When I started filling out my work experience job application form, I saw that I could only apply for only three jobs and I had nine job descriptions so as a result of that, I had to start eliminating, therefore I did that by one law office assistant, one solicitor trainee and one dental assistant to put on my application form. After doing that I then had to write a personal profile to the employers of the jobs I selected, and then take my application form home for my parents to sign in regard that they agreed with the terms and conditions of work experience, and lastly take it back to school so that my form tutor could give it off to the person in charge of work experience and that person would give it off to the employers.
After the application process the job placements came in, my form tutor handed me my placement, I was so excited to see where I was going to do my work experience, however, Ii was disappointed because I did not get the job placement I was hoping for. I got a job as an office assistant at the connextions center in Barking, however I was not overly disappointed due to the fact that work experience, from what I understand, is not about what I want, it’s about what I need to gain and understand for the future.
After all of that I had to start preparing for my work experience at connextions, first I had to do a job interview with my employer. I arranged that interview by calling and making an appointment with my employer. After doing that my interview was set on the 5th of May 2007, at 4:00pm. During my interview which I thought was going to be nerve racking, I was only told the health and safety risks, what I was going to be doing and the dress code the was required in the office, which was smart casual, meaning I could wear anything except from jean, trainers and T- shirts. I was really happy about that. My interview was not as bad as a thought it was going to be.
Travel arrangement for getting to my work experience was simple; I only had to take a bus from my house to the train station and then a train from the train station to Barking, connextions was very close to Barking train station therefore I didn’t have to walk far when I got out.
On the 19th of March 2007 I started my work experience with connextions at 10:00am. I had butterflies in my stomach at the thought of going in a new environment, with new people. I was worried but excited at the same time. As I reached the door of connextions my mind was telling me to turn back, but I didn’t let my mind take me over, so I opened the door and went in, I introduced my self and I was then told by the receptionist that I had to sign in every morning, it was almost like a real job. I was then taken to the place where I would be doing my tasks. On the first day I was set a number of tasks which I would be working on for the remainder of my placement. The person in charge of me while doing my placement, was a lady by the name of Deborah Holyoak, she was the manger of that connextions branch, she carried me around and introduced me to the staff members and they were very polite, they made me feel comfortable.
I was there from the 19th of March to the 30th of March. My day started at 9:00am and finished at 4:45pm. My break times were 10:30am for half an hour and then at 12:30pm to 1:30pm for one hour. The tasks I was set for the remainder of my placement, was mostly to do with filing, photo copying and typing. On the first day I started photocopying a stack of papers, which was included in my tasks. However, the photo copying machine I had to use to my task was in another department, because the one in the department I was working in had a technical difficulty, therefore I had to use that photocopier with discretion because that department was filled with photocopying jobs and other people had to use it. I dealt with that situation very adequately, and I completed my first task in a very professional way even though I had difficulties.
During the other days of my work experience at connextions, I worked on completing my tasks and also I had to concentrate on time management during my breaks. However I found working and communicating with others very easy.
From my placement I learnt a number of new skills which related to the conversations and issues of the client and career advisers in connextions, my communication skills were developed when listening and giving my own opinions to solve social problems of clients and my technical typing skills were improved by creating information using the computer to help clients decide how to create a C.V, how to get a job and also how to relate and answer questions during jobs interviews. I also learned how to manage time, how to be responsible, how to suggest solutions to problems, how to complete tasks on my own, how to carry out information to full and not give up, how to offer and share ideas, how to be adaptable and lastly how to find and save private information on the computer. The problems I had while doing this work experience was learning how to remember and past messages which were given to me for other people on to them, however I solved that problem by writing down the messages on a piece of paper and pasting them on the computer monitor right in front of me. This experience was worthwhile because it showed me the reality of the job which is most important if one is considering it for a career in future time.
I think this work experience was very important and effective mainly because of the responsibilities I had to gain and the skills I learnt will surely be useful in my career.
The impact of this work experience on myself have been positive because it made me become more aware of my own strengths and weaknesses and it also improved my key skills which are highly valued by employers and which I will need in order to be well prepared for my working and adult life.