do a work placement?
Work placements :
enhance your employability potential and your CV with ‘stand out’ international employment experience
may lead directly to future employment
offer opportunities for personal, academic, cultural and linguistic development
Erasmus grant and possibly additional payment or other benefits from the employer
develop transferable skills, including …
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Develop a rich mix of highly desirable employability skills
higher degree of flexibility
and adaptability
initiative and the ability to
plan
assertiveness and
independence
improved information
processing skills
motivation & greater
confidence
better listening ability
commercial awareness in
global context
cultural dexterity
more tolerance, patience and
better understanding of people
greater diplomacy
global outlook and mindset
confidence to work in global
business and seize opportunities
working effectively in multi-
cultural teams
willingness to learn and adapt to
a different culture
foreign language skills
internationalised local
professional
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Why do a work placement? “ I believe the Work Placement scheme is a challenging
choice. I am proud I took on the challenge and feel
that my employability skills improved immensely … my
organisational skills have improved and the amount of
experience I have behind me makes me feel relatively
calm in the face of job hunting.” (Laura, BA French and Italian)
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Why do a work placement? “I believe that I have enhanced my employability as I have had an experience that not many people will have had, while also proving that I am adaptable to new environments, and am comfortable living in foreign countries.” (Chris, BA Business Economics with European Study)
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
EU work placements: Erasmus
The Erasmus programme is a European
Commission funded programme designed
to support the European activities of
Higher Education institutions, including the
mobility and exchange of students. This
includes work abroad & study abroad.
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
What is an Erasmus work placement?
An Erasmus Work Placement must be:
full time | min. 3 months (13 weeks) | max 12 months
In EU member countries + Switzerland, Liechtenstein (Turkey, Norway, Iceland)
approved and recognised by the University and contribute to your qualification and graduate employability skills/competencies – i.e. ‘graduate level work’
with an eligible organisation – i.e. an organisation of any size that is involved in economic activities in the public, private or third (voluntary) sector.
The following types of organisations are not eligible:
• European institutions such as the European Commission and European Parliament
• Organisations managing EU programmes (such as National Agencies)
• National diplomatic representation (embassy/consulate) of the student in the host country
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Typical placement start dates are July, September, January, March
Placements must be completed by 30th September 2015
You can do more than 1 or 2 placements
You can do more than 1 semester study and 1 placement
There should be minimal gap between placements
What is an Erasmus work placement?
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
What is the Erasmus grant?
An Erasmus Work Placement must be supported by a series of
paperwork proving entitlement. This will secure you the Erasmus Grant.
In 2013/14 is:
375 euros/month for Band 3 countries (e.g. France, Germnay, Italy,
Spain, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland)
315 euros/month for Band 2 countries (e.g.Cyprus, Greece, Malta,
Poland, Turkey)
275 euros/month for Band 1 countries (Bulgaria, Romania)
70% of grant paid in October/November
30% of grant paid in May/June
More on this in briefing session in May 2014
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
How to find work abroad placements?
Ultimately it is your responsibility to find a work placement
recognise that there may be competition for work placements so you should start the process early i.e. now!
be willing to put effort into it and consider a range of countries.
Students find placements in a variety of ways:
independently by direct contact with an employer in another country
via University’s Global Employability Team (GET)
job ads from employers via web or other media
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
How to find them : online sources e.g.
Eures – the EU jobs portal http://ec.europa.eu/eures/
Entrypark – International Career Book www.entrypark.com/career_book/
LEO-NET: a dedicated internships site http://leonet.globalplacement.com/en/22/1-home.html
Search for local newspapers using online directories e.g www.kidon.com/media-link/
Local versions of “monster” e.g. www.monster.fr
The University’s jobs portal, my career zone : https://mycareerzone.exeter.ac.uk/
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
How to find them: EU job alert pages
global placements in International Virtual Careers Fair www.exeter.ac.uk/ivcf (closes 25/10/13) get access to Exeter-friendly EU employers from our GET Employer Database: http://ex.ac.uk/getjobs
get fast track updates on other employers advertising EU placements on my career zone
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Employers offering placements for 2013/14 included:
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
How to use the EU employer database
Autumn term •Regularly check the University’s new erasmus job alert pages – we’re adding new opportunities daily •Apply by CV and covering letter in English and Target Language via the ERASMUS Work Abroad Office to up to 3 employers • Deadlines specified on each advert : 31st December 2013
GET Applications checked to ensure quality of application and fit to employer needs.
•Poor applications will not be submitted to employers but returned to you for corrections
Where necessary applications will be screened/shortlisted to meet quota of applications (typically 10) to prevent employers being swamped. Attend a careerzone CV/Applications session to sharpen your draft application
We will help prevent potentially faux pas such as…
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
An estimated 60-80% of jobs are now found informally through networking with direct or indirect contacts such as friends, relatives, and alumni. Networking is the process of discovering and exploiting connections between people. It requires moving beyond your immediate network and tapping into other people’s networks Use physical and virtual networking Start by networking with people you already know and speak with them about what you want to do. Ask whether they know of any employers doing the type of work that interests you.
How to find placements: networking
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
How to find them: social media
Use linked in , twitter and facebook to find jobs – Link to corporate facebooks, twitter feeds etc.
Linked in: • Start a profile being clear about career aims • Keep it clear and professional • Link in with people you can trust who can help you • Join relevant groups:
• For more tips on linked in /social media go: www.exeter.ac.uk/careers/jobapplications/social-media/
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
How to find them: creative personal branding
“Cole fined for Twitter outburst” Avoid Ashley Cole outburst and compromising photos
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Application support & guidance
CV and Application checklist
• http://ex.ac.uk/getapplying Standard tips for CVs and covering letters, and country specific guides
• http://ex.ac.uk/getapplying
Careerzone CV and covering letter checking service Career Zone offers a CV and covering letter checking service. Before you book an appointment please ensure you have:
•Read our guides to creating CVs and Covering letters •Prepared a CV and/or covering letter for a specific Erasmus placement to bring to the appointment
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Success: what to do when you’ve got a placement offer As soon as you have a firm offer of a placement from an employer, send the placement details form which will be on mycareerzone:
•EWA002_A for EU placements •IWA002_A for international placements outside EU • links will be on via http://ex.ac.uk/workabroad
The University will then: assess the placement and if approved liaise with the employer to complete, sign and return a placement agreement between
• Employer • University • Student
once contract is ready you will be asked to make an appointment with the Global Employability Team to sign the contract and sign off a Risk Assessment
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Placement approval
Job includes mostly graduate level tasks Jobs that we’ve not approved include
• au pair • bar & restaurant work • farm work (grape picking) • child minding • shop sales assistant • live-in placements • chalet host
North America, Australasia • any employer
Outside EU, North America, Australasia • Multinationals (with HQ in EU, N. America or Australasia) • Other employers must provide additional Health and Safety and Risk Assessment documentation
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Timeline Deadline Requirement
October 2013 Start looking for placements
November 2013
Book to get a draft CV and application letter reviewed in the career zone
31st December 2013 Submit completed applications for Exeter EU placements on mycareeerzone as per deadline supplied in job ad
1st May 2014
Deadline: to submit EWA002_A Placement Proposal Form
Early May 2014 Erasmus Grant application at Erasmus Work Abroad Grant briefing talk
13th June 2014
Deadline by which all employer placement agreements must be signed by all 3 parties and Risk Assessments signed and completed by student and University (me).
www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs
Work Abroad: Next Steps
Dominic Prosser
Global Employability Consultant