Callum

Describe your placement experience.

On my placement at the House of Lords, each day is unique.

Every morning, I draft Written Parliamentary Questions to bridge the gap between public concerns and government work. These questions give me the chance to communicate with the people running the country about how they are working to improve it. After I submit these for review, I manage social media profiles for the Lord I work for. We always try to build a platform that connects the public to our work.

What are the best things about it?

When my morning work is finished, my day consists of a huge range of different tasks. It may be organising events, attending these events, communicating on behalf of my boss, or building original content for our presentations. I have already worked alongside MPs, Lords, Baronesses, industry leaders and many other interesting people. I am always surprised by how exciting every single day at work can be. There is never a dull moment!

Have your career plans been informed by your placement?

With connections to such a range of sectors, the opportunities feel limitless. Every person I meet has a story, and I now relate to people from industries I once never saw myself joining. As this year continues, I find myself opening the door to more ideas, rather than looking to specialise. 

Everything is just so interesting!

What advice do you have for students on considering doing a placement?

Before my placement, I did plenty of volunteering. I took part in short internships in lots of different sectors and roles. Having a broad range of experiences gave me a better chance of attracting attention from an equally broad range of employers.

When applying, I focused on writing one strong cover letter to show the best of me to any employer that might see it. I then used Surrey Pathfinder, or applied directly through websites or by emailing recruitment teams. Instead of writing an entire letter from scratch for each company, I just made small tweaks. 

Tell us more about what you learned from the experience

In my interview, I was fully aware that my skills alone would not be enough to set me apart from other candidates. I still think my key selling point was my attitude towards people I met that day. Despite feeling nervous, I tried to be as friendly as possible. I noticed that one person was struggling with a physical injury, so I asked them about it. 

Following the interview, the same person called to say that someone else had been chosen for the job. I was grateful to be called, so I wished them the best and said I hope they recover from their injury soon. Kindness goes a long way, because two days later they called me back to offer me the job. The interview panel had changed their mind, and I was the person they wanted for the job.

Since then, I have enjoyed working with every person I have met along the way. Building skills is what can make you good at a job, but kindness and human connection is what makes it fun and fulfilling.