As I said yesterday work experience can be a valuable exercise for anyone who would like to find out more about what a job entails on a day-to-day basis.

And while work experience opportunities aren’t exactly a dime a dozen, you should be able to find something with a little searching around though.

Since such possibilities are not waiting behind every door you knock on, you will need to make the most of the chances that do come along, and with this in mind I’ve prepared a list of some things to think about when looking for, or undertaking, work experience.

Emphasis your skills and knowledge
Before considering a work experience request, an employer will want to know you have something to offer the company and that you will, in return for being granted an opportunity to be part of the workplace, be able to make some sort of contribution.

Therefore think of asking for work experience as being the same as applying for a regular job. Put your best foot forward, and make sure the workplace is aware you have the appropriate skills.

While an employer will obviously understand you don’t have a whole lot of experience, they will still want to know you at least have some sort of understanding of what is happening, and can participate somehow, while you are there.

Rules of engagement
Before commencing the work experience period find out exactly how involved you will be in the process. In some instances you will be quite active, while in other situations you may be expected to sit quietly and purely observe.

I once heard of a commercial photographer who was happy to provide photography students with on-the-job “experience” on the strict proviso they did not actually get involved, or ask him any questions while he was with clients, or working.

This is something that has to be respected, and while it may seem you are not gaining much “hands on” experience, you can still learn a lot from simply being a fly on the wall as it were, so long as you pay close attention to what is happening.

Take notes
Don’t forget to take a notepad and a couple of pens. You will probably spend a lot of time “looking over someone’s shoulder” and watching how they work, so keep notes of what is happening.

Try and write down as much as you can, even if this is just keeping a record of how each day unfolds. Record details of meetings, problems and issues that arise and how they are resolved, plus any other tips, or handy “inside” knowledge, that comes to light while you are present.

Remember you are with someone who knows what they are doing inside out, so this is a great chance to learn a few “tricks of the trade”!

Any questions?
Remember that workloads can fluctuate and deadlines vary on very short notice, especially in creative or publishing environments.

For example the web design studio that last week told you they were a “little quiet”, may have a rush of work on when you arrive. Therefore bear in the mind the person you are sitting with may not have time to stop and explain every last thing they are doing.

Rather than interrupt with questions every few minutes, write them down and see if some time can be set aside later to discuss them.

Network!
While onsite try and get as involved as you are able to. If a problem needs solving, see if you can suggest a solution. Make your presence felt in as helpful a way as possible.

Introduce yourself to as many people as you can, and tell then what it is you are doing, and why. Get to know people and build up some rapport, and see if you can stay in contact with them after you leave.

If you can, go along to the company’s “Friday afternoon” drinks if you are invited, and view it as an opportunity to network.

Remember a lot of jobs are filled through contacts and networks, so it is well worth the effort.

Conclusion
While you are unlikely to be paid for doing work experience, if you make the right impression your efforts could be rewarded in other ways.

The person you were working with may be prepared to offer you a reference, or possibly even recommend you for a vacancy in the company, or even to an associate working elsewhere who is looking to hire.

If nothing else however, you will at least leave your work experience time with a better understanding of the sort of work you one day want to do.

A few weeks ago I wrote about the value of speaking to what I referred to as a “career insider” in order to get the low down, or nitty gritty, on a job or career that you are interested in.

While having a chat to someone who knows what they are talking about is an excellent way to gain insights and learn things that may have evaded your research efforts to date, there is no substitute for some on-the-job experience.

The term “work experience” probably takes many of us back to our high school, or university days, where in some cases a certain amount of practical experience was a compulsory aspect of whatever course of study we were doing.

As always it is one thing to read, or study, about the workings of a certain profession, while it is another matter all together to gain first hand experience of it.

Several years ago a friend who was studying a commerce degree spent a week working in the finance department of a well known Australian company, and at the end of the “experience” quipped “I can’t believe I need a degree to work in a place like that!”

