Guidance & Support on Applying for Placements

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and start-ups will have opportunities for placement students, and these will generally be advertised on a rolling basis across the year.  

They will generally be advertised much later than larger organisations as the smaller organisations will tend to recruit nearer the time when they want the student to be on placement with them (some might ask for an immediate start date!) 

Unlike larger organisations, the application processes are generally less intensive and have fewer stages involved. The usual application process will first start with a CV and Cover letter. If the employer likes the application, they will then invite you to an interview and from the interview, a job offer can be provided with an immediate/quick start date. 

There are various benefits of applying/securing a placement with SMEs or startups: 

• It may be less competitive than other schemes 

• More likely to have a lot more responsibility and impact on the organisation 

• More exposure to different departments/functions 

• Closer to senior management and personal growth is valued 

If you are considering a placement with a SME/local organisation/start-up, why not write to companies that you want to work for to ask for any opportunities available. Be sure to point out in your email/letter/application why you decided to choose their business to contact.  

Working in both large and small businesses will be rewarding - experience is experience! You might be able to get an overview of a department when working for a large business, whereas when working for a small business you might have more responsibility. It all depends on what you want to get out of your placement year.