A students’ guide to making the most of freshers’ fairs

Hi I’m Lizzie, an intern at GTI Media (the parent company of TARGETjobs). This month marks the beginning of an exciting time for thousands of students across the UK; the start of university. If you are starting university this month, no doubt you will soon be attending a freshers’ fair. I’m about to go into my third year of university, so as someone who’s been to freshers’ fairs two years running I’m happy to share what I’ve learned and how to make the most of them!

Freshers’ fairs are a great part of introducing you to uni, and can help set you up for the whole year. The exact kinds of fairs will differ between universities, but there are usually at least two – one for companies to come in and talk to students, and one for societies and sports teams to enrol you into their groups if this is something that interests you. There are a few things you can do to make sure you get the most out of these fairs.

Get all the freebies.

Local companies visit to show you what shops and businesses are in town and promote themselves to their new potential customers. Don’t ignore them; they are great for handing out discount cards and freebies – both of which prove very useful as the year goes on! Plus there’s almost always free pizza on the way out, so lunch is sorted.

Don’t stick with your friends.

Turning up to the fairs with your friends might make you feel more comfortable, but you need to branch out on your own. Your friends won’t share all of the same interests as you, and you may feel embarrassed or awkward asking them to wait for you whilst you go to talk to people at various stands. Going at it alone means you can spend as long as you like walking round, you won’t feel embarrassed signing up to stuff they’re not keen on, and there’s no pressure to sign up to what your friends want to do.

Don’t be embarrassed.

At school it always felt crucial to fit in and try and seem ‘cool’, and not have any interests outside of the ordinary. University is so different. There’s no such thing as ‘cool’ and ‘uncool’ – you can literally walk around campus in a teletubbies onesie and people won’t even bat an eye. Don’t be afraid to sign up to a society you think people might judge you for, because genuinely no one will. Do you like circus skills? Disney? Anime? Hip hop dancing? Rock climbing? Acting? Writing? Computer games? Great, there’ll be societies for those – and about a hundred more options if you look for them.

Sign up to everything you think you’ll like.

Realistically you won’t have time to commit to more than a few societies, volunteering groups or one sports team if they meet every week, but that doesn’t mean you can’t try a number of things out. Most societies have one or two introductory meetings which are free to attend, so you can see if it’s your cup of tea before you pay your joining fee. Don’t worry about attending the free meeting and then deciding against joining; the whole point of having it is to give you this choice!

There’ll be so many different societies to pick from, I definitely encourage freshers to sign up to at least one – it’ll open the door to making so many new friends and giving you some great new experiences, as well as gaining transferable skills to put on your CV. Societies are one of the most fun parts of being at uni, don’t miss out!

TARGETjobs will be attending a number of freshers’ fairs this autumn, so if you see any of the team make sure you say hi. You can get set up on the mailing list so you’re always in the know about job, placement, and internship opportunities as and when you need it.

This autumn, TARGETjobs will be attending the following fairs:

• University of St Andrews Freshers' Fair: 13/09/2015
• University of Edinburgh Freshers' Fair: 14/09/2015
• University of Glasgow Freshers' Fair: 15/09/2015 - 16/09/2015
• University of Strathclyde Freshers' Fair: 16/09/2015
• King's College London Welcome Fair: 18/09/2015 - 19/09/2015
• University of Exeter Freshers' Fair: 19/09/2015
• University of Birmingham Freshers' Fair: 21/09/2015 - 22/09/2015
• Cardiff University Freshers' Fair: 21/09/2015 - 22/09/2015
• University of Nottingham Freshers' Fair: 21/09/2015 - 22/09/2015
• University of Manchester Welcome Fair: 22/09/2015 - 23/09/2015
• University of Reading Freshers' Fair: 23/09/2015 - 24/09/2015
• London School of Economics Freshers' Fair: 24/09/2015 - 25/09/2015
• University of Liverpool Freshers' Fair: 24/09/2015 - 25/09/2015
• University of Bath Freshers' Fair: 25/09/2015
• University of Bristol Freshers' Fair: 25/09/2015
• University of Southampton Freshers' Fair: 25/09/2015
• Aston University Freshers' Fair: 27/09/2015
• University of Leicester Freshers' Fair: 28/09/2015 - 29/09/2015
• University of Sheffield Freshers' Fair: 30/09/2015
• University of Surrey Freshers' Fair: 02/10/2015
• Lancaster University Freshers' Fair: 02/10/2015
• UCL Welcome Fair: 03/10/2015 - 04/10/2015
• University of York Freshers' Fair: 03/10/2015
• University of Warwick Freshers' Fair: 03/10/2015 - 04/10/2015
• Loughborough University Union Bazaar: 04/10/2015
• Newcastle University Freshers' Fair: 05/10/2015 - 06/10/2015
• Imperial College Union Freshers' Fair: 06/10/2015
• University of Cambridge Societies Fair: 06/10/2015 - 07/10/2015
• Durham University Students' Union Fair: 07/10/2015 - 08/10/2015
• University of Oxford Freshers' Fair: 07/10/2015 - 09/10/2015

