Mike W.
About me
| Mike W. | |
| Physics | |
| Physics with Astrophysics | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Derwent | |
| 2007 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Water Quality Scientist | |
| Northumbrian Water | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Environment and energy | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2014 |
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A day in the life of a Water Quality Scientist in the United Kingdom
It's easier to stand out from the crowd if you're passionate about what you do
My advice to students considering work
When applying for a job, always tailor your CV to ensure that you demonstrate how you meet as many of the the advertised requirements of the role. Never assume that an employer will understand what you've learned by the title of your course or of a module, spell it out to avoid ambiguity. Lastly, always write a cover letter. Use it to elaborate on a few points you've picked out from the job advert and give some examples of when you've learned or done something relevant.
Other advice
Always ask for feedback after an interview, even if you're successful.
What I do
I am responsible for maintaining water quality of water treatment works, looking for treatment issues before they become a problem, investigating problems when they do arise, ensuring all work carried out does not present a risk to water quality, and liaising with regulators, local authorities and health organisations.
Skills I use and how I developed them
My role requires an understanding of chemistry, microbiology, physics, an ability to critically assess complex processes, and be able to analyse large data sets. I acquired some of the more technical skills from my academic background, but learning to apply those skills has taken several years of trial and error. In particular, learning the level at which to communicate technical information to a non-technical audience.
What I like most
The nature of my role is to respond to issues as and when they arise, and as soon as possible so that issues don't escalate into larger problems. The consequence of this is that I normally only manage to complete around 10% of the tasks I intend to carry out on any given day. The rest of my day involves offering advice, directing investigations, reviewing data alarms and resolving issues. No two questions are alike, and no two hours are alike.
What I like least
The academic in me always wants to find definitive answers to problems and questions, or at least a most likely cause. The effort required to find such an answer often has to be weighed against the benefit of doing so.
Next steps...
If you like the look of Mike’s profile, the next steps are down to you! You can send Mike a message to find out more about their career journey. If you feel you would benefit from more in-depth conversations, ask Mike to be your mentor.