How to Make the Most of Your Summer!

Hello and Happy Friday!

How do most 21-year-olds celebrate the long-awaited end of the working week? By going out to clubs and partying with their friends, of course! How do I see in the weekend? By writing a blog post on gaining summer work experience! YAY!

In all seriousness, if five summers spent as a working student have taught me anything, it’s that summer is a time that truly has the power to make or break you, professionally speaking, and what seem to be “breaking you” at the time is probably – actually - propelling you forward. Allow me to explain…

After a year of rigorous academic study, a well-earned three-month break seems like an entirely just reward, and no one could blame you for wanting to make the most of those twelve weeks of freedom before academia strikes all over again. However, in reality, when you eventually reach the end of those three long years of study and embark on the seemingly longer job-hunting process, recruiters aren’t going to be impressed that you spent that valuable time – your summers – mucking around with your friends and going on holiday.

It’s tough, I know, but it’s the truth. Potential employers see your summer as twelve long weeks in which you are free to gain experience in order to improve your application, so if you choose to fritter those few months away doing nothing, it may have consequences.

I don’t wish to sound condescending, and a job is definitely better than no job, i.e. if, like me, you’ve spent some of the last few summers making cappuccinos and toasting teacakes, this won’t be held entirely against you: the fact that you’re doing something can be good enough. But the fact of the matter is that most sectors that recruit graduates have come to expect a small amount of experience at the very least.

So, how do you go about it? Harking back to my previous post on how to get your “dream” internship, I would definitely recommend interning as a great place to start. It’s not for everybody and, sadly, it usually isn’t paid, but in terms of gaining relevant experience – for me – interning has proved to be invaluable. I’ve been able to gain experience in social media coordination, events marketing, PR and more, purely from internships, and I’m pretty sure that none of the attention I’ve been paid from recruiters lately would be given if I hadn’t interned in the past.

In the same vein, having some volunteering on your CV is only ever going to work in your favour, and even better if you manage to get some in an industry that is relevant to the career path you want to pursue after university. For example, I was able to gain a great voluntary position with Cancer Research UK as an Events Marketing Intern which, now that I’m interested in PR, makes for a great talking point on my job applications. This being said, if your volunteering takes the shape of operating the till in a charity shop or serving soup at a local kitchen, employers will still be impressed to see that you’re an individual who dedicated some of their precious time to helping others.

If, however, your studies really do take up the majority of your time, there are other ways to make some additions to your CV, and your university can be a great starting point. An obvious option would be to join a club or society, which can range from academic groups and topical clubs to sports teams and interest groups. Whichever one, or few, takes your fancy, the fact that you showed willing to get involved in extra-curricular activities will ensure a talking point with future recruiters. Oh, and FYI, if no club or society appeals to you, start one yourself! All it takes is a quick chat with your Student Union, a few mates and voila! You've got the makings of a thriving society.

Beyond this, there are many more activities for students to get involved in, even if it’s a matter of asking to be involved. For example, many universities have student newspapers, magazines or radio stations, most of which will allow students to be involved on an as-and-when basis. For example, if - like me - you love to write but can’t commit to being a weekly columnist, have a chat with someone in charge and see if you can submit pieces around your schedule: they will be grateful for any and all content you can offer them. Your options may not seem obvious at first, but have a think about your uni and the services it offers, because behind them all are a team of people making it happen, and you could join them!

If you're stuck for ideas, I would highly recommend your university or college's Careers Department as a great starting point. The services they offer range from CV advice to interview tips, and you can be sure that they have some great connections! In fact, employers commonly contact local university Careers Advisers with information on upcoming opportunities, so becoming acquainted with them could be a great springboard! 

I hope these tips have proved useful for you. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news: that summers aren't solely for beach days and picnics anymore (let's all cry together). But, if you put in the hard graft now, you'll be rewarded later on when you most need it - trust me! 

Please feel free to get in touch via the comments below with your questions and experiences! 

Have a lovely weekend! 

E x