Luke

What first attracted you to join the University of Sheffield?

What first attracted me to the University was that they were one of the larger employers in the city. I’d graduated from Sheffield Hallam around a year earlier and I was looking for my first full time position (as much as I enjoyed the work, I was becoming weary of continuing to work on the self-scanners in my local Morrisons; a role that I’d planned to only see me through my final year of studying). My degree was in IT (Web Information Systems and Services), I was still living with my parents and was at the point of any full-time job would do!

I had just been offered a position at another employer when I saw a maternity cover vacancy advertised in HR at the University; I’d had an interest in HR for many years, following my dad’s work as a UNISON Branch Secretary. The vacancy was in the team within the department that managed the HR IT systems, so I felt it was a perfect combination of tapping into some of my IT degree and my interest in HR. I stuck in an application with little expectation it would go anywhere, but with the reassurance that I’d already been offered a position elsewhere. Luckily, I was shortlisted, my passion for the work came across at interview and I was sold on the HR department being a great place to work, so I gave up the permanent job offer I had elsewhere and decided to move into a maternity cover position at the University.

What do you enjoy most about working at the University of Sheffield?

What I enjoy the most is that I find my work interesting and very rewarding; it also helps that I work with some great people right across the University. What I appreciate the most are the hybrid working arrangements and the family friendly policies we have in place. It’s a relief knowing I have five days of paid carers leave available to cover any emergencies, plus the flexibility to manage my working day as I feel works best. I feel trusted at the University to manage my own workload.

What do you enjoy about working with in the department?

The people. My colleagues are friendly, sociable people; and that friendliness and collegiality is something I see right across the University. Within my team and department, I work with very knowledgeable people who are always happy to help with a work matter, as well as discuss the baking disasters on the Great British Bake Off.

Do you have any favourite memories from working at the University of Sheffield?

There have been many work social events, Christmas parties, quizzes etc. that have provided happy and quite hilarious memories! Within my department, the first thing that sprung to mind was the feeling of being included and part of the team from the first day I joined. My favourite time of the year though is when the students return after the summer break; it creates a real buzz across the campus and across a lot of the city centre too.

Did you move to Sheffield from another area? 

No, I grew up in Sheffield and lived in Hillsborough when I started working at the University. I studied at Sheffield Hallam and didn’t really have a connection to the University of Sheffield; it wasn’t a place I had ever considered working and I had no idea at just how large and varied an employer the University was.

How would you describe the experience of moving here to work and live somewhere else?

While I’ve been working at the University, I’ve moved out of Sheffield and over to Worksop. As much as I enjoyed living in Sheffield, I found the house prices much more appealing outside of the city and it usually only takes me around ten minutes longer to commute from Worksop than it did to work through the winding roads and traffic in Hillsborough. There are also great public transport links to Sheffield and within the city itself to the University.

What’s your favourite thing about Sheffield as a city?

There are so many places to visit to keep both yourself and children entertained. There feels like an endless number of parks and museums to explore (many for free, so a cheap family day out!). I personally love going to eat at independent restaurants and bars, of which there are plenty in the city. A trip over to Bradfield for a walk around Damflask, rounded off with a visit to the great pubs over there is one of my favourite things to do.

What would you say to someone who was considering the University as a place to work?

I’d say first have a look at our Jobs site and see the wide array of positions that are available at the University, because that is what first surprised me. Then come and visit us, have a walk around campus and you will get a feel for the type of employer the University is. You’ll also be able to see that there are plenty of places around to explore in your dinner break, so you won’t be stuck in a dull looking kitchen eating the same sandwich on the days you’d be working on campus.