Placement searching during Covid for an events student

My search was demanding, exhausting, rewarding!

Placement lectures began I decided to follow all the advice and kept on track with lesson criteria. At first, they said to start your search early. However, as event students then deflated with motivation so did the teachers. Festivals were beginning to be cancelled and it didn't feel like the industry was ever going to pick up again. Lecturatures were no longer talking about event placements and told students to try to apply for different professions like marketing.

22 personalised cv’s and cover letters, 5 company assessments, 3 final round interviews later, I got a placement! I wasn't sure how to feel. I was more disappointed with the virtual interview provided by my placement. Not only did they not read my cover letter nor my cv. They thought I had applied for a waitress position. I managed to turn around the conversation and proposed placement. The recruiter said she would have to speak to management. I was disheartened so l got undressed out of my virtual interview clothes. Within 2 minutes, l received a call, I quickly got redressed and I was offered a placement. I was confused the recruiter had asked me nothing I had prepared for. l had spent a lot of time on my preparation which is why I could not believe that my search was over. I was surprised that the recruiter put so much belief in me to create a new role and take on their first-e ver university student.

From this experience, I would like everyone in the process or preparing for their search to know to continue to put in the work even when you don’t succeed. Never change your dream profession as you need to remember you will be in your placement for one whole year. Placements should be fun, amazing for your cv and develop your skills towards your career path. I am now more prepared than my peers who have decided not to take placements as I have learnt how to search for an event job when the industry was at its worst

.

Here are a few tips on how I kept motivated:

• Made a Vision Board

• Listened to Event Grads on Clubhouse

• Had meetings with my lecturer

• Learned skills on LinkedIn Learning

• Read industry updates

• To-do lists