If you’ve been thinking about how you might get employability experience while you’re at univeristy, a placement programme, like City’s Careers and Employability Micro-Placements Programme (MPP) might be just the thing for you.
At City, the MPP is a 15-credit elective that supports you to develop your CV, enhance your core employability skills and get a taste of the working world. It is a great opportunity to take on a short-term career exploration related project in the summer and to build upon your work experience to differentiate yourself in the competitive job market!
And great news, for City students, there’s only one week until the Micro-Placements Programme’s Expression of Interest form opens!
We caught up with former MPP student and City Alumni, Charlotte Capper to find out more about her experience on the Micro-Placements Programme:
1. Who are you and what did you study?
My name’s Charlotte and I am an Indirect Tax Advisor within KPMG’s Tax & Legal team in London. I moved to London in 2016 to study LLB (Hons) Law at City and graduated in 2019 with First Class Honours.
2. Why did you want to apply for the Programme?
I applied for the Micro-Placements Programme because I wanted to gain experience within a new industry and develop transferable skills outside of the classroom. I’d only ever done work experience in smaller law firms and as I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do after university, it was really important for me to learn about other industries and potential career paths and the MPP provided a unique opportunity to do this.
3. How did you find the MPP recruitment process and experience?
The recruitment process was very good. The university do most of the work; they match you with potential employers and set up the interviews, all you have to do is prepare for the interviews and try your best. I was lucky enough to receive an offer from my first-choice employer, so the process was very quick for me. The overall placement was really enjoyable and the university checked in with both me and my employer frequently to ensure everything was going well.
4. How was your placement?
My placement was great. I was lucky enough to be partnered with a fun and supportive company who made me feel welcome and comfortable from the very beginning. I was placed with an Executive Search firm called River Partnership and I sat within their Operations department. I was involved in a range of projects which meant I was able to work with everyone in the company and develop strong relationships and improve my confidence. They work with a lot of cool clients, so it was exciting to be involved with these projects and gain an insight into the corporate world. I was with River Partnership for eight weeks during my MPP and re-joined on a permanent basis as an Operations Assistant after I graduated in 2019.
5. How did your MPP experience aid you in your career journey to date?
I definitely under-estimated how valuable the Micro-Placement experience would be, and I really don’t think I’d be where I am today if I hadn’t done it. For me, completing the MPP meant I had a job lined up after university and the experience I gained from this job allowed me to stand out and secure my current role with KPMG. Employers look for candidates who have a broad range of experience as this shows your ability to work in changing environments, so having experience in a range of different sectors is fundamental if you are looking to secure a graduate role.
My best advice to students is to be open-minded, try new things and be grateful for whatever opportunity you are offered (even if it is not a sector you would have picked yourself, you never know where the opportunity could lead you). Always approach all opportunities and tasks with a positive attitude, be willing to learn and don’t compare yourself to other people – we are all on our own paths, so it is important to not benchmark yourself against your classmates.
And finally, enjoy yourself! My placement was an incredibly enjoyable experience and I’d advise anyone to throw themselves into the work and enjoy it along the way.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me on LinkedIn.
Are you a City student and interested in the Micro Placement Programme? Want to know how to apply?
The Expression of Interest form opens in just 1 week (Monday 4th October). Please keep an eye on our website for the link to complete the form and to see whether your course is eligible.
Find out more:
- City’s MicroPlacementProgramme website
- Micro-Placements SharePoint
- Read about Juste’s experience My Marketing Placement: Part 1 The Application
