Category Archives: Career Sector

Holly, Media, Publishing and Journalism

History, Media Publishing and Journalism, Politics and International Relations, , , , , ,

Holly was studying History and Politics and was looking for guidance into the Media, Publishing and Journalism sector. She applied to the Career Mentor Scheme and was matched with a Rights Administrator at Warner Bros. This mentor’s main responsibilities include managing the pre and post-sales administration of deals including output and volume agreements.negative-1531346

Holly had an amazing experience being mentored. She achieved every single objectives she had set at the beginning of their partnership, including gaining professional experience to put on her CV and obtaining help with application forms.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

My highlights from this scheme was the work experience that my mentor helped me to get at Lionsgate. I spent the week helping various departments and also shadowing my mentor.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

My mentor’s insight into the TV and Film industry was one of the most helpful parts of the scheme for me. However, the work experience I did at Lionsgate where he works was really interesting and helpful. The CV and application advice was also very helpful.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

This is the best opportunity to get a real-life insight into the career you’re interested in.

The highlight for the mentor was:

“Having my mentee to do some work experience with my company was great – especially as she proved herself to be friendly and hardworking.” 

Eneida, Information Services

Computer Science, Information Technology, , ,

Eneida was interested in going into the Information Services sector. Through the Career Mentor Scheme she was matched with a Senior Bid Manager at Atos IT Services Limited. This mentor is an experienced professional in the sector and also has experience in Management and Consultancy, and HR.

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Eneida was extremely pleased with the ways in which she benefited from the scheme.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Meeting and interacting with someone who gave me a fantastic insight into the industry I want to go in and increased my knowledge of what opportunities there are out there. Really enjoyed immunisations with my mentor.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Insight into my chose profession for definite.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

I found my mentor incredibly helpful and her insight and advice is exactly what I was after. Definitely a worthwhile scheme!

The highlight for the mentor was:

“Having the opportunity to help someone on a personal level – especially getting my mentee invited to an event being run by my company, assisting through application process and showing her round the head office“

Jessica, Management and Consultancy

History, Management and Consultancy, , , , ,

History student Jessica was interested in going into Management and Consultancy. Through the Career Mentor Scheme she was matched with a Management Consultant at Hisley Consulting. This mentor also has experience in the Pharmaceutical and Supply chain sectors. Her previous employment includes General Manager of Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Site and Director of Regional Outsourced Manufacturing organisation.

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Jessica gave us an insight into the ways in which she benefited from the scheme.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Being able to meet with her and talk about consultancy with a neutral person (not family or friends) who was very knowledgeable and really helped me gain a perspective of what was expected of me and what I need to do to achieve such a position.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience? 

Insight into my chosen career. You don’t ever get an opportunity like this to talk to someone in depth about a certain career path which was invaluable experience.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

It is a perfect way to get inside knowledge on a particular career and discuss your own ambitions and opportunities with someone neutral

 

Anya, Charity and Development Work

Charity and Development Work, English, History, , ,

In Term 2 of her first year Anya applied to the Career Mentor Scheme because she was looking for guidance and advice about how to get into Charity and Development work. After submitting a successful application, Anya was matched with a New Business Development Manager at Parkinsons UK.

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Through the scheme and Hannah’s help Anya achieved every single objective she had at the beginning of the scheme, including gaining work shadowing, having her CV proofread and improved and developing her interview techniques.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

My mentor kindly arranged two work insight days at her current and previous places of work. These days were incredibly valuable; rather than follow my mentor around all day, she had arranged short meetings with a variety of people, all of whom gave lots of different advice. I loved receiving a range of insights from different people.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I loved having a relatable role model in the sector – my mentor was young, female and had a similar background to me. I knew I could trust what she was saying and her advice was even more poignant because of its relevance to me.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

This scheme is an absolute dream. It provides a supported, informal entrance to your chosen sector with individualized help from someone who already has experience. For me, there is no better way to find out information about a sector, profession or company. It even gives generalized advice about the workplace, the transition from university to working life, and career progression. Moreover, it allows you to build a rapport with a contact within an organization which goes beyond the end of the scheme.

The highlight for the mentor was:

“Having the opportunity to support someone so enthusiastic in the sector I was working in, and being able to understand her questions as it was where I was at 5 years ago.  The opportunity to stay connected to my university and offer a student real insight into a place of work.”

Jessica, Banking and Financial Services

Banking and Financial Services, economics, ,

Jessica, coming from an Economics degree participated in the Career Mentor Scheme and her mentor was a Managing Director at Deutsche Bank.

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This mentor provided Jessica with a lot of advice and insight into the industry. As a result Jessica developed her understanding of the industry as a whole – in particular she found out more about the reactions to new regulatory requirements.

Here is what she shared about the Career Mentor Scheme.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

My mentor went over and above what I expected from the scheme in terms of support. We emailed regularly over the course of the scheme particularly over summer and I went to his office every 3 weeks to discuss various queries. One of the major highlights for me was the support I received from my mentor in the run up to my Morgan Stanley interview – I was asked questions surrounding regulation in my interview and my mentor gave me various material to ensure I was fully prepared for these questions. My mentor always replied promptly to my emails whenever I sent them – even when he was travelling regularly abroad!

