Part 5: A watched pot never boils…

So you can sit for hours staring at your email inbox, your phone or even the letterbox waiting to hear the results of your interview but you could be putting that time to much better use. No doubt waiting for a response can be the most mind numbing part of any job application process with the thought of what might have been decided constantly looming over you. Hopefully you will be too busy with other university deadlines for it to turn you into too much of an emotional wreck. If you have got an uncharacteristically large amount of free time on your hands and you can’t help but think back to your interview and cringe at any silly mistakes you may have made and scold yourself over what you should have done instead, just remember it’s never too late. Industrial placements are advertised well into January and you can often find opportunities a few months into the year too. There are numerous companies out there and whilst the bigger names in the industry may jump out to you at first, it’s not the end of the world if you are unable to obtain a placement with them. There are many smaller companies who also offer industrial placements and working with them will no doubt provide you with a unique experience.

The waiting period varies for each applicant. I was offered a position by GlaxoSimthKline within two days of having my interview whilst I know of other students working in my department who waited for two months to hear back. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get a response as soon as you were hoping too. Think positive and focus on the things you think you did well. Keep an open mind and continue applying for any other opportunities that interest you as you never know which application might be successful. Don’t be disheartened!

And remember, if you don’t manage to secure a placement year, you could always apply for summer placements which various companies and university departments advertise closer to the summer holidays. Although these only last for an average of 6-8 weeks, they will give you a valuable insight into the industry.

I’ll save the pros and cons of giving up your summer holiday vs. giving up an entire university year for another blog post!