Tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi, my name is Vicky, and I recently completed a 12 week career taster with WSCC as part of the Talent Attraction Team.
Why did you want to do a career taster/What did you want to achieve?
A couple of months or so ago, I left my customer service job at another company to pursue a different career path that would involve some creative flair. I came across the advert for the career taster on Facebook and once I read the details of what it would entail, I was hooked.
It showed up at an opportune time, plus it was a mixture of administration tasks, that I already have a work background in, but also included creative ones too, such as social media content creation, video editing and more. From this career taster I wanted to expand and develop my skill set to boost my experience in aid of pursuing a job in a different industry to before.
What did you have to do to apply and get the career taster? For example, interview, application process.
The application process was simple, all I had to do was just click on the link in the Facebook post and complete the application form to give a bit more information as to why the career taster was of interest. I was contacted soon after to schedule in a Teams call with Megan and Savannah, who are part of the Talent Attraction Team that the career taster was for. Once we had the call, a couple of days later they called to say that I had got it!
What service was your career taster in, how long was it and what did you do?
So, the career taster was within the Talent Attraction Team, and it was for up to 12 weeks, full or part time. It involved a mixture of different tasks as touched on before, ranging from content creation across the WSCC jobs platforms to filming and editing videos that promoted the various service departments spread across the county for WSCC.
As part of the wider resourcing team, the stories behind the posts also varied to include, but not limited to, staff ‘Thank You’ nominations, job postings and benefits of working for WSCC. I also had the opportunity to be a part of the preparation and participation of recruitment events, as well as being able to travel in West Sussex to photograph local sights. I have a real passion for photography, so that was great to do it as part of this experience!
What did you learn and achieve?
Through the career taster I learnt how to use software/editing programmes that I had not used before, which was great to get stuck into and experiment with. Also getting to learn the ropes around event preparation and planning, to really be involved in it was fun as well as meeting attendees of the event too.
Learning more about WSCC and local government in general and the vast number of departments they have across the board was interesting to see. I gained a better insight as to the various areas they look after.
Did the career taster meet your expectations and did you get what you wanted out of it?
Yes, it most certainly met my expectations and probably exceeded them a bit too! It was everything it was advertised to be. A really great experience, plus it was exactly what I needed whilst in this transition stage of my working career.
Was there something you particularly enjoyed about your career taster? For example, a moment that sticks out.
It’s quite tricky to narrow it down. I love photography, so it was really great for this to be a part of the experience. Just being able to be creative, try new things and watch ideas come to life was a top highlight, as it’s not something I’ve yet had the chance to incorporate in my career. Also being a part of a friendly team who have been supportive, encouraging and a joy to work with throughout the entire career taster.
How were you supported by West Sussex?
WSCC were very supportive. I did the career taster part time, which allowed me to work alongside this, so that I could continue to earn. They provided flexibility both in terms of days of the week that I attended and being able to split the experience between in office or working from home, which helped a lot.
What are your plans now your career taster has come to an end?
Now that it’s come to an end, I am going to utilise the knowledge gained and continue to go after a career that has a creative flair to it. The career taster has boosted my confidence and belief in my own capabilities, especially with something a little bit more out of my comfort zone.
Would you recommend a career taster to others?
Definitely! Career tasters are an excellent opportunity to gain experience in a working environment and learn skills along the way. A great way to meet new people too and everyone I have spoken with has been really supportive and welcoming.