Why did you choose that particular degree course?

I was passionate about languages and gaining insights into different cultures and ways of thinking. My BA was a 4-year sandwich course with a year abroad, which I thought sounded like an exciting adventure!

I didn't have a particular career in mind, but thought I would probably go into translation or interpreting. I chose my Masters to specialise in translation, and was lucky to spend time as a translation intern at the United Nations Office in Geneva (UNOG) as part of my course. This gave me valuable workplace exerience before I started applying for jobs.

Tell us about your employer

Current:
University of Warwick

Previous:
After graduating, my first roles were as a Translation Project Manager. I spent 3 years at a company in Banbury specialising in medical translation and 2 years in Paris with a focus on legal and financial translation. Upon moving back to the UK, I worked for a year in publishing before securing my first role at Warwick in 2018. Since then I have held a number of different positions at the University, spanning strategic programmes, policy development, business continuity, IT and now sustainability.

What was the position you were recruited for?

My current role is Head of Sustainable Campus Operations. I work in the Estates department at Warwick and lead a team of 12 people with a broad scope of responsibility across different areas of environmental sustainability. These include energy and carbon management, circular economy, sustainable procurement, ecology and biodiversity, as well as engagement activities. We support the University in setting environmental objectives and work with staff, students and external partners to deliver projects that reduce our collective environmental impact. We also track and report on progress towards our sustainability goals.

What attracted you to this position?

I have always been passionate about sustainability and in my various roles I have sought out opportunities to link my work to sustainability topics, whether that's managing the translation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports or volunteering to run staff events bringing together like-minded people.

Whilst I enjoyed working across different topics as a Project Manager, it is important to me that my work is meaningful and has a positive impact. For a long time I wanted to make sustainability my full-time career, but career changes are not easy and I needed to find the right opportunity to build on my existing skills. I was delighted when this role came up - it was in the right place at the right time.

What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?

Time management and good organisation skills are a solid foundation for any role. My degree in languages taught me communication skills which have been invaluable in working productively with a wide range of people, taking on board varied points of view. Finding a solution that works for everyone can sometimes take a while, so patience is important too! It helps to be adaptable and to see change as an opportunity - it may open a door that you never expected.

What has been your greatest career challenge to date and how did your experience and skills help overcome it?

Starting a new job in France was a daunting prospect as I had never worked in a French-speaking office before, and there were lots of cultural differences to get used to. The work was very fast-paced with constant deadlines and initially I felt quite out of my depth. I struggled with things like client phone calls where I had to rely on my speaking and listening skills in French rather than seeing information written down. I had to be resilient to setbacks and develop solutions that worked for me, such as taking lots of notes and sticking post-its all over my desk with common phrases that I could refer to when my mind went blank midphone call. Over time it became much easier, I gained confidence in my role and after 8 months I was offered a permanent contract. It felt like a huge achievement to go from being the nervous newbie to a valued member of the team.

What top tips would you give to students looking for a career in your market sector?

There has been a huge increase in sustainability-focused roles in recent years, as organisations race to decarbonise and reduce the impact of their operations. For many roles you don't necessarily need to have done a specialised degree such as environmental science or biology - think about transferable skills and what you can bring to an employer to help deliver the positive change that is needed. Tackling environmental challenges is a huge team effort, and needs a variety of perspectives and skill sets. Some roles are highly technical eg. in the delivery of energy infrastructure, whereas others may focus on influencing others to adopt more sustainable lifestyles eg. promoting active travel or waste prevention. You will find that many people working in sustainability have followed non-linear career paths, and as the saying goes, 'Every job is a climate job'.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were applying for jobs?

Whilst application forms and interview arrangements vary, most follow a fairly a standard format. You can expect that they will want to hear examples of previous experience, and not just what you did, but what your specific role was, and what the outcome was. You'll need to provide evidence of how you have demonstrated particular skills through practical actions - if you say you're good at time management, prove it with an example.

On a job application, it's a good idea to list all of the criteria and provide evidence underneath each one. This means that whoever is reviewing your application can easily find the information they need and is less likely to miss something!