She went on say that there wasn’t one instance in the week she spent there, where she was able to apply anything she had learnt at university. While her assessment was mildly sarcastic, it nevertheless illustrates how big the divide between the theoretical, and the practical, can be.

Since work experience terms are relatively short in length, usually only lasting a week or two, there is no way every on-the-job situation and eventuality, both positive and negative, will arise. Nevertheless it is still something career changers should consider, as it offers a number of benefits.

In the first instance it can reaffirm the desire to pursue a specific career, and secondly it can provide some sort of an on the ground feel for what a particular role entails.

It can also be a way of building networks and contacts, especially if you manage to make a good impression. I’ve seen a number of instances where someone who has come into a company for work experience, has subsequently been favourably considered for roles that have arisen after their on-the-job time.

While quite valuable, work experience opportunities can be difficult to come by though. When we did our on-the-job stints while at high school or university, it was usually as a result of an arrangement between the school and the participating workplaces.

And since very few work experience opportunities are ever publicly advertised, it is up to the individual to track down possibilities. This can be achieved though in much the same way as a targeted job search, which I wrote about last week.

Essentially this means finding, and contacting, a company you are interested in doing work experience at, and seeing if an arrangement can be made. You could also try asking around family and friends, and your other networks, to see if any opportunities exist.

There are a few things to remember though.

You will need to be flexible, and prepared to fit in with the host workplace’s schedule. Any companies agreeing to provide you with work experience will want it to take place at a time that suits them.

In most instances you will not be paid since you are there to learn, and the host company is in effect doing you a favour, but I have heard of one or two cases where people do get some recompense.

I also know of a few companies that have made very small, ex gratia, cash payments to assist with a work experience person’s travel costs for example. This has been purely at the discretion of the companies in question though, and should neither be expected or requested.

You also need to be mindful of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) regulations, and insurance cover matters, and should check these issues with the host workplace prior to your engagement.

Tomorrow in the second part of this article, I will supply a few tips and some advice for finding, and gaining the most from, a work experience role.

Actually this is NOT the last post being made at The InterChange Desk, at least I hope not, but rather it is what I might say if for some reason it were.

This article is actually part of the Blog Apocalypse, a meme being hosted by Albert Foong aka The Urban Monk, who is inviting participants to imagine that, shock horror, the blogosphere is coming to an end, and they have the opportunity to make one final post before it is all over.

For every person who takes part Albert will put aside one dollar. Once 500 participates have been logged, he will make a $500 donation to a selected charity. He’s even open to suggestions as to which charity as well. So since it’s for a good cause, why not?

And if it were your blog, what last message, or words of wisdom, would you leave your readers, while you still could?

It was something I had to ponder for a short time. The InterChange Desk, being a blog dedicated to all matters career change, and job search, made me wonder what one topic or issue could I elevate above all others, and highlight in a final post?

Then I remembered a comment a reader had made a few days ago. The commenter had said while she always wanted to make a career change, she was too afraid to take the plunge, and make it happen.

Therefore my last post at The InterChange Desk would to be quite simply to say “go for it”.

In fact I would quote the words of Mark Twain, which have always, for me, made a lasting impression.

And his words are exactly spot on. It’s always the things we didn’t try to do that linger in our minds long the opportunity to act has passed. Of all the questions we ask ourselves, it is the “what if” ones that we keep trying to answer.

If you’ve gone out and tried to do something and failed, then at least you have the consolation of telling yourself that you gave it a go, and it didn’t work out.

You however can’t say that if you just sat out the moment, and let the chance pass you by.

And then of course there is the possibility you will succeed, in which case many of us are left wondering, “why didn’t I try doing this far sooner?”

To quote the ancient Roman poet and possibly, motivator, Virgil:

We really are only afraid or fearful when the prospect of the unknown, or uncertainty presents itself, and that fear alone is enough to hinder us.

This is where making plans and doing research can make all the difference. If we know what we are up against then we are far better prepared to deal with it.

