Andreea, Marketing and Communications Officer - Careers & Employability Service

Who are you, and what is your job title?

I'm Andreea, and my job title is Marketing and Communications Officer at the Careers & Employability Service.

How long have you worked at the University?

I've worked at the University for nine months now.

What does your job involve?

I look after student communications and social media in the Careers & Employability Service, which means that we advertise events, vacancies and opportunities to students.

What other jobs have you done at the University?

Before I started this job, I was doing my masters, and before that I was doing my undergrad. During that time I worked as a Project Assistant for FirstGenSheffield, which is a project in Arts and Humanities. I also worked as an International Student Ambassador in Global Engagement. And I had some other student ambassador roles in the University as well.

Why do you think the University is a remarkable place to work?

I think the University is a great place to work because of the supportive and friendly culture here. I was pretty nervous when I started my job, but I was made to feel really comfortable and very welcome by the team, very quickly.

How would you describe the working culture at the University?

I think the working culture at the University is incredibly friendly, really supportive, and I was made to feel very welcome the first time I started my job, even though I was really nervous and didn't know what to do. Everyone around me was really supportive and the team was very welcoming.

What opportunities has working at the University provided you with?

I think one of the most valuable opportunities that the University has provided me with, in terms of my career development, has been all of the resources and training sessions, and workshops that I've got access to. Some of the training sessions for example were directly about marketing in Higher Education, which is precisely what I need to do my job well. I really feel supported because of all of these kinds of opportunities.

What skills/experience from your time as a student at the UoS were key to you getting your role/useful in your current role?

I did a few part-time jobs in marketing, which kind of helped me get the experience I needed to then get this role. But I think in addition to that, it was part of my degree that kind of helped, which was that I did politics and philosophy and then I did cognitive science, and all of the modules that I did helped me develop my critical thinking, which I think really makes a very good marketer. I was able to kind of get some of the skills and abilities from the course and apply them to my role as well.

What would you say to current students who are considering the University as a place to work?

Go for it! Definitely give it a try. I think the university is a brilliant employer and I think it's a really good first employer as well because it provides you with so many development opportunities. You meet so many brilliant people and you get to learn a lot from everyone, so it's a very good stepping stone as well. But also, if you want to stay here, it's a great place to work.

Why did you decide to stay in Sheffield?

I wanted to stay in Sheffield after my studies because I really love the city. I think it's really vibrant. It's very welcoming and has a very chill vibe as well. I love the coffee culture here as well, which I think is a good plus. There’s a lot of great local businesses and yeah, it's really welcoming.