5 things I learned on my Placement

Be intentional about what you want

You deserve to get the absolute best out of your placement year. Those first few weeks might feel overwhelming but with the support of your manager and your other colleagues, you’ll become an expert in no time.

Here are five things to focus on in your first month:

• Set up meetings with people across the business. You’ll learn so much

• Track your wins (and losses). If your job involves metrics (like mine does), write down all the figures at the start to track your progression

• Try to be in the office as much as you can, this is the only way to get to know those around you

• Ask questions and seek feedback. Your placement is not only about doing your job, it’s also about becoming the professional you want to be

• Set clear six month goals and share them with your manager.

Build your network

During your placement year, you’ll work with so many amazing people who could become lifelong connections. It’s great to make friends, but also think about building meaningful connections that’ll last after your placement ends.

Never think, “why would they want to speak to the placement student?” Everyone, I repeat everyone, wants to see you thrive. So reach out, ask questions and add your colleagues on LinkedIn (make one ASAP if you don’t already have one, here’s how).

Imposter syndrome hits everyone

This was a huge one for me. I’ve had jobs before, but this was my first ever full-time role. The thought of having to share ideas and speak in company-wide meetings, rocked me.

Here’s what you need to remember: you were hired for a reason. You bring a fresh perspective that people genuinely want to hear. That annoying little voice in your head making you question your place? Even the most senior of your colleagues hear it sometimes.

Having a mentor makes a huge difference. They’ll encourage you to share your thoughts and remind you of your worth, even when you don’t see it yourself.

Don’t be afraid to say no

When you start your placement, you’ll juggle many different tasks and responsibilities each week. Before starting my placement, I thought I would feel the pressure of taking on as many things as possible. I was wrong. People respect that you have a full workload, they’ll always check your capacity before adding more to your plate.

Get organised with a diary and to-do lists to stay on top of your work. Plan your days and don’t be afraid to use your work calendar to block out specific times for tasks (your colleagues will be good at honouring your busy times, too).

Work-life balance is a must

This is probably the biggest one. I thought it would look bad on the placement student for taking time out and not be constantly working. Again, I was so wrong.

Your employer wants you to thrive during your placement year. Taking time out to maintain a healthy lifestyle is important for your wellbeing and will make you a much better person to work with tbh.

You need to make sure you don’t burn out, whether that means taking an extended lunch break to go to the gym or a Friday early finish to start your weekend off right. If it helps you feel better, it has our vote.

If you are preparing for your placement, here’s what I want you to know: you’ll love it! I haven’t regretted a single moment of my journey, it helped to land me a graduate role straight out of university.

Remember, a placement year is not just gaining work experience. It’s also about discovering what you’re good at and building the foundations for whatever happens next. 

You’ve got this.