Laura Stafford
What subject did you study during your time at NTU?
Whilst at NTU I was based at the Clifton Campus and studied for a BA in Human Geography. In 2008 I graduated with Honours and achieved a 2:1.
What is your current job?
For the past three years I have been a Higher Executive Officer for the Office for Product Safety and Standards, a directorate within the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
My role encompasses many responsibilities but one of the main elements is leading and managing a team to deliver advice and guidance to external Stakeholders. This ensures they understand their statutory and regulatory obligations so that products they place on the UK market are safe for the public to buy and use. I have been a Civil Servant for 6 years and I’ve also worked for the Ministry of Justice.
What was your most memorable moment during your time at NTU, that helped you with your career development?
During my time at NTU I became a Student Ambassador and helped to show prospective students and their parents around Clifton Campus, speaking to them about the benefits of attending NTU and about what life was like on campus and in the city.
My time as an ambassador was immense! I loved it so much because I got to meet so many great people and it always sticks in my head because of the feedback I received from the groups that I showed around and spoke to. They commented on my ability to engage with groups effectively and my influencing skills. I'd always had doubt in my mind about what my strongest skills were that I could demonstrate to prospective employers. By receiving feedback, I started to realise that I did have skills that could be attractive to employers and it put in motion me writing down my career plans, my skills and taking charge of my future. The opportunity of being an ambassador definitely set my career development in motion.
Find opportunities to become involved in. You never know what it may lead to and how it may benefit you.
My top tip for the Class of 2020 in one sentence:
2020 may be challenging and going into the world may seem quite scary at the moment, but remain positive, stay focused, be bold and be courageous. Don't give up on your dreams.
What did you find most challenging about graduating in 2008 (e.g. effects of recession on career plans)?
The world in 2008 was a very challenging place! Upon graduation the job market was facing unemployment on an unprecedented scale and there was limited opportunity regarding new roles. That was scary for me being fresh out of university. What on earth was I going to do?
My intention upon graduation had been to try and obtain a graduate position within either the Civil Service or a business. However, graduate positions with companies were limited and thousands of graduates were going for just one or two roles, making the process much more competitive than ever before.
The biggest challenge was adapting all my intended plans, but rather than be downbeat I remained positive and thought about what would be best in the climate I found myself in. I moved back to my hometown after originally planning to remain in Nottingham and worked within the hospitality sector, building skills that have helped me reach the position I am in today, and helping me to begin to build an extensive professional network that continues to support me.
My plans for straight after graduation were not what I thought they would be but in a time of uncertainty it was important to adapt - and that time of uncertainty also helped me to become the person I am today. It made me resilient, determined and showed that it’s important to never give up.
Do you have any advice for current students or new graduates to improve their employability prospects?
Building a network is a good way for both current students and new graduates to improve their employability prospects. This can be done by volunteering. Not only will you start to build an important network, but you'll improve your skillset that will be attractive to potential employers and hopefully you'll find something that you enjoy doing.
I would highly recommend that you find a mentor. A mentor is someone who can support you, provide advice and be your sounding board. Having a mentor can help you improve your employability prospects as they can help provide you with direction if you are perhaps feeling lost on your next steps.
Join a professional network such as LinkedIn. LinkedIn will put you into a world of thousands of professionals who may be employed in an area you are interested in. Ensure you build a strong and professional profile and make sure you showcase the skills you have built throughout your time at university. Connect! By building a strong and robust network it will start to open up opportunities for you.
You can use other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, but be mindful that a lot of employers look at social media platforms to check prospective candidates so please be careful of what you post.