5 tips for students on placement

As a student, I know that placements can be massively intimidating. It’s a hugely unfamiliar territory, especially if you have little experience in a formal workplace environment. So, I have compiled a few tips to help you settle into the workplace comfortably, and hopefully help you in developing a few workplace friendships (you’d be surprised how good of a pal a 40-year-old woman can be).

1. Age is just a number

I don’t mean it in the way that you’re thinking. What I mean is that in the workplace your viewed as a colleague and potentially a friend for other co-workers, even those who are significantly older than you. Don’t be afraid to chit chat to them, almost everyone wants to waste their time chit chatting at work (probably like 9/10 times this is the case), so be confident and speak to them as if you were talking to your mates, just make sure its SFW. And don’t be disheartened if someone says they need to get on with their work (they might be part of the 1/10 that doesn’t like chit chat).

2. Find a good balance with work and down time

This kind of goes against what I said above but finding a good balance between chit chat at work and cracking down with work is essential (chit chatting the whole time will probably get you fired tbh). Within the first few months, you really want to make a good impression, so I’d say working hard is a priority during this time, although don’t burn yourself out. But overall, giving yourself a breather at work once you’re into the swing of things is essential to ensure you’re at the top of your game at work.

3. Most people in the workplace will view you as a colleague

This can kind of depend on your workplace, but in my experience all of my colleagues viewed me as an equal colleague rather than a student. So don’t be afraid to put your ideas forward and take some initiative. They hired you based on your skills after all so it’s worth it to utilise them.

4. Take every opportunity

This might sound obvious but say yes to absolutely everything (within reason). Any training, events, meetings etc that they might want you to be a part of is always a great opportunity to learn and network. These could be vital to your future career after placement. Also, say yes to social events. This is a great opportunity to become a bit more familiar with your colleagues and create work-friendships. In my experience, I felt a million times more comfortable with the people I worked with on placement after attending someone’s leaving do.

5. Ensure you have a good social life

Although it is common to say that work and social life should be kept separate, it is undeniable that your social or “home” life massively effects your motivation and ability to work. Therefore, ensuring you have a happy and stable social life is essential to making sure you enjoy your placement. This is easier said than done but a good way to start is by ensuring you have a good support network around you, particularly if you are completing a placement in an unfamiliar town or city. Keeping in regular contact with your family, creating a local network of friends and going to social events can help maintain your mental and physical health, which ultimately effect the quality of your work.

At SiP we are here to help all students have an enjoyable placement and find the opportunities that are right for them quickly. If you’re having trouble creating friendships on placement, check out our social media page. Here you can easily get into contact with other students going through the same experiences as you and create long lasting friendships. Additionally, if you are not on placement yet and are struggling to find opportunities, check out our job listings on our website. We advertise for hundreds of different opportunities for students, providing you with one place to easily access all placement related resources.

Contact our team at studentsinplacement@gmail.com for more help or advice straight from the source!