Been offered a great experience and scared I'll mess it up!

[UnConfident]

I have been doing courses now for about 5 years & am in the final year of my degree course.

I have just been offered a fantastic opportunity for some work experience in local TV/Newspapers.

I am scared stiff that I don't have what it takes!

It's unpaid work experience, but if I can make a mark, do well, then that might mean that the company I am working with will remember my name.

Help me!! I know I can do this, but I haven't been working for about 7 years now & don't really have any confidence in a workplace. I know my uni work is good, my lecturers are all very vocal in praising work that is well done & I always come in the top 3/4 in class exams.. but I have to get over this block & not walk in there like a shy schoolgirl! I am almost 30!!

Has anyone got any ideas???

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Anychance of an informal meet up with any of the team before your work experience starts?

I'm sure they chose you because you are the best person for the job. x

Sounds like you have nothing to lose and everything to gain! Hold your head up high and bear in mind that the rest of us are just faking it too, hoping no-one realises that we are only getting by from day to day. Did Oprah think "oh heavens, I've never presented a chat show before, can I do this?" Did she heck! She thought "I'm going to seize this opportunity with both hands and let it take me where it will". Channel Oprah and go for it!

I just volunteered & my lecturer emailed me & said he had already put my name forward which was nice

Sometimes I feel like an old granny [a stereotypical mum figure] as I am the oldest on my course.

Dior.. lucky to have me for free... I am going to remember that!! Thankyou so much!!

Aw thanks CB & Tribpot

I guess all I need is a confidence boost & you're all good at that

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I have had a tendancy in the past to apply for and get jobs that were really a litle out of my range. Have always bricked it but has ended up being a brilliant time.

My advice - pretend that you know you can do it and be pleasant. Always worked for me, you sound like a great opportunity for them!

Be confident but not arrogant and be prepared to muck in. You'll be fine! I used to have work experience people when I was a mag editor and anyone keen and helpful was given more interesting stuff to do...

That's good to hear Edam I am definitely keen to learn & perhaps as a mature student I have nothing to lose??

But I can't help thinking that they may ignore me as a fuddy duddy & go for the younger, more 'hip' students' ideas.

UnConfident, my love, you are but a whippersnapper yourself! No-one is going to guess your precise age, and if anything your greater maturity will be an asset in the workplace. Are you going to go out and get hammered and not come to work? No. Are you going to spend all your wages on texting and alcopops? No. It's all good.

I would say relax a bit and enjoy it.

Good god, you aren't old! You are in your twenties! I have worked in journalism for yonks and have seen lots of work experience people, and what matters is being genuinely helpful and practical, reasonably proactive without being pushy, and not thinking anything is beneath you. ie get the first coffee order absolutely right and people will notice and give you something interesting to do. Volunteer for tasks - shall I answer the phones when you go for lunch? (I once got a cover story scoop for my first mag by doing that) Can I file this stuff? Do you need anyone to go to this film screening? Can I get you a cup of tea? If you hear someone saying, 'god, got to go and cover the local baby show and I've double booked myself', offer to do it.
Don't turn stuff down - ie I always remember the useless workies who, offered the chance to see a film for free and then write a review for publication, said things like, 'I'm too tired' Have the confidence to get on the phone and work independently - ie if someone asks you to find out five local shoe shops that sell children's shoes (or something equally random-seeming) just do it - and don't go back to the person who asked you until you have. I would say your age could be a huge asset. Lots of teenagers are very unconfident and have little life experience.
I have offered jobs to work experience people who have made themselves indispensible to the office. The attitude you have that this is an important and exciting is fantastic. I've seen really blase bored work experience people, and it really puts you off them!
Good luck.

Actually, what impresses people is, 'Hi, I've found five (or six or seven) local shops which sell children's shoes. Here is a list of their names, telephone numbers and the name of the manager. Can I ask why you need them? Can I help with more research?"

Aloha, thankyou so much. You don't know what that advice means to me, really.

I will take your advice on board & remember it!

It is a local even they are covering, people come from all over to attend it.. there are a few of us who have the opportunity to go to a meeting & take along some ideas for "off the wall" interviews... I have been awake half the night thinking of ideas that haven't been covered before!

Easier said than done though!

Good Luck it seems brilliant....I would echo what Aloha said, make yourself indispensible....aim never to be standing around looking lost and doing nothing...if there's a bit of slack say in a cheery voice,' right who's or coffee...anyone want a sandwich ? ' stuff of that ilk...also people love having their opinions sought,( and it's useful to you too ), so DO ask everyone what they think your next step should be, have they any ideas for more work etc etc....write it all down in an efficient looking notebook
Over the years I have had literally hundreds of students/people interested in medical careers etc around but, the one that stands out was an uttely charming 'mature',( for med school can be 30s for that label !!!)woman who had rung me up and said,' can I coe and shadow you for a day before I take up my uni place..' She was inquiring, relaxed and genuine in what she wanted out of the day...I gave her more opportunities as her career progressed and she later turned up as one of my SHOs !!! All based on that one day....so go get it !!

It's just a 2 day placement & is on a very specific event so can't really see me getting the opportunity to ask lots of things that I might like to ask... but thanks for the advice, will take it all in

Thanks

Two days is very short - but maybe you could see if they need any more help - perhaps at weekends if you can do that.
The best way to think of off the wall interviews is to do quite a bit of research into what the event is and who will be there and think, 'what would I really like to read'?
Aim high - the great thing is, it will probably be someone else's job to set them up.
I don't have any idea what event this is, but if it was a trade show, for example, is there a family business with three generations of women in the same business, somebody making the most expensive loo in Britain...
I really wish you well. You really want this to work and really wanting it and telling other people is half the battle won, I often think.
Smile, be friendly and helpful, and be confident but not pushy. Your manner and the degree to which you help people is more important than your ideas initially, I'd say.