Work Abroad Placements: Next Steps

1. Work Abroad Placements: Next Steps Dominic Prosser Global Employability Consultant CareerZone www.exeter.ac.uk/globaljobs erasmusworkabroad@exeter.ac.uk 23/10/2013

2. 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)

3. Why do a work placement? DLHE 2012 Survey of graduates in graduate jobs or PG study 6 months after graduating 80% 76% 62% 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

4. Why do a work placement? doing a work placement boostsyour graduate employability by 29%

5. 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 …

6. Develop a rich mix of highly desirable employability skills • higher degree of flexibility and adaptability • initiative and the ability to plan • assertiveness and independence • improvedinformation processingskills • 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

7. 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)

8. Why do a work placement? “I believe that I have enhanced myemployability 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)

9. 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.

10. 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

11. What is an Erasmus work placement? • 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

12. 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 forBand 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

13. 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

14. 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/

15. 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

16. Employers offering placements for 2013/14 included:

17. 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…

19. How to find placements: networking • 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.

20. 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/

21. How to find them: creative personal branding “Cole fined for Twitter outburst” Avoid Ashley Cole outburst and compromising photos

22. 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

23. 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

24. 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

25. Timeline

26. Work Abroad: Next Steps Dominic Prosser Global Employability Consultant erasmusworkabroad@exeter.ac.uk