Work experience - Making first contact with employers
You need to have employers to contact and their contact details. See this section 'How to find a placement' if you haven't yet got an employer you can ask for a work experience placement.
Before you think about making contact with an employer it is good to stop and consider what YOU have to offer to THEM.
Assessing what you have to offer
If you are in Y10 you might have little or no work experience to mention but EVERYBODY has skills they have been using through life and learning.
To find out what skills you already have do the Careerpilot Skills Profile (even if you have done it before do it again to get an up-to-date list).
The Skills Profile will assess the skills you have from the things you have done already in your life to date. Add even more of your own examples.
You will then see your top skills.
Go further - on the Skills Profile choose 'Compare skills to a job', type in a job you would like to do on work experience and see what skills the job is looking for. Look at the skills you have, then you can flag up the ones you have that more closely fit with the job, when you contact the employer.
Be aware that the job profile might mention 'communication skills' and the Skills Profile mentions 'speaking' and 'listening', these are the same things but when talking to employers use the wording they use.
Ways to contact employers for work experience:
Usually you will start by sending an email/letter asking the employer if there is an opportunity to do a placement - this is 'the 'introductory email' or 'covering letter'. The letter/email clearly explains what you are asking for and also summarises your reasons for choosing that job and the skills you have to offer.
You might also be asked for a CV, especially if you are applying for part time work or are in Y12/13.
A CV is a summary of your education, skills and experience that is sometimes required when applying for a job or work experience.
Usually this is not required for Y10 work experience but it can be a good thing to start working on and when you have completed your work experience you can add that in too.
If you are in Y10 and you do have to complete a CV you might not have past work experience to mention so you can leave that out and make the CV about your education, skills and interests. To find out how to complete a CV click here.
An easy template to use for the first contact with an employer.
You can download and use this easy template as an introductory email/ letter to send to an employer - just fill in the gaps.
Just give your email address so they can contact you (you could use your school email address if you do not want to use a personal one). Try not to give too much personal information.
If you do have to send a covering letter rather than emailing, you will need to add your address so the employer can reply. If the place you are applying to is near to where you live you could print your letter out, pop it in an envelope and take it to the company. Address it to the manager and ask a staff member to pass it on.
Always check with your teacher or family that it is okay to add personal information.
Download - Template introductory email/covering letter
See below for an example of a completed letter
