March 2015 – Undergraduate Blog

Get great experience with a summer internship

By Hannah Regan

Internships are such a great way to spend your summer break during your time at University. You can use those summers to not only gain professional experience, but also have a great summer, earn money, and travel!

I have had the opportunity to take part in several internship programmes during my time here. My first was based in South Carolina, working at a Disney Vacation Club beach resort. When I arrived to South Carolina I had no idea what to expect, I was picked up by the Disney managers and driven to our apartment where I met the 3 other interns I would be living with. They were all girls from the UK, and we quickly found the other apartments with people on our programme- there were 14 of us in total, 6 from the UK, 4 from Hong Kong and 4 from Mexico. I settled in to the programme really easily, another intern and I were working on Front Desk; our training lasted about a week before we were then out there on our own. Our team was made up of Americans from all over and a complete mix of ages, our shifts varied between 6am and 11pm, typically 8/9 hour shifts 5 days a week. On our evenings and days off we often went to the beach, the shopping malls, or out for dinner at the various restaurants on the Island. Disney provided us with bikes, and most places were accessible by bike, or by taxi, but we also made American friends on the island who had cars and they would often take us to cities slightly further away for us to explore such as Savannah and Charleston! After the internship your visa allows you 30 days to travel, a friend I made on the programme and I decided to travel the East Coast, visiting Atlanta, Washington DC and New York, before flying home.

My next internship with The Walt Disney Company was based down at Walt Disney World in Florida. This is a much larger programme, with between 150 and 200 people from all over the world participating in the programme. Our arrival was a lot less personal, as over 200 of us arrived on the same day, but took a similar format. I was placed in an apartment in a large apartment complex owned by Disney in Lake Buena Vista. On this programme we were working with people from Australia, Hong Kong, France, Morocco and Italy. I was working in Parade Audience Control, so my job involved working the parades and fireworks in Magic Kingdom, ensuring guest and performer safety. I absolutely loved my job, there was a really big team of us and we all got on so well and had so much fun at work. On our days off we spent a lot of time in the parks, or in the outlet malls, but we also had plenty of time to explore the restaurants and nightlife in Orlando. Again after the programme we had time on our visa left to travel, and so I spent 5 weeks travelling the West Coast, me and a friend drove from San Diego to San Francisco and then flew up to Canada to travel the Rocky Mountains.
Finally, I undertook a professional internship in Canary Wharf at the Financial Conduct Authority. This internship was completely different and gave me an entirely different experience. I gained so much professional experience, built up contacts, and gained an insight into my future career, whilst earning a decent wage! I was working in Authorisations and dealing with shareholders buying additional shares, gaining control, or takeovers of firms. I was given so much responsibility and from day one I was dealing with businessmen owning huge firms, and at no time was I treated like an ‘intern’ or my competence doubted. I was allowed to shadow other departments, and get involved in as much as I wanted to gain the additional experience I needed. One of my favourite things was also getting a taste of graduate life in London, and the social scene that accompanies graduate jobs!
At the end of our internship we had to give a presentation to a room of managers, and had an additional interview. From this I was offered a graduate role with the company starting in September after my graduation. The internship was so valuable, from the application and assessment centres being great practice, all the way through to the actual job and people I met, I really had a great summer and it meant I went into third year not having to deal with graduate applications and could focus on my exams!

A degree that suits you

By Lucy Grimes

One of the main reasons I chose to do BA Business Management at Sheffield University Management School was because of the flexibility the course offered, with modules covering every aspect of the field and allowing students to gain a wide knowledge of the business environment.
Although the first year of the course is mostly pre-set, the modules are really varied, giving you an introduction into many business areas from maths, accounting and economics based modules, to human resources and general management themed modules. I found that this year really helped me to understand which areas of business I was most interested in, and which I would not want to pursue in the future. It also helps you to understand where your strengths lie both in terms of the module content but also the assessment methods used. For example, I decided that I did not want an accounting or finance related career, and also found that I performed much better in modules assessed by exams and presentations rather than written coursework. Discovering these things in your first year is so useful and really helps when it comes to choosing modules throughout the rest of your degree.
In year two of the course there is more scope for personal choice, with just four compulsory modules and a wide variety of options for other modules including law, statistics, human resources and enterprise. I chose to take Law for Management and Enterprise and Entrepreneurship, as they were both areas I was really interested in but hadn’t had much exposure to previously. Choosing modules across a range of subject areas really gets you thinking about career options too, as you can gain an insight into various disciplines.
In year three there is even more choice available, with only one compulsory module: Corporate Social Responsibility. Aside from this you are free to choose the other five modules for your final year. At this point I had a clearer idea of what I wanted to do after University, and so I chose my modules based on this, as well as choosing the assessment methods which I thought I would perform best in. There are so many options at this stage, in areas such as Work related Psychology and Well-being, Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Business Strategy, and there is also more scope to study the International aspect of Business in these various disciplines. Having so much choice in your final year really allows you to focus on your strengths and interests, tailoring your degree to best suit you.
Each year there is also the option to take an unrestricted module, which means that it does not have to be a module from the Management school. Although I did not choose this option myself, many of my course mates used this as a way to study a new language, or build upon one which they had previously studied. It’s a great way to experience another department within the university and to try something new!
It may seem like there are a lot of choices to make, but that’s what makes the course so dynamic. You can tailor your course to your personal interests and strengths in order to get the most out of it. There is lots of support available when it comes to making these decisions- so you needn’t worry! Personal tutors are always on hand to discuss module choices, which I personally found really useful when choosing my modules. There is also the add/drop period at the start of each semester, so if you begin a module and find that it is not what you expected, there is the option to change onto one more suited to you. So make the most of the many options available and try something new- you may find a new interest or career path which you hadn’t considered before!

