Work Experience, the Pros and Cons from an emplyer's POV
Discussion
Here's the deal: unemployed 18-24 year olds with little or no work experience are being encouraged to contact employers and secure themselves an unpaid work experience placement for 2-8 weeks, 25-30 hours per week (duration and hours are determined by the host employers).
The benefits to the 18-24 year old is that they get some proper work experience (not just job shadowing) which will bring them one step closer to paid work by removing the lack of experience chicken/egg situation many of them are in. They get to fill the gap on their CV with something more constructive than "unemployed" and they get a recent, work related reference from the host employer. They still get their benefit during their placement and are therefore required to continue jobsearching and sign-on every fortnight.
The host employer gets an additional pair of hands, at no cost (aside from trainining and perhaps uniform), and the warm fuzy feeling of helping youngsters in the community. Plus if they are impressed by the person and a vacancy comes up later they may decide to offer that person the job.
So, my question to you please, is what would make you say YES / NO to this?
How important is the initial approach that the young person makes to you, bearing in mind that they are likely to have little or no experience in a work environment so may not come across all that well because they just haven't picked up the skills yet? Would a poor approach put you off, or can you see through it? What advice would you give to a young person planning on going out cold-calling like this?
Any thoughts on this gratefully recieved, TIA.
The benefits to the 18-24 year old is that they get some proper work experience (not just job shadowing) which will bring them one step closer to paid work by removing the lack of experience chicken/egg situation many of them are in. They get to fill the gap on their CV with something more constructive than "unemployed" and they get a recent, work related reference from the host employer. They still get their benefit during their placement and are therefore required to continue jobsearching and sign-on every fortnight.
The host employer gets an additional pair of hands, at no cost (aside from trainining and perhaps uniform), and the warm fuzy feeling of helping youngsters in the community. Plus if they are impressed by the person and a vacancy comes up later they may decide to offer that person the job.
So, my question to you please, is what would make you say YES / NO to this?
How important is the initial approach that the young person makes to you, bearing in mind that they are likely to have little or no experience in a work environment so may not come across all that well because they just haven't picked up the skills yet? Would a poor approach put you off, or can you see through it? What advice would you give to a young person planning on going out cold-calling like this?
Any thoughts on this gratefully recieved, TIA.
Edited by s-w-p on Thursday 30th June 22:38
Still important, because a free resource is never,ever, ever free.
Bear in mind that I'm coming at this as a consumer of graduates, not an employer, but I'm always very wary of fresh talent, as they need looking after, chivvying, guiding, b
king and generally mothering.
Impress with the first contact, and life is easier after that.
Bear in mind that I'm coming at this as a consumer of graduates, not an employer, but I'm always very wary of fresh talent, as they need looking after, chivvying, guiding, b
king and generally mothering.Impress with the first contact, and life is easier after that.
Very much. I can't think of an office I've worked in where there wasn't plenty of "office junior" tasks to be done - I have 5 desk drawers full of crap that could be mostly thrown away, but it needs to all be checked just in case there's something important in there and I don't ever have the time. Just having experience of turning up to a workplace on time and being presentable will be a help. Until everyone's done it and then it makes no difference on the CV.
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