Looking for Work: Be Safe, Be Smart

Written by Rochelle Rozasty, Internship Programmes and Recruitment Services Manager at UCL Careers

Be smart and safe when looking for work or an internship

At UCL Careers we know that looking for work or an internship can sometimes feel daunting. Not only do you have to make time to find something that suits you, make applications and go to interviews, but you also have to ensure the legitimacy of the opportunity.

It’s important to be smart when checking out a job advert or offer. So we have put together some information to help you on our website for you as a student, as an intern and as a worker or employee.

When looking for work opportunities

As a student you may be targeted directly by some unscrupulous organisations and people who are trying to defraud you by claiming to offer work or other opportunities in an attempt to gather personal data and/or bank details. On the Payment rights and safety as a student, intern and employee page on our website, we explain what to look for and what to do if you’ve inadvertently been scammed. Further information can also be found through our parent body – The Careers Group.

When looking for an internship

When looking for an internship it’s important to make sure that not only will the internship give you a good learning opportunity but also that it is safe and has adequate insurance in place to cover you should any problems occur. We advise you to make sure you have details about the internship/placement in writing from the host organisation and you review the legitimacy of the internship, including payment. Look at the tips given on the Payment rights and safety as a student, intern and employee page on our website.

When securing a role

When you secure a role you are likely to be a worker or employee.  It’s important to know what status you are as this affects your employment rights. We’ve given you some information and signposted you to further resources about this on the Payment rights and safety as a student, intern and employee page on our website.

Your contract and if you have issues with your employer about payment

One of the things you are likely to want to know more about is what to expect in a contract and what to do if you have issues with your employer about payment. You can navigate your way through this by reading our blogs in our new UCL Careers Explains blog series.

Opportunities through myUCLCareers

Finally, just to let you know, we try to make sure the opportunities that come through our jobs board – myUCLCareers – are not discriminatory and the pay (for UK roles) meets National Minimum Wage legislation.  On occasion unscrupulous employers slip through our checks. Do let us know if you find something where the advert does not match reality and we will review what the employer has told us which may lead to us barring them from our system.

Be smart and be safe!