As I’ve said when contemplating a career change draw up a road map. While it won’t eliminate every last doubt and unknown, it will supply you with direction and a means of reaching your goal.

So there we go, my last words of advice, plan it, research it, and then go for it. And in parting let me offer one final motivational quote. While the creator’s name eludes me right now, I’m sure you’ve heard it before:

And in true MEME style I’d like to tag the following bloggers, people I either know in person or by reputation: Kumiko, Darren Rowse, Eastwood Zhao, Uncover Your Bliss, domestika, shokthx, and Cedric Ang.

Yesterday I discussed the idea of making a direct approach, or expression of interest, in working for a particular company or employer, even though they are not advertising any job vacancies, plus some of the advantages this method of finding work can have for career changers.

While targeted job searches are not usually considered “conventional” methods of finding work, compared to applying for jobs that are publicly advertised, they are nevertheless effective and certainly produce results.

While job seekers may feel such an initiative constitutes making unsolicited contact, or even being a “nuisance”, in many instances employers are happy to hear from prospective employees.

And those who aren’t will usually come back with reasonably moderate lines to the effect of “thanks but no thanks; we’re not hiring right now”, or, “thanks for your interest; but you’re not quite what we’re looking for”.

And that is all fine. After all, nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.

While the process of “cold calling” seems a little daunting at first, try and consider it your job to find a job, and as such regard difficult things, like making follow up phone calls, as simply part of the “job”.

Seek and study
The first step is to think about what sort of places you would like to work for, that could benefit from what you have to offer. Search around and make a list of organisations that are in, or near, your locality, or wherever you are prepared to work.

Gather the names, and email addresses if possible, of the people you will be addressing your enquiry to. In larger workplaces this will probably be the HR or recruitment manager, while in smaller organisations your point of contact could be the owner, or a director.

Swot up on the company through its website, and find out as much as you can.

Use search engines, read public financial reports where available, press releases, and anything else you can get hold of. This is something that is far easier to do today than it was ten or so years ago thanks to online avenues of research!

At this stage also find out exactly who to direct employment enquiries to. In smaller enterprises it could be the CEO, or the head of the division you wish to work in.

Double check
Once you have drawn up a list of contact names, confirm your information is correct. A quick phone call to a company’s reception, or main switchboard, should be all it takes. People resign, retire, or move on, and information is not always immediately updated on company websites, or other public sources of information.

All your effort could come undone, and make you look tardy, if the information you use is clearly out of date, or a name is misspelt.

Also be mindful of who you are talking to, particularly in smaller companies where anyone from the CEO, or owner, downwards may answer the phone when you call.

Prepare your pitch
Think about how you will word your enquiry. Be straightforward and to the point. Be upfront with the facts, and don’t overstate your knowledge or experience.

Take aim and deliver
Be personal in approach, use actual names rather than generic salutations and titles, such as “sir” or “madam”, or “to whom it may concern”. Also don’t make your enquiry look like it has been sent to 50 other people at the same time!

Remember attention to the smallest details can make all the difference.

Follow up
Phone the person you addressed your expression of interest to a week after you sent it, to ensure they received it. Allow a few extra days if you posted it.

This can be the hardest part of the exercise but making the effort will generate a positive impression. If a number of people have done the same as you, and you are the only one who makes a follow up call, it is you who will stand apart from the others!

I’ll speak to you soon
Keep in touch, even if your enquiry doesn’t result in any immediate action. If the company has no current vacancies, ask if you can follow up again after a certain number of weeks or months. Be bold without being overbearing.

Send emails, or better still, make periodic phone calls passing on information of any developments on your side, such as updates to your experience and qualifications, or to ask if any new opportunities have arisen within the company.

Try to consider this ongoing relationship as another part of your networking activities.

Finally…
As I said earlier, searching, or asking, for work in this manner may seem daunting at first, but the more you do it, the more your confidence will grow, and the easier it will all become.

And some final motivation; remember that your efforts are ultimately all about finding the sort of work of you really want.

