Jake U.
About me
| Jake U. | |
| Psychology | |
| Cognitive Neuroscience | |
| Taught Postgraduate | |
| Vanbrugh | |
| 2016 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Senior Executive | |
| KPMG | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Finance and consultancy | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2019 |
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A day in the life of a Senior Executive in the United Kingdom
It takes time to get the right one; not everyone gets hired straight after graduation, and waiting for the right job is inevitable
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
One of the Big 4 consultancy and auditing firms. 250,000 employees in 200 countries, working with airlines, banks, software developers, retailers, and businesses from small startups to industry giants.
What do you do?
Work with clients to advise on customer experience and satisfaction, to understand business needs and wants, to prioritise and recommend strategy - from investment, to software tools, to delivery. I present to clients, produce data to aid in consulting on strategy and experience, and collaborate internally on topics that matter to me - from gender equality to ethical supply chain and environmental issues.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I wanted to work with people in a dynamic and rewarding setting. My current role has immense scope for progression and movement.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Somewhat
Describe your most memorable day at work
Travelling to London for year end, meeting senior partners in the business and key stakeholders at client sites, champagne receptions, etc etc!
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
It can be high stress - you need to be able to talk to people and back up what you're saying. Your time is your own to manage.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
Collaborative. 'Dress for your day' - so if you're not meeting clients, jeans and a t shirt / top is standard. Working remotely si ce the oandemic but previously hybrid with a 3/2 split in the office vs at home.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
Sports, societies - everything I could and then dropped what I didn't enjoy! Really helped me build confidence in approaching new people, introducing myself and being comfortable learning in front of others.
What would you like to do next with your career?
More long term I'm looking to stay in consultancy, progressing in seniority (one day becoming Partner, fingers crossed!) and working with people across all areas of business.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Back yourself! The worst they can say is no. Equally, though, it takes time to get the right one; not everyone gets hired straight after graduation, and waiting for the right job is inevitable - find things you enjoy in the meantime! It's not all about being in your lifelong career aged 22, and you're building skills and experience every day whether you know it or not.
Learn how to write a CV (not an academic one) which tells the story of you - how, and why, did you build tbat skillset, what made you want to do that work exp and why is it relevant now - employers want to hire people who know what they're talking about, even if you're not talking about the same thing. Their specific requirements are teachable; you don't need 15 years in accountancy to apply for a grad scheme! Have faith in yourself, wait out the process without being discouraged, and make the best of every chance you get.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Any! Hit me up on LinkedIn. I've worked in a few different areas across corporates / consulting so give me a shout.
Next steps...
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