Issues Facing Final Year University Students in a Pandemic
For many of us the pandemic has caused many bumps in the road, causing a majority to been made redundant, being furloughed and stuck inside or it may have brought people some positive new opportunities. Sadly for myself, the pandemic damaged my work experience greatly and by sharing how this affected me I would like to help others to understand the struggle but also the way to make a positive out of a bad situation.
In early January, I received a placement offer from the UK’s strongest recruitment company, Hays in the London offices. The employees at Hays explained the details of the placement explaining the teaching of initiative in the sales industry, gave us freedom to work how we wanted but taught us greatly along the wayI was overjoyed, after completing three interviews, being offered the job was my biggest accomplishment and exactly where I wanted to learn, develop and access skills I have never before. I cleared it with the university and was feeling relaxed about the future ahead.
In early March, I receive a phone call from a member of Hays recruitment, describing due to the downfall of sales occurring because of the pandemic, they did not have the budget to take on and teach any interns at this present time. This was the most disheartening news as the work I had put in to gaining this amazing experience and finally finding something I really wanted to do, for it to be taken away in an instance. This then meant, my whole year of moving home for the year and commenting to London was out of the question and now had two options of either to find another placement or return to university in my final year.
Although this news was a back step, there were many positives that came out of it, a new group of students to interact with (even if on zoom!), new teachers to engage and learn from and an opportunity to think deeper to what I would like my career to take place in, which has changed drastically since gaining my placement in January. There is always a silver lining to every negative situation and always ways to make good.
We are all in this together and all have bright futures ahead.
