Last academic year, final year Engineering Mathematics student Patrick approached Windō at the Get Hired careers fair, and as a result was able to secure an SME Internship with them.
We caught up with Oli, founder and CEO of Windō, and Patrick to hear about how a chat at a careers fair led to a connection…and an internship!
Windō
Windō is a free platform for students to easily access, digest and compare the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) progress and plans that companies are making to drive positive change across sustainability, diversity, equality and inclusion, and employee wellbeing.
“Hi, I’m Oli, CEO at Windō.
We were invited as a Sustainability Partner to have a stall at Get Hired in the Spring. It’s always a great opportunity to demonstrate our platform to students and meet the very people we built Windō for.
We’re always very busy at these events meeting students who take a real interest in a potential employer’s sustainability. Patrick was one student who left a lasting impression, not only because the topics of sustainability are important to him but also because the way in which we present an employer’s data caught his eye and he was quick to grasp that Windō is about accessibility, good user experience and ease of access to valuable information.
Given that data visualisation is an area of interest and a skill of Patrick’s, we spoke about future plans and ideas for Windō to make our Environmental, DEI and Employee Wellbeing profiles even more informative for students.
Patrick mentioned the SME Internship Scheme and expressed interest in working with us to share his insights and ideas which to us was a no brainer… we’ve worked with students, including many from the University of Bristol, throughout our development so that we can make sure that the resource we provide is engaging and truly helpful for students and graduates alike.
The students we’ve worked with from the University of Bristol span a range of different skill sets, all equally as impressive as the others. A uniform trait of the students we’ve worked with is that of hard work, passion and a real interest in their chosen areas.
Although our attendance at fairs is to promote our service rather than for recruitment purposes, one day we expect it will be for recruitment. When that time comes, as with the existing conversations we have with students, we will continue to want to see their passion and real interest in our area shine through.
Oli.”
To find out more about what Windō are doing, find Oli on LinkedIn. You can also meet members of the Windō team on day one and two of the Employer Showcase on Wednesday 11 and Thursday 12 October. Don’t forget to book your place on mycareer.
Patrick
“Hi, I’m Patrick. I first approached Oli because I was interested in Windō and as he explained it more to me, I very much believed in what the company was doing, so asked if they recruit grads.
It was an informal discussion and a few days later I messaged him on LinkedIn to ask if he’d take me on through the SME Internship Scheme.
He loved the idea, got in contact with the Careers Service, and after a chat about what I’d be doing as part of the internship, everything was sorted.
I would recommend that other students looking for work experience go to the careers fairs! It’s so difficult to find anything from cold emails alone, so it really helps to be able to speak to people in the types of industries you’re interested in.
I’ve had more luck with job applications to companies where I spoke to employees at careers fairs than sending in applications to job postings. I think it’s also good to understand how things work in the industry you’re interested in. For example, getting into the arts is a different game from getting into consultancy or finance.
As you speak to people it becomes easier to know how best to present yourself (and also whether that’s actually how you want to have to present yourself).
Finally, just get started. The Careers Service can help with messages to employers. A part-time job and your hobby projects are great for proving to employers your interest in certain things.
Patrick.”
Find out more
- If you’re wondering where to start with employers at careers fairs, watch our “Good questions to ask employers at careers fairs” reel on Instagram to give you a few ideas.
- Make the most of the Employer Showcase with the top tips in our “Prepare for the fair” blog.
- For advice on setting up your own LinkedIn, using it to make connections, and more, check out our free online resources.
Want to be an SME Internship intern?
The SME Internship Scheme will reopen this October. Keep an eye on our website for more information, and how to participate.
Check out our “My SME Internship” blog series to hear more student stories and get some inspiration.