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Insight into the industry and opportunities beyond the operations department in Morgan Stanley being the sector I have secured a year placement. Being able to speak to someone directly within the profession who deals with regulation – he was able to explain to me how it is impacting a number of broad departments within the bank. Gained a long term contact – still keeping in touch and hope to possibly go into Asset Management at a later stage of my life in Deutsche Bank.

 

Gemma, Charity and Development Work

Charity and Development Work, Politics and International Relations, , , , , ,

Gemma was interested in getting into Charity and Development Work. Studying towards a Politics and International Relations degree she applied for the Career Mentor Scheme and was as a result matched with a Fundraising (Development) Manager at the University of Exeter.

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Gemma found the mentoring partnership extremely helpful. She shared with us how the Career Mentor Scheme has helped her career development.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

The highlights of the scheme were gaining a real insight into the advantages and disadvantages of the not for profit sector, in particular the area of fundraising. My mentor was able to provide me with detailed information that is impossible to just find online. I was able to really consider what work experience I need to gain to prepare for my career and the steps required to gain a job.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

I found that insight into the not for profit sector was the most useful aspect of the mentor scheme.

 

Victoria, Retail

Business and Management, Retail, ,

During her second year Management with Marketing student Victoria was lucky enough to be matched with the CEO of the White Company.

This mentor has various professional experiences within Retail and Marketing. He has previously been President of MIM, who have 300 stores in France and Belgium and also a Group Managing Director of New Look Retailers.

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Victoria had an outstanding experience being mentored. She shared details of the ways in which she benefited from the scheme.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

The highlight for me was getting to work for The White Company as my part of my placement year. My mentor has been incredibly helpful and I cannot thank him enough.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

The Career Mentor Scheme has provided me with invaluable experience. I was lucky enough to get the CEO of The White Company as my mentor. My mentor allowed me to participate in a work shadowing day where I saw different parts of marketing and how they run; from insight and analysis to multichannel and social media. I enjoyed this so much and knew this was somewhere I wanted to work in the future. Through the help and support of my mentor, I was able to work for The White Company as my placement year. I am continually learning on the job and feel I have really broadened my perspective and insight into the multi-faceted marketing industry.
My mentor has continually helped me to explore different parts of marketing even on my placement year, encouraging me to explore the world of PR and Social Media. My mentor is without a doubt a role model for me.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

My advice to anyone thinking of applying to this scheme would be to go for it! If I hadn’t participated in this scheme I would not have broadened my skill-set during my year in industry as much as I have done at The White Company.

The highlight of the scheme for the mentor was:

“Victoria now has a clearer understanding of Marketing by [getting] real time paid experience“

 

 

Leah, Charity and Development Work

Charity and Development Work, Psychology, ,

Between May of her penultimate year and October of her final year, Leah, doing Psychology was mentored by a Fundraising and Communications Manager at Headway Devon.SANYO DIGITAL CAMERA

Leah shared some insights from the scheme with us.

What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

My highlight was meeting my mentor in person, and being able to discus my career options, and gain insight a specific sector.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

It was really useful to gain personal feedback on my CV and to practice application forms.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

The Career Mentor Scheme is really worthwhile, and I would urge all students to participate. It enabled me to receive personal feedback and advice for the future, gain an insight into the sector, and build a friendship with my mentor.

Oliver, Banking and Financial Services

Banking and Financial Services, History, , ,

Oliver, a History student participated in the Career Mentor Scheme and his mentor was a Global Head of Equities & Strategy at Jupiter Asset Mgmt.

This mentor has previously held a variety of positions in his career. He started off as Fund Manager at Sun Alliance Insurance Group and then moved to Senior Portfolio Manager at Fleming & Co. In 1999 he became head of Japan Portfolios Group at JP Morgan Asset Management until in 2007 he became Chief Investment Strategist for EMEA at JP Morgan Private Bank. In 2011 he joined Caledonia Investments plc as Head of Global Equity Income & Growth Team before moving to Jupiter Asset Mgmt.

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Oliver had some really great feedback to give about the scheme. The mentoring partnership with his mentor helped him obtain job hunting resources and gain an insight into the career. He also developed professional contacts and learned more about the entry requirements.

What was the highlight of the scheme for you?

Meeting my mentor – this was beneficial in a way that is often hard to achieve simply via email.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

My mentor’s advise was very honest and showed me how best to approach a career in the sector from the position that I was in.

Katie, Management and Consultancy

English, History, Management and Consultancy, , , ,

Katie wanted to go into the Management and Consultancy sector. Through the Career Mentor Scheme she was matched with a Revenue Director at Microsoft. This mentor went into Management and Consultancy. His recent previous employment includes being a Head of Business Development at MSN Asia between 2008 and 2012 and Head of Commercial Partnerships between 2012 and 2014.

Katie benefited hugely from the mentoring partnership. She achieved all personal development and career development objectives, such as improving her listening and confidence building skills and receiving help with application forms.

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What were the highlights of the scheme for you?

Learning about the Marketing sector from an experienced marketer.

What did you find most useful from the mentoring experience?

Gaining useful contacts that have enabled me to secure work experience and a summer internship.

What message would you give to a student thinking of applying for the Career Mentor Scheme?

Don’t be afraid to ask your career mentor for something you want [i.e. work shadowing].