Article written by Lizzie Akass, TARGETjobs Editorial Intern. Connect with Lizzie on LinkedIn. 

An intern’s guide to finding work experience and internships

Hi I’m Lizzie, a current editorial intern at GTI Media (the parent company of TARGETjobs). I know that finding the right work experience, internship or placement when you're a student can be tricky, so here are a few tips and tricks that I’ve learned from my own application process for anyone needing a little help!

Use your university’s careers and employability service

My university was my main resource to find work experience opportunities. It’s how I found a work shadowing day at GTI Media, which led to me getting a summer internship in its editorial department. Your university’s careers and employability centre should advertise placement, internship, work experience and work shadowing opportunities – so keep up to date with what’s advertised on their website and in their e-mails. Also, keep going to the careers advice centre’s talks and presentations; I went to a few presentations by our careers advice team and found them really helpful. The people I spoke to continued to e-mail me with ideas and advice afterwards, and even offered to conduct a practice interview with me when I told them I got an internship interview at GTI Media. Unfortunately I couldn’t take this opportunity due to a lack of time with essay deadlines, but in hindsight I think it would have been really helpful as it was very different to interviews for my previous jobs.

Use what’s available online

You need to do thorough research on job descriptions, companies, and vacancies. There is an entire section of the TARGETjobs website giving advice on internships and advertising available opportunities and openings. There are also plenty of companies and organisations that use social media to advertise openings in specific fields. Alternatively, if you have any particular companies in mind see if they advertise any work experience or placement opportunities themselves, or if you’ll need to contact them directly to find out if they do.

Choosing where to apply

Stay open minded when making this decision, as any experience you get in your field will give you valuable skills and experience, give you a great insight into a potential career, help you make networking contacts, and be good to put on your CV. Internships and placements are brilliant if you have a clearer idea of what area of work you’d like to go into, but if you’re unsure then short term work experience and work shadowing days are perfect. They’re a great way to get insight into fields that you’re thinking about, plus whilst you’re there you can speak to people in various sectors to learn about different roles that you could potentially look into in the future.

For a break down of all the experience opportunities available to you, look no further than TARGETjobs! 

Article written by Lizzie Akass, TARGETjobs Editorial Intern. Connect with Lizzie on LinkedIn. 

How my work shadowing day helped me get an internship at TARGETjobs

Hi, I'm Lizzie and I am currently an editorial intern at GTI Media (the parent company of TARGETjobs). I got the opportunity to apply for the internship after completing a work shadowing day at the company. Here's a few tips from me for anyone looking to do a work shadowing day or get an internship, based on my own experiences!

Finding the work shadowing opportunity

The work shadowing day at GTI Media, which was advertised through my university’s careers and employability website, really interested me as it was offering experience in a role and career field that I was interested in, with a company name that I knew through TARGETjobs e-mails. The fact that it was only for one day during Easter, as opposed to two weeks like some companies offered, also appealed to me as it was far more practical in terms of balancing my time with the essays I had to write in those few Easter weeks.

After completing the online application form, I got a place on the work shadowing day. I then had a meeting with a member of the careers guidance team at university which consisted of a short interview followed by run through of details, correct conduct and what to do next.

What my work shadowing day consisted of

It was well-structured with a number of exercises for us to do, and designed to give an insight into a variety of different tasks completed by the editorial team. We were even asked to give feedback on some layouts for a new website, which was great as it showed that the editors genuinely wanted our input and valued our opinions. Everyone was so accommodating and willing to answer our little group’s questions and talk us through how publishing differed at GTI to other companies they had worked at. This gave us a much broader insight into the publishing field than I was expecting. At the end of the day we were invited to apply for the summer internship by e-mailing our CVs and covering letters, and I was offered an interview the following day so it was a very quick process.

