Hello all.

Well, I had my first day at one on of my new placements today, at a PR agency in Newcastle.

I would definitely recommend getting some work experience in a small team, (this particular company employs 7 people) as you really do get stuck in with some real tasks, not just the obligatory making coffee and sorting post. The whole company works from the same office, so I’m getting a really good overview of what’s going on and can actually have a conversation with anyone in the room.

There is always the danger that once you arrive at your placement company, they will shove you in a corner and leave you to your own devices, but once again I am lucky enough to find myself in a really sound team who all do their best to explain how things work and keep me busy with a variety of tasks.

They have even asked me to write a press release about how the company are proud to take on undergraduates for work placements with the possibility of a fulltime job offer at the end. This can only be a good sign considering all the pessimism about graduate jobs in the media at the moment!

So, all is well today. I think it’s important that work experience is mutually beneficial. You should feel like you are really gaining something from the experience as well as being able to make a real difference to how the company functions.

I feel this all sounds too serious. What I haven’t mentioned is the very first thing I did was attempt to hang my coat up, however I managed to snap the hook off the wall. Oops.

If you want something go and get it!

Oh dear... I seem to have been in some kind of online hibernation. I’m sure this happens to the best of bloggers right?

In my defence, unfortunately 2009 hasn’t dealt me the best of cards so far and my brain is taking a while to readjust. But, on the plus side, a big life changing slap in the face can be just what you need to focus all your energies onto bigger and better things. And let me say, on the career front there have been a number of new developments.

I have now left you hanging for a good few weeks about how the interview in London went, and you may now breathe a sigh of relief as it went very well. I have bagged myself a 3 week PR placement in the Easter hols, vv exciting. Although I am a tad concerned about becoming one of the rush-hour underground sardines. Eek.

Also, thanks to all the publicity about the lack of graduate jobs (and my general keenness) I have also secured myself two further PR placements which will bulk out the old CV even more.

Work experience can be a fantastic pathway to becoming a fully fledged paid member of the team. It gives the employer a sort of “free trail” of how you contribute to their company. So treat every day as an extended job interview, and don’t give them a reason to let you go!

Note to self: Don’t eat a big bag of minstrels in one sitting.