When looking for work, or a new job, probably the first thing most people do is reach for the classified advertising section of the newspaper, or log on to a job search website.

What may surprise many people though is that there are other, possibly better, ways of finding work.

Just about every recruiter I have spoken to says only about a quarter, to possibly a third, of jobs are ever advertised publicly.

And while these figures vary, no matter how you look at them, there is no doubting that the vast majority of jobs never reach newspaper classifieds, or your favourite job search website.

So just how are all of these apparently “invisible” jobs filled then?

Many roles are only ever advertised internally, within a company. Some are advertised in publications exclusive to certain professions, such as medical journals for example. Others are filled through networks, word of mouth, and people “knocking on the door” of a workplace enquiring about job opportunities.

The last method, where people knock on the door as it were, or make a direct expression of interest in working for a particular company, was, I discovered, especially widespread in the Web/IT industry several years ago.

In fact companies were receiving so many expressions of interest from people keen to work for them, that some spent very little money advertising job vacancies as a result!

This method of hiring also applies to other industries though, and you may have noticed a number of companies on the “work for us”, or “employment opportunities” pages of their websites often state they are interested in hearing from people who would like to work for them.

While they may not necessarily have a suitable role vacant at the time someone makes an enquiry, if an employer is sufficiently interested in someone they will stay in contact with them until a role emerges.

It is also not unknown for companies to create roles for people who they have been especially impressed with, lest someone else hires them!

And this way of finding work can be particularly useful for career changers, or those with limited experience in the field in which they would like to work.

Making an expression of interest in working for a company is not the same as directly applying for an advertised role. Here there is a far greater expectation that applicants will have the required qualifications and experience, and those whose applications are not up to spec will most likely be discounted.

Applying for a role that you are not completely suitable for, in the hope of “getting a foot in the door”, is a ploy that could backfire though. And spell the end of any future prospects of finding work with that particular organisation.

Making a direct approach, or indicating a desire to work for a particular company however, allows you to introduce yourself a little more subtly to an employer. This gives you the opportunity to set out your circumstances, outline the reasons for your career change, and explain how you think you can be of value to the company.

By additionally building up some rapport and a relationship with the recruiting office of the company, you can continue to “market” yourself, and remain utmost in the minds of those you have been in contact with.

So don’t wait for possibilities to appear in the classifieds, rather get proactive, and start searching for work opportunities.

Tomorrow, in the second part of this article, I will outline some strategies for making an expression of interest, and also for developing relationships, with companies you would like to work for.

One question that many people contemplating a career change ask is whether they will need a degree in order to establish themselves in a new career.

The short answer is, “it depends”.

The question of a degree, or some other formal qualification, is an aspect of the career change process that, depending on your career goals, may require some thought.

Committing to a degree course is clearly not the same as taking a six week course at night school, which requires two or three hours of your time, and usually only once a week, for the duration.

To become say a doctor, dentist, or lawyer, fields where professional qualifications are an absolute necessity, then obviously the answer is yes.

The prospect of going, or returning, to university can be daunting though, especially for those who are established in working life, and also have other commitments and obligations, such as a mortgage and a family to support.

At best a minimum of three years may be required to gain a degree, but if part time study is the only option, then the time frame could be, at the very least, six or seven years. That’s a long time to remain committed to a career change, to say nothing of the cost, both financially and in terms of time.

While some form of study, or re-skilling, will almost certainly be necessary to make any sort of career change, there’s a good chance long term, and potentially expensive, study will not be required.

In fact your current qualifications, despite the fact they may not seem relevant, may be all you need.

Use what you have
An existing degree, if you have one, can be of considerable benefit, no matter what it is for. A degree is more an just a piece of paper stating that you are university qualified in a particular subject or field.

The fact that you committed to several years of successful study demonstrates that you are prepared to apply yourself for extended periods of time, and achieve goals. It is for this reason that many employers place a high value on a degree, regardless of what it is for.

Therefore your existing degree, supplemented with a certificate, or diploma, from a shorter course of study relevant to your new career interests, will go along way to finding the work you want, without having to spend years studying, possibly needlessly, at university.

