Job Profile

What does your job involve and what might a typical day involve?

A typical day? The beauty of this job is that everyday is different, no one day is like another! There is one certainty though, black coffee, no sugar to start the day. We work as a small team so there is plenty of communication between us. As well as the coffee my day in the office will start with the obligatory check of my emails and an argument as to which radio station we are going to listen to today. I then make a list of the tasks for the day and get started on crossing them off! If I am out the office I could be doing anything from interviewing to training or presenting to project meetings.

What qualifications and experience did you have before starting the job?

I graduated from Nottingham University with a 2:1 (Hons) in Geography. As with virtually all Change Agents posts I didn’t need any specific work experience to get my job but a background in sales, customer service and some temp work with the Environment Agency was useful to have. Following 18 months with StudentForce working on learning and project co-ordination I took over as the team manager and have loved it ever since!

What are the best and worst bits of your job?

Can I have two of each? When one of our graduates goes onto to get that ‘next’ job and takes that step up the career ladder there is no better feeling! I also really enjoy selling the StudentForce experience to potential clients and graduates, there isn’t enough selling in the Environment sector.

The 6.02 train to Norwich is definitely one to be avoided. The other worst aspect of this job is when people drop out of interviews.. you have been warned!

What satisfaction do you get from your work and how does it make a difference?

When one of our ex Project Workers says ‘I wouldn`t be where I am today without StudentForce’, it’s such great feeling. All our projects practice and promote Sustainable Development so knowing that I get to work with the people (you guys out there) who have the opportunity to do so much good is very exciting. When I see statistics of how many of our graduates go into full time employment it makes me very proud to work for StudentForce and in the sector.

Do you have any tips for someone looking for a career in this area?

Yes I have loads.. but you will have to come to my interview and CV skills workshop! Seriously though it is important to be proactive in your job hunting, send out CV’s speculatively and get yourself out into the job market. Don’t expect a huge salary if you want to work in the Environment sector, not yet anyway. Keep applying, if you think you could do the job then apply, don’t be put off by stringent selection criteria. Make sure you read the Job Description, it tells you almost all you need to know! Tailor your CV, pick out buzz words or aspects of your experience, knowledge or qualifications that are relevant to the job. Finally be positive, never downplay experience you have had, all experience is good experience.

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