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Stressed cos I can’t find a placement

I’m in chemicals engineering and I’ve applied for a few placements but I keep getting rejected I’m getting worried now and it’s stressing me out that I just keep getting rejections. I don’t want it to be like this once I graduate especially if I don’t get experience

Reply 1

ApplebottomBEANS

Speak to your university employability team to look at your cv and cover letter. That helped me out a lot and I got confident for interviews etc. definitely underrated but we all need some help.

Reply 2

Lancaster Student Ambassador

Official Rep

Original post by helpme111

Hi!

I am also a student with a placement year in my degree and have been applying for placements with mainly rejections so far. So I understand how demotivating it can be when all your effort seems to go nowhere. However, I believe that being negative about my outcome will affect me in my applications and interviews, so I have been trying my best to remain hopeful about the whole process. I can share some of my tips on dealing with placement applications and also just being positive but practical at the same time.

I recommend having a spreadsheet of placements that you find or are interested in, categorised with their deadlines, job type, grade qualification, location etc. I find this helps me keep on top of deadlines and also makes it easier to keep track of the different placements. You could also have a column for whether you applied yet or not, so you can be sure you have submitted applications. I also recommend finding other people who are taking a placement year like you and working with them to create the spreadsheet, because sometimes they may have found ones you didn't find and vice versa.

I think it is also a good idea to apply for placements that do not require a specific degree, for example, I do Law and would want a law placement as my first choice, but I am also open to placements from other sectors like Marketing, Human Resources etc. The main aim of a placement is to gain practical skills but employers also value transferable skills that you can acquire from doing work that may not be from your sector. Adding to this, it would also be a good idea to apply to internships as well, they are set for a shorter time but in the event you do not get a placement, you would still be able to get work experience through an internship and continue with your degree the next session.

I also believe talking to your careers team is important, you may not have a dedicated placement team, but do try to talk to the careers service about things like your CV, cover letters, interview skills and assessments. They may be able to give you feedback on your applications so far so that you can apply them to future applications.

Lastly, if you have already thought about all these before, that's fine, but do remember to give yourself grace in the process, it is very competitive and if you haven't been able to secure one yet it doesn't mean it won't happen. Keep your head up and do not let the rejections make you feel it will be the same even after you graduate. It is a difficult path but it is very rewarding. Good luck with your applications and I hope you get a placement.

Best Wishes,
Glory
Lancaster University Student Ambassador.