Reflecting on the work shadowing day

Even if I had applied for the internship beforehand, I still think the work shadowing day would have made a huge difference to my chances of getting an interview at GTI Media. It allowed my interviewer-to-be (and now manager), and other editors in the department a chance to get to know me in person and see for themselves how I worked with other people and took on the tasks that were given to me. It also gave me a new understanding of the company, and day-to-day tasks of an editor, and the insight I needed to decide whether this was a role I wanted to get further experience in. It was an all-round positive experience, and I definitely recommend students to seriously consider work shadowing days and short-term work experience as valuable opportunities which can potentially lead to longer placements.

Tips to impress:

If you have a work shadowing day coming up, here are some useful tips to make sure you make the most of the day. 

• Check the dress code – this differs at every company so it’s important to ask what’s appropriate. GTI Media has a fairly relaxed dress code meaning I was able to wear smart jeans and a t-shirt, but if I’d been in another company I might have had to wear something more formal.

• Show up at least 15 minutes early – this includes planning your route well in advance and checking the day before that your planned route is still useable (eg replacement buses meaning you’ll miss a connecting train).

• Prepare some questions to ask specific to the role – I needed to think through exactly what I wanted to know about the publishing field, company, and role/duties of an editor.

• Bring a notepad and pen – taking notes is always useful as you might forget a lot of what you’re told on the day (there will almost definitely be a lot of information!), and it’s also never a bad thing to look prepared.

• Keep your energy up – between the commute, being nervous, and completing the tasks you’re given, you will get tired. Have a good night’s sleep the night before, and maybe get a little caffeine over lunch if it helps!

• Take part and be enthusiastic – they won’t expect you to get everything right, so the way that you approach any tasks given, both practically and emotionally, are very important too. The exercises our group were given were an excellent opportunity to show that we were able to work in a team and individually, and could rise to new challenges and explain the reasoning behind our decisions.

• Don’t be scared – it’s natural to be nervous, but I found the work environment at GTI Media so friendly that it quickly became clear that this was a positive learning experience and a chance to make a good impression, and not a day to be scared or too shy. If you can’t get over your nerves (it happens!) fake it ‘till you make it: smile, give a good handshake, and pretend you’re confident until you’re comfortable enough to actually feel confident.

For more information on internships and how to get them, check out the internship section on TARGETjobs. 

Article written by Lizzie Akass, TARGETjobs Editorial Intern. Connect with Lizzie on LinkedIn. 

The 10 stages of leaving university

Some students are prepared enough to think about leaving uni before it actually happens. For everyone else, there are some inevitable struggles.

1. Clearing out your room

You haven’t got that much stuff…how bad can it be?

2. Becoming overly sentimental about your belongings

Remember all the free stationery you got at the fresher’s fair? Well, it looks like it didn’t come in handy after all. So why is it so hard to part with that biro collection?

3. Believing that there’s absolutely no way that you’ll have to pay back your library fines

You’ve spent three years racking up library fines with reckless abandon and now you owe significantly more than your overdraft will allow. Surely they won’t make you pay them back now?

4. Actually having to pay off your library fines

The inevitable has happened. You’ve received a threatening final reminder about those fines and it sounds as if a visit from the bailiffs might be imminent. Reluctant to cause a stir among the neighbours, you bite the bullet and go to face the librarians. This is even worse than the time you got caught eating biscuits in the silent study area.

5. Realising there’s no more student discount

You’ve tried to ignore it, but that expiry date on your student card is creeping ever closer and it’s time to accept that you’ll never be able to afford to go shopping again. All the more reason to keep those clothes you were meant to throw away…

6. Facing judgement day…

Oh god. Results. You’ve not been looking forward to this bit. You begin to berate yourself for not working hard enough. You convince yourself that you’re definitely going to fail. You start thinking about all those lectures you missed. Were those nights out really worth it? Will anyone ever employ me? Will I be living with my parents for the rest of my life?

7. …followed by relief

But somehow, miraculously, you’ve made it. You officially have a degree! You can start using social media again without feeling guilty for procrastinating! That is until you realise that everyone you know is posting smug statuses announcing their results and log off in disgust.

8. Graduating

As if the library fines weren’t enough, it turns out that graduation is out to fleece you too. Appalled by the price of gown hire, you begin to consider knocking one up yourself. How hard can it be?

