The Management School is a great place to study, with incredibly friendly and supportive staff.

My course allows me to specialise in my interests

I chose to study Business Management at Sheffield due to the opportunities that are available. My course allows me to graduate with triple accreditation, as well as the opportunity to do a placement year. The modules offered allow me to tailor my degree to be as specialised or as general as I want, including working on resolving and understanding real issues faced both in the city and around the world.

Sheffield University Management School has lots to offer

The Management School is a great place to study, with incredibly friendly and supportive staff. There are lots of opportunities ranging from the Bloomberg Suite (to learn about trading) to the Dean's List. The Management School also has an incredible employability hub which offers all employment and career support to Management students.

There are plenty of societies to get involved in

Many of my friends are people that I met when living in Endcliffe during my first year, on my course and through societies. Outside of my studies I take part in many societies, including USLES (theatre/acting), SLUG (gaming), Bummit (charity hitchhiking), Sheff Snow (snowboarding/skiing) and USIS (investment). I am also the Careers Officer for the Management Society, volunteer at a local soup kitchen in the city centre and have 3 part time jobs.

Say yes to as many opportunities as possible

Before coming to university I had 3 main concerns. The first was about living away from my family with people I had never met before. However, this concern was quickly resolved as once I moved into my university accommodation I realised everyone else felt the same and we all made an effort to get to know each other. The second concern was about the academic support I would receive. I reached out to the Disability & Dyslexia Support Service (DDSS) who supported me straight away by helping me book an appointment to be tested for Dyslexia, all the way through my degree by making adjustments for me where needed. My final concern was about making the most out of university. This is a unique once in a lifetime experience, and I have made sure to say yes to as many opportunities as I can - I would recommend doing the same.

Undertaking a placement gave me hands-on experience

I completed my placement at IBM as a Project Management Office Analyst (PMO Analyst) working with our client, the NHS. During my placement I got hands-on experiences leading teams, working in the technology, healthcare and life sciences industries, and in roles such as project management, resourcing and design. I applied to many different placement opportunities, keeping an open mind throughout. My application to IBM was done directly through their website, but I utilised sites such as Sheffield’s Careers Connect, LinkedIn, Rate My Placement, the universities Careers Service, and the Management School’s Employability Hub. 

Looking back, I wish I had begun preparing for the applications before second year started, and started to apply as soon as applications opened in September.

While on my placement my main challenge was adapting to corporate life and having shared responsibility. This was the first time that the work and tasks I was responsible for had a direct impact on other people. As a placement student I had lots of support within IBM and from the university which made these shifts in responsibility and lifestyle (from the flexibility of university life to a strict 9-5 job) much easier. They provided a lot of guidance throughout my placement.

Returning to university

Coming back to university, I feel that I have a better understanding of what I want to get out of my degree and my time at university. I have found myself to be more productive and proactive, while also enjoying the community formed by all the students who have returned from placement alongside me.

My placement gave me a better understanding of my future career

Placement allowed me to boost my CV with new experience and knowledge that I gained over the year. I networked with a variety of talented people, getting insight into a vast range of industries and job roles that are available to me. I now have a better understanding of what sectors and roles I do and don't want to pursue in my future career, as well as what culture I look for in future employers.

Studying abroad has opened my eyes

There have been many highlights during studies at Sheffield so far, one of which is the study abroad schemes I did. I have taken part in 3 Summer Study Abroads at LMU Munich (Munich, Germany), Korea University (Seoul, South Korea) and Waseda University (Tokyo, Japan). These Summer Study Abroads allowed me to explore new parts of the world, learn about different views of business, culture and language, as well as meeting incredible people from around the world. Studying abroad has opened my eyes to how little I know about other parts of the world, and has made me want to seek a life of travelling and exploration.

Working at the university

I currently have 3 jobs while studying in my final year. 2 of my jobs are with the Management School where I get to assist with events and support second year students achieve a placement. My third job is as a bartender at the Student Union nightclub, Foundry. Working at both the Management School and Student Union is incredibly fun as my work is based around people and is very sociable. A great benefit to working at the university of the Student Union is that they are flexible with when you work, especially coming up to exams, as they recognise you are here to get your degree and they will be as flexible as possible to support you with that.

My degree has developed my skills

So far I have developed a wide range of both hard and soft skills. I am confident with my digital marketing, complex project management and entrepreneurial skills, just to name a few). As for the soft skills I have developed, I am a confident team leader, supportive and collaborative member during teamwork, high emotional intelligence (EQ), cultural awareness, time management, determination, resilience and have high motivation.

Make the most of the support

Take advantage of as many opportunities as possible, because there are a lot. Utilise the support on offer as it is incredibly helpful. Don't be afraid to take on challenges, that's why you're here and that's the best way to learn.