There is a lot to go into your university application. You've got your academic performance and your grades over the years. You've reached your extracurricular activities that add character to your image and prove that you have other interests. And you have your particular interests, reading, and passions.
But another thing can be super helpful when applying to a university. This isn't an academic concern, nor is it at all relevant to your school life. Nor will it get you any UCAS points or certificates at the end. It won't give you any concrete qualification beyond the simple fact of the experience itself.
This thing is getting a job. This can, in many ways, be any job at all – because it is not so much what you do as the fact that you do it.
Now, we know that getting a job is tricky. You have to look for a job, then apply for jobs, attend a job interview, and so on. At the end of it, you have to do the job too! Whilst you might feel at sixth form that you have enough on your plate already, understand that all of this is worth the pain. Honestly.
Here, we will tell you why admissions like to see that you have work experience. And why having a job early on can be worth your while in the long run.
Let's take a look! You can find more ways to boost your university application here!
Why Uni Admissions Want to See Work Experience on Your Application
First, let's explore why universities want to see that you have a job. Academic institutions can learn a lot from your employment history, whether it is an internship or a part-time café job, a simple work placement, a full-blown side hustle, or an intelligent career.
Because remember that universities are not just places where you learn; these institutions have a duty of care for you over three years. They need to trust that you can handle life away from Mum and Dad too.
Employment Experience Makes You Stand Out
Having a job experience, regardless of the specific job title, makes you an individual amongst a crowd of hundreds – potentially thousands – of applicants. Not many school kids have employment experience to their name when they apply to university. Being one of the few that do is a real advantage.
Universities associate a work experience placement or a job with the skills outlined below. You are just making yourself look better on the application.
Professional Experience Gives You Transferable Skills that are Helpful Everywhere
The skills gained in work aren't exclusive to the world of work. They are not just valuable there. Instead, everyone values the skills that work can provide – from personal independence to being able to communicate effectively and maturely.
Before university, there were few places to acquire these new skills. Work experience gives you these soft skills in bucketloads, and they will be helpful for the rest of your life – not least during university.
It Shows that You Do Things Outside of School
Extracurricular activities are plentiful. However, they don't need to come with qualifications or certificates for them to be useful for university applications. It can be helpful for you to show that you merely do something productive that is outside of the curriculum.
Whether a volunteer works down the local allotment or works in a local bar, universities like to see that you have interests and a life outside of the classroom.
It Demonstrates that You Don't Mind a Challenge
Work – as well as applying for and getting a job – is hard. Having a job shows the world that you can handle a challenge – particularly when combining your paid work role with your schoolwork.
Many kids take the path of least resistance throughout their academic careers. Getting yourself a job shows that this isn't you. You should be proud of that.
Relevant Experience, Of Course, is the Best
Of course, it is best if your work experience is relevant to the degree you are applying to. If you are using it for music, it would be great if you could be a music teacher. Or, if you are using it for medicine, some care work would be best. This shows that you are dedicated to the path you are travelling down.
However, it is not strictly necessary. Find out about relevant work experience here!
Your Work History Shows that Others Trust You too.
University admissions are considering whether to take you on. It helps them to see whether you have been shown trust by other people – recruiters or a hiring manager – before them.
If you have lots of work experience or volunteer experience, you are showing universities that you are someone that they can invest in. Why should they trust someone with no experience to be what they claim?
Find out how extracurricular activities can help your application too!
Skills You Can Learn from Professional Experience
Universities will love to see that you have professional experience – no matter how limited you think that experience might be. This is because job opportunities are learning opportunities and will supply you with the relevant skills necessary to excel at university too.
Which skills are these? Take a look – and see what good perfecting that resume and cover letter will do for you.
Time Management
Time management is one of the most important employability skills there are. However, it is not just crucial for job applications or impressing during your internships.
Instead, time management is a skill that is crucial during university. Remember that you will have essential deadlines throughout your time at university – and being able to reach them is something universities would appreciate.
Communication Skills
For most jobs, you need to communicate effectively – where effectively means maturely, politely, and professionally, but with confidence. For an interview at university, or at any moment, you will have to discuss different ideas with your supervisor; say, you'll need these communication skills.
Work experience opportunities hone this ability – gaining experience in this field is always valuable.
How to Juggle Tasks and Priorities
Being grown up means being able to manage lots of different priorities, obligations and responsibilities. Can you handle an urgent email whilst you are in the middle of an essay? Can you concentrate in a lecture when you know you have something else to do?
Managing different tasks, like driving your time, is crucial for your adult life and university experience.
Check out how school activities and competitions can help too!
Independence and Maturity
Do you need to be spoon-fed all the necessary information, or can you seek it yourself? Can someone hold your hand throughout a process, or can you work things out on your own?
Are you independent, or are you very much reliant on other people all the time?
If it wasn't obvious, universities want you to be self-sufficient. That's part of what academic research is about.
Problem Solving
You have two options when you reach a point in your work that is proving difficult. Firstly, there's the schoolboy response: stick up your hand and shout, 'Miss, I'm stuck!'. Alternatively, you can work on it or find different ways to approach it yourself.
Problem-solving is a crucial skill for people to learn – and the workplace is a great place to learn it.
Handling Mistakes
The same applies to mistakes made. You can cry and panic or deal with it, find a way to rectify it and move on. This is a vital sign of maturity.
Universities want to see that you can learn from your mistakes. In a job, you will be forced to do exactly that.
Self-Confidence
During school, that is the only world we know. Everything else can be exciting, but it can also be a little terrifying. Getting a job can reveal that things don't need to be scary. You can talk to adults, you can handle problems when they arrive, and you are a bit more financially independent.
Self-confidence can often be the difference between successful university applications and unsuccessful ones. No benefit comes from being too shy! Just don't be too cocky, either!
You can find out how to write the best personal statement too!
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