9. Going home

It’s all over. You’ve graduated. You’re living at home again. Your parents won’t leave you alone. Extended family members start interrogating you about your life plans. Moving to a faraway country becomes increasingly tempting, but then you remember that since you’re unemployed you probably can’t afford to go much further than Dover.

10. Starting the job search

The inevitable final stage. Eventually, after weeks of moping around, binge-watching Netflix and googling graduate unemployment statistics, it’s time to sort your life out and start looking for a job. If you can just remember where you saved your CV…

Leaving uni is a daunting prospect, even for the most organised of students. However, you’re not alone! TARGETjobs can help you navigate the unfamiliar territory and create a great graduate CV – even if you haven’t looked at yours in three years. 

Article written by Amie Marshall, TARGETjobs Editorial Intern. Connect with Amie on LinkedIn. 

10 good intentions uni students have at the start of 2nd year… and the reality!

1. ‘Next year is final year. Let's make this a good one.’

When people mention the dreaded g-word (graduation), you start to get emotional. You’ve come to realise that next year is your final year, so you need to make this one the best one yet. This means getting high 2.1s and going out and getting eight hours of sleep every night. Doable?

2. ‘I should really limit the amount of times I go out.’

You no longer have the ‘I’m a fresher’ excuse, so you should really take your degree more seriously and try to make your Friday morning 9am lecture. However you’ve had a tough week and feel like you deserve a trip or two to the pub. You actually end up going out the same amount or more than in your first year. Oops.

3. ‘I will not eat a kebab after every night out. I will definitely not gain my first-year podge back again.’

Everyone warned you about the ‘fresher 15’ due to a lack of sleep, over-eating and over-drinking, but you still became a victim of the dreaded weight gain. After being told by numerous family members that you’ve ‘filled out a bit’ you’ve spent the summer months trying to get rid of your extra layer of 'warmth'. However, you’ve found the Domino's 5am delivery too tempting so it looks like you’ll be warmer than ever come summer.

4. ‘I should do some work; I'll go to the library.’

In first year you never set foot in the library, or only went there to play hide and seek out of sheer boredom on a Tuesday afternoon. However, times have changed. This year counts, so you should probably go there to do some essays and revision. Although you seem to be spending more time in the SU than in the library...it's natural, right?

5. ‘Don’t go shopping; get that assignment done.’

You really try to do more studying, but realise time is running out on getting 10% discount at Topshop and a free McFlurry at McDonald’s. This means it is necessary to go shopping to buy more clothes, followed by lunch out (of course).

6. ‘I will pay the bills on time.’

You have been getting excited all summer about moving out of halls into a house with your friends, and tell yourself you’re determined to remember to pay the bills. The emails and letters demanding money become the bane of your life very quickly. Forgetting your login details and getting threats of your electricity being cut off is a regular occurrence. Welcome to true adulthood.

7. ‘I should really get the washing up liquid out.’

Unlike halls, your house doesn’t have a cleaner. You don’t want to live in a dirty house, but find you have better things to be doing than cleaning. Balancing the dirty plates and bowls on top of each other and seeing how tall the tower can get before crashing down is a challenge, and you’ve become quite the expert.

8. ‘My napping regime is out of hand. It will stop.’

You realise that many adults do not nap. However, the sudden realisation that you’ve only got two more years of not being judged about napping at 11am, after a tough 9am lecture, and then napping again at 5pm ready for your night out is just too much. You need to make the most of it.

9. ‘I will get a job.’

The social side of first year was great. Coming out of first year with a maxed out overdraft was not. Working all summer to pay off your overdraft was really not. You’ve realised that maybe a small part-time job is necessary to avoid this happening again. But then again, you’ve only got two years left so should make the most of uni life.

10. ‘Everyone else has a summer internship. Must get one.’

Much to your dislike, it hits you that the time for applying for graduate schemes/jobs is not far off. You’ve realised you do not want to spend this summer in a mind-numbing retail job, so start applying for internships in an attempt to make this summer more productive. But that one scary thought is a constant in the back of your mind...next summer = graduation (the end of an era)! 

Perhaps not all of your good intentions have worked out, but you did you best! Don't forget that TARGETjobs can help you; maybe not with the washing up, but with getting an internship and graduate job. Take a look at our timetable to make the most of your penultimate year. 

Article written by Charlotte Wharf, TARGETjobs Editorial Intern. Connect with Charlotte on LinkedIn.