This is where it is really down to you. There is only so much information we can give to you, as ultimately only you can decide what you want to do… This said, there are plenty of choices out there, some lesser known than others, and I certainly wish I knew about some of these when I was looking for my job.

Here is an overview, the decision is yours!

Placement vs Internship (or both)

This decision may be one of the few that is (pretty much) out of your hands. If your university or course offers a year out, then this may be the best option for you. If you can’t do a placement as part of your degree, then the Internship during a holiday is definitely one of the better bets. If you are keen, like me, then I would definitely recommend doing both. I was in the City working for the Bank of England, only a few hundred yards from the investment banks, so I figured why not apply for them too? I used my holiday entitlement to take the interviews but as they were so close I went back to the office afterwards. When I got offered a place at Deutsche Bank I was already living in London so all I had to do was stay in the house I was renting anyway. It was definitely the best thing I did on my placement as I got to see two very different jobs and did 2 different roles (one which I liked and one which I didn’t) and it certainly meant I had much better idea of what I wanted to do in life.

UK vs Abroad All the members of the RateMyPlacement team went along with probably 99% of students and worked in the UK, and we had very little idea that you could work abroad on your placement year. There are plenty of opportunities in Europe (especially if you want to learn a language), and the USA and Canada, Australasia and many more, it’s just a case of finding them!

Large Company vs Small Company

Do you want to be one of 200 placement students / interns, or do you want to know everybody in the company? Do you want to work in a modern office with IT support a phone call away or do you want to work directly with the MD of the business? Working in a small company is something we had really never considered before, however now we run a small company of our own, I think it may have been the one thing I would have changed about my placement. Below are the advantages and disadvantages of working in a big company vs working for a small company.

Small Company

Advantages:

1. You work alongside the most senior people in the business
2. Your work has a real impact on the business as a whole
3. You are given real responsibility
4. You may have the ability to change the direction of the business
5. It may be a great way to become more entrepreneurial
6. You will know everyone in the business

Disadvantages:

1. You may be the only placement student
2. Chances are the wages will not be as high
3. You may not have the infrastructure and support that a big company offers.
4. If you don’t get along with a member of staff, you may not be able to move within the firm

Large Company

Advantages:

1. You will have all the perks, and support that big companies offer, this may be everything from gyms to a buddy / mentor scheme.
2. You may be able to take advantage of the company’s resources to make a real impact.
3. There will probably be a lot of young people around the office, and networks where you can meet them.
4. You will probably earn a higher wage
5. This may be the start of a long career with real progression
6. The business may be very high profile and in the news.
7. There may be a lot of kudos attached to working for the company

Disadvantages:

1. The work you do may not have a direct impact on the success of the firm
2. The work may be more repetitive and structured.
3. You may feel more anonymous