Michelle Bendel is the owner and director of Placement Finders. The idea behind the business stems from her university days and time spent abroad on work placements in Spain and in France. She has a Modern Languages degree so she understands about the whole experience of finding a work placement, living in a foreign country and returning afterwards. She has also been living in Spain for 14 years now, so definitely has a good idea about living and working abroad!

She says: "I thoroughly enjoyed my internship abroad, my Spanish and French improved amazingly and I obtained a real understanding of both cultures. I am enthusiastic about the whole experience and want to pass on my understanding and experiences and help others make the most of this fantastic opportunity, which is, in my opinion, by far the best part of any degree programme!"

For the UK based student, finding a suitable placement in Spain can be quite a daunting and not always successful exercise... cue Placement Finders. Often students might be competing with their Spanish counterparts; they need to sell themselves, a difficult task when based in the UK. Placements Finders does the 'selling', and all the necessary groundwork. Without their help, students may have to send out dozens of motivation letters, writing to company after company. This can be a very stressful process, especially with all worries about coursework, exams and then going away! By using Placement Finders there is no need to send out lots of CVs and motivation letters to companies, just one: to Placement Finders. They then take care of the rest. They:

• Take the stress out of searching for a placement, leaving students to concentrate on their studies and enjoy student life.
• Match each student’s career objective to the company’s requirements through our screening and interviewing process.
• Select only companies able to provide positions appropriate to the student’s field of study.
• Act as mediator if there is a problem and something goes wrong.
• Offer ongoing support and advice throughout the entire process, from start to finish.
• Oversee the work experience contract and make sure it is signed by all three parties, liaise with the placement officer and help with Erasmus paperwork.
• Ensure students are safe and getting the most out of their time abroad.

Placement Finders search for Spanish-speaking businesses or companies with a Spanish speaking client-base, preferably office orientated, unless in a language school, and ideally employing 3 or more people. They select companies able to provide students with vacancies in their fields of study. They cover most sectors and if they don’t have what a student is looking for they will try to find it for them. They aim to secure some remuneration p/m for each internship, this is usually around €300, while language schools tend to offer Spanish classes or accommodation instead.

Please see placementfinders.com for further information, student references and details on how to apply, or email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . You can also join their Facebook fan page and follow them on Twitter.