Hayley Marshall
I graduated with a BSc in Animal Science from Nottingham Trent University in 2008 and enjoyed every moment of my time at the Brackenhust Campus.
The course allowed a unique blend of lectures and practical hands on experience. This allowed me to feel so much more confident in my abilities once I had graduated. I opted to take the farm animal welfare module which was 90% practical. We went to a variety of local farms where we interacted with farmers and stock personnel, enabling me to practice my communication and professionalism skills.
Graduating during the global recession was enormously dauting. It seemed that everywhere I applied never responded to me, so I was unable to gain feedback. In hindsight, I should have been a little more persistent in gaining this, as I would have known what skills I needed to improve upon.
During my degree I worked in retail part-time, and upon graduating I secured full-time work with my employers. Although I was grateful to have a job, I felt frustrated that I could not utilise my degree to its full potential.
I knew I wanted to work with animals, specifically farm animals. In 2011, I decided to change my approach and focused more on the science side of my degree, becoming a research technician. Although it was not the job I had planned for, it opened doors and gave me a new set of skills.
In 2013, with my new research knowledge, I applied to become an animal behavioural research technician at the University of Nottingham. I am now in my final year of a PhD in Veterinary Microbiology there. I have come full circle and now work with farm animals. It has been a long road, but by opening my mind and challenging my ideas I have been able to carve a rewarding career so far.
Soon I will be graduating for the second time during a global crisis. This time I feel optimistic - I know my strengths and I am not afraid of a challenge.
One thing I have learned along the way is that you do not need to tick every box on the job specification. I had very little research skill before applying for the research technician position and no microbiology skills before applying for my PhD. By focusing on what skills I could offer, and what I was willing to develop, this allowed my employers to see my transferable skills and my willingness to learn. You can only develop as a person if you challenge yourself.
My top tip for the Class of 2020 in one sentence:
Broaden your search! It may be a path you had not thought of taking, but all experience is valuable and can often lead you to greater opportunities.