At the start of my degree, I had absolutely no intentions of doing a Placement Year. I had wanted to focus solely on my studies and graduate as quickly as possible, as I had already taken a gap year before university. However, one afternoon towards the end of my first year, I made the spontaneous decision to attend a Year Away Talk hosted at the Biology Department, and this changed my mind for the better.
The Decision
Towards the end of every academic year, the Biology Department hosts a Year Away Talk. This event is catered primarily towards students in their first year to inform them about the option of undertaking a Placement Year/Year in Industry/Year Abroad. It covers what this may involve, and why they should consider it. When I learned that by doing a Year Away, I would be graduating with one whole year of degree-relevant work experience (and most are paid!), I instantly set my mind on applying for one.
The Search
My search for placements was relatively simple – in fact, it was less of a search and more of a ‘follow-the-breadcrumbs.’ After the Year Away Talk, I had signed up to the Bioaway mailing list, through which a Placement Supervisor sent Biosciences job openings whenever there was a new update.
Which brings me to my first Tip: Sign up to the Bioaway mailing list!
Starting from September until I accepted my placement offer in December, I applied to a total of 17 jobs, 15 of which I found through the mailing list. However, the job I ended up securing just so happened to be the one I had found on my own!
Which then brings me to Tip No.2: Be proactive in your search!
In addition to popular job-search websites such as Indeed, I would recommend going onto the Careers portal of company/organization websites as well (this is how I found the job I got). Most large organizations offer a vast range of job opportunities, and it’s greatly beneficial to go through the full list to find one that best suits your skills and interests.
The Application
In all transparency, applying for placements is a HEAVY commitment, and you probably have to expect it to be pretty challenging. There are hundreds, possibly even thousands of other students trying to secure the same job as you, so as cliché as it might sound, you have to put in the extra effort to make your application stand out.
And this is where Tip 3 comes in: Tailor your CV AND Cover Letter to every role you apply for.
When it comes to placement applications, quality trumps quantity. Regardless of how similar two roles are or if they are within the same company, you should prioritize tweaking both your CV and Cover Letter to make them uniquely specific to the role instead of trying to churn out as many applications, as quickly as possible. I would recommend maintaining a Template CV and Cover Letter that you can edit for each application. For example, I had a Template CV and Cover Letter that focused on showcasing my research and experimental skills that I used for applications for lab-based roles, and another Template that emphasized my transferrable skills for office-based positions.
And finally, Tip 4: Do your research on the company for the role you are applying to.
CVs and Cover Letters aren’t just about showing how much experience and skills you have. You need to demonstrate how you can implement these experiences and skills in the context of the role, and how they can add value to the company that another applicant may not be able to offer. I personally spent quite a hefty chunk of time browsing around on the company website (my biggest advice would be to have a proper look at the ‘Our Culture’ webpage, or an equivalent), and often referenced the information on it in my Cover Letter.
The Offer
I sent out my first application in mid-September (right at the start of Second Year) and interviewed for 6 different roles until I finally received – and subsequently accepted! – an offer for the role of Clinical Development Manager at GSK in early December. But remember that this was my journey, which may be different from yours, which will also probably be different from somebody else’s.
Don’t be disheartened if your application experience is tougher than you anticipated. From before you even start thinking about how to start off your Cover Letter to the very moment you accept your job offer, you have an absolutely brilliant support system at your disposal! The Biology Department as well as the University itself offer a range of Careers and Placements support. The services include but are not limited to mock-interviews, CV/Cover Letter reviews, skills development sessions, and even a Work Wardrobe.
What started out as a spontaneous decision to drop in to listen to a talk has now led to me celebrating my third month at my new job. It certainly wasn’t how I pictured my third year to be. However, if it means getting the opportunity to learn the things and gain the experience I have so far, I wouldn’t think twice to go through the process all over again!
Leave a Reply