Dan's work experience

Give me a chance 

I’d been out of work since school and I didn’t have any idea what I wanted to do. I just needed qualifications and experience, which is why I did the two weeks placement.

Everywhere you look people want experience of some kind, but that’s easier said than done. You want a job, but employers want you to have experience, and you can’t get the experience unless someone gives you a chance.

The great thing about this course was that we got work but we were also given interview training and advice. We had to go for interviews with the employer we wanted to do work experience with, and if they liked us we’d get the gig.

Big man

The morning of the interview I was there in my suit, with a coffee, reading the paper. It felt quite strange, but in a way it makes you feel more confident. “I’m here in my suit, I’m a big man, I’m going to get the job, I’m going to get the girls!”

It was the first interview I’d had, but it wasn’t as intense as I’d thought it might be. They were really nice. They were just getting to know me - asking about my hobbies, what I was good at and what my weaknesses are.

The first day of the placement is something I won’t forget. When I walked through the doors for the first time, I thought, “Blimey! Am I going to be good here?”

Pretty soon, I’d forgotten about my nerves. I was treated like a proper member of staff, not a work experience kid. That was great.

Job hunting

While I was there I had a job coach, who helped me put a CV together. Beforehand it wasn’t that good. Now it’s much better - it’s actually helped me get work.

I now load my CV into sites likes Total Jobs.  That’s where I get my job offers; people see my CV and ask me in for interviews.

The best thing about this whole project was simply getting the experience. It was great. In those two weeks I learnt so much, it felt like I was there for a year.

It really helped my confidence. It showed me I could actually work. I could enter an office and do well. I’d not had that kind of chance before, it helped me think differently about myself.

One of the highlights was travelling home on the bus after my first day. We had been given ID badges and I’d forgotten to take mine off. Someone spoke to me and said, “You work for Carillion? That’s a good job to be in that is.” I didn’t know what to say! Someone nice is asking if I work at Carillion. That kind of thing doesn’t happen to someone like me.