Careers support for your future success

By Livia Burridge

At the Management School we are lucky enough to have our own Employability Hub. The Employability Hub gives students access to careers information and supports students throughout the graduate job application process. They run many events throughout the year, such as the Careers Discovery Series which gives students the opportunity to network with graduate employers such as Boots, Deloitte, Ernst & Young and Lloyds Banking Group.

I attended a session held by a member of Morrison’s marketing team as part of the ‘Marketing Careers Discovery Week’. This session gave me a unique insight into the marketing graduate scheme at Morrison’s and provided me with the opportunity to ask questions and find out whether the scheme was right for me. The speaker gave us lots of hints, tips and information which was not available online or through any other source. This was all very useful when completing the application form, and at interview I believe it gave me a real advantage over other applicants.

The Management School’s Employability Hub is a facility I use regularly and their events are a great place to network with graduate employers and access information further to that provided by companies in their graduate recruitment literature. These events are free and I would encourage all students to attend as many of these as you can, it really opens your eyes to careers that you didn’t even know existed.

You can also book a one-to-one session with one of the careers advisers to talk through your plans for after graduating or to get help with arranging a placement or internship. They also run great skills sessions on CV writing and interview techniques as well as running practise assessment centres, it really is a great resource that we are lucky to have!

Your first year – building a foundation of knowledge

By Jamie Lloyd

First year modules in the Management School give you a taste of everything that’s to come. From the subject areas covered, to the way these modules are assessed you get an idea of what interest you and where your strengths lie.
Management Themes and Perspectives is the module in which students will be most aware of the subject area, as it includes marketing, strategy and supply chain. This consists of both coursework and group work for assessments. Business Management in Context builds on this module by taking related ideas and applying them to the business world right now, helping you to develop your analytical and application skills.
A possible new area to some students is Introduction to Behaviour at Work, this module focuses upon employees at work, how they act, how they react and how managers can get the best out of them.
A unique module to the Management School is Professional Self-Management, this module is brilliant at helping you not only improve your skills, but also give you an insight into what really interests you, and it includes lectures from external employers such as Santander and HSBC.
There are also modules which look to improve your wider knowledge. One such module is Business Economics, this may sound daunting to begin with but is really about understanding the basics of economics, such as supply and demand and is extremely applicable to the other modules. It allows you to bring in broader views and ideas and really helps you grasp how economics works within a business.
Accounting and Finance for Managers is another module which helps students learn about wider business activities. Again, many worry about mathematical ability, but there is nothing to be concerned about, you will only ever need to add, subtract, multiply and divide. This is assessed by an exam with a related case study so by reading the case study you can often do much of the maths before the exam to practice.
Analysis for Decision Making is the most mathematical module. There are two streams of this module, one for those who did A-level maths (A stream), and one for those who didn’t (B stream). The only difference here is that those who didn’t do maths have two lectures a week rather than one. This means if you’re not comfortable with maths there is lots of time to go through things slowly, along with tutorials, which are amazing at helping you really grasp theories. However, this doesn’t require you to be a maths expert, and that’s why you can take two sides of A4 filled with your own notes into the exam!
Every student has an unrestricted module choice in first year; I took Business Challenges which is a really great option for Business Management students. It consists of four challenges, all group work based, and you will be randomly assigned to one. After a couple of introductory lectures, you are in complete control, with no more lectures it is up to your group to work together to complete your tasks. Assessment comes in the form of a reflective essay from yourself about your experience, and a presentation as a group.

Opportunities at Sheffield

By Georgina Rees

As a first year BA Business Management student, I was excited and nervous before arriving