How to get experience

Work experience will allow you to develop skills, try out a career choice, and stand out from other candidates. Work experience could also earn you some money alongside your studies. 

The information on this page will set out some of the ways to gain experience outside of your studies at Goldsmiths 

Part-time work

Many students have a part-time job during their studies. While this is often necessary to have some extra money, it is also a great way to develop transferable skills. These skills can often help with applications in the future, even in a completely different field. 

A part-time job can be in a variety of different sectors. While often these jobs are in the hospitality or retail sector, this is not the only possibility. 

Our page on finding part-time work gives an overview of where to start looking. It is also worth speaking to a career consultant and checking CareerSPACE opportunities.

Volunteering

Volunteering gives you a chance to gain valuable transferable skills while giving something back to an organisation or community that could benefit from your skills. 

Various roles are available, from helping an organisation build their website, to organising a fundraising event. 

Goldsmiths only recommends volunteering with registered charities. 

Find out more on our volunteering pages.  

Work placements

Work placement modules are available in most departments. Check to see if there is one for your programme. They are an excellent way of gaining experience related to your studies.

Work shadowing

If an organisation cannot offer you a formal placement, you may be able to “shadow” a member of staff. 

This involves spending a short period with them, watching their role and asking questions about their work. 

These opportunities won’t be advertised, so think about the areas and organisations you are interested in and contact them directly. Think about whether anyone in your existing networks could help you. 

Work shadowing should not include carrying out work for the organisation. 

Unadvertised opportunities

Up to 70% of jobs are found through networking and speculative applications. Access the opportunities that are never formally advertised by approaching employers directly. 
  
Rather than responding to a job advert, speculative applications involve contacting an organisation directly to find out whether they have any suitable work opportunities available.  

This proactive approach demonstrates your initiative and motivation for working for the organisation. But just like any job whether advertised or not, you might have to send out a few applications before anyone gets back to you.

By going to the employer directly you could find yourself facing less competition, compared with applying for an advertised job which can generate hundreds of applications.