Have you just landed work experience and are not sure how to prepare yourself for your first day?

If so, you’re in the right place! Gaining work experience can be an incredibly rewarding and valuable experience for your future career in finance. Not only does it give you a taste of the industry, but it’s also a great opportunity to start building your network and make some important contacts, learn more about the industry and roles that you might be interested in pursuing, gain a competitive advantage against other graduates and put all that you have learnt from university into practice.

That aside, how do you prepare for it? While it can be incredibly nerve-wracking, we’ve put some tips together to help you prepare:

Asking questions is ok, in fact, it’s encouraged!
When undertaking finance work experience, it’s important to be professional and act in a manner that reflects positively on you. During your work experience, you should be punctual, dress appropriately, and be respectful to your colleagues and supervisors. It’s also important to be proactive and take initiative when it comes to tasks and projects. Don’t be afraid of asking questions, your managers know you are there to learn and will be happy to help you with anything you need. In fact, by asking questions it shows that you’re dedicated and are interested! Asking questions shows that you are engaged with the subject area and tasks and that you are keen to upskill faster.
Dress for the job you want, not the job (or work experience) you have
When it comes to dressing for finance work experience, it’s important to make a good first impression. Business attire is usually the way to go. Try to wear something professional and tasteful, but also comfortable. For some tips on how to dress read up more on that here.

3. Punctuality is key
When attending your work experience, it’s important to make a good first impression. Greet your colleagues and supervisors with a smile, offer to help out with any tasks, and make sure to arrive on time. Show your enthusiasm for the field and demonstrate your willingness to learn.

First impressions do count so make sure that you’re on time (or even a tad early) on your first day. To get rid of any jitters about not being able to find the office if it is in person, doing a trip beforehand to find the place or researching your trip and how long it will take to get there from where you live is a definite must.

If the work experience is remote, make sure that you have downloaded all necessary software, and tested microphones and cameras beforehand. Some companies will you give you access before your first day to your email so it can be handy to set this up before your first day. Others do this on your first day and if so it’s ok - just make sure that your computer is working and keep an eye out for any setup instructions.

4. Don’t forget to add it to your CV (and LinkedIn)
Finally, once you’ve completed your work experience, make sure you let the world know about it! it’s important to use this experience to help leverage it into a graduate role or job. Make sure to update your CV and LinkedIn with details of your experience, listing any achievements and then responsibilities.

Make sure to also stay in touch with your contacts and keep them updated on your progress. Who knows, you might be back there working with them someday or they could help you to get your foot into the door!