A universal qualification
As I’ve just said simply holding a degree, any degree, can open doors long after you’ve left the university campus.

For example I saw a letter someone wrote to the careers editor of a local newspapers several years ago, asking how they could become a journalist with the same publication. The writer was told that a good portfolio of published work, together with any degree, would be sufficient for them to be considered for a journalism internship with the newspaper.

This situation once again illustrates how useful any sort of degree qualification can be, regardless of the work you want to do.

As I’ve already said, while an accounting or commerce degree will probably not be adequate if you wish to become something like a doctor, there are still other options you can pursue without the need for long term study.

A top up?
It could be that time spent studying for an honours, or possibly even masters, “extension” of your current degree will be the sufficient re-qualification you require. This could take a year or two, but would be preferable to starting again and devoting three or fours of your time to study.

Conclusion
In a lot of cases you should not require an additional degree to make the career change you are planning. Use of your current degree, regardless of what it is for, combined with some recent short term study, and the leveraging of your transferable skills, and past work experience, should be sufficient.

Always look at what you have first before deciding what to add. It could be you already have much of what you will require.

Yesterday I discussed the promotional and networking benefits that blogging can have for career changers.

To keep the networking theme continuing today I thought I’d relate an anecdote from a few years ago, once more about my web design career transition.

As I mentioned yesterday, the quirky nature of my personal website had garnered quite a degree of unexpected, but welcome, attention from a number of professional web designers locally.

As an aside, the researcher at the disposable razor blade company I mentioned yesterday, was but one of my web “identities”. Another “character” was a web designer, who featured in an on-going series of fictional stories that chronicled his various up and downs socially, personally, and as a freelance web designer.

I would subtly allude to various aspects of web design in these stories, using knowledge I was gathering about the workings of the web industry as I was going along.

As a result I would literally meet people who already thought I was a web designer, and was simply producing the fictional series as some respite from a hard day’s work designing websites!

I was able to deploy my expanding knowledge in more purposeful ways however, and it was one conversation in particular with the director of a design studio that resulted in a web design job offer coming my way.

It’s no secret web designers like to party, meaning there were always regular gatherings and social events around town, which I’d often get myself along to. It was not only a way of doing some serious face-to-face networking, but also of having some fun at the same time.

At one such function I met, for the first time, a studio director I had been corresponding with by email for the past few months. He went on to tell me about some of the projects he was working on, and a particular problem he was having with one website that was being produced to a very tight deadline.

Without having to think, I immediately ventured a possible solution which he was very interested in. A few days later he emailed, thanking me for the suggestion, and told me it was working perfectly!

I replied back telling him I was happy to have been of service, and partly humourously, to consider me for any job vacancies he had. I was surprised when he wrote back saying that while he had no openings presently, he had mentioned me to the Creative Director of another design studio who was looking to hire.

About ten days later I was starting work as a web designer, having virtually been head-hunted into the role!

And a large part of my success in this regard had been the way, albeit slightly creatively, that I had managed to build up name for myself, as someone who knew what he was talking about when it came to web design.

While you don’t have to go creating multiple identities, or writing works of fiction to get yourself noticed, there are a still some lessons that can be learnt from this experience.

Firstly, avail yourself of every opportunity to network face-to-face with people doing the sort of work you would one day like to.

As I mentioned yesterday, a blog (or personal website) is a great vehicle with which to introduce yourself, and go about creating a network of professional contacts, but it’s not the be all, and end all, of the process.

It’s the personal, or face-to-face, meetings that can really make the difference though, and often the value of putting a “face to a name” is often under-appreciated.

Also, keep you finger on the pulse. Be “up to speed” with the industry buzz. Subscribe to industry newsletters, blogs, and magazines. This will also give you some conversation starters at networking functions, and allow you to make knowledgeable contributions to the discussion.

And some informed conversation might be all it takes to bring about the job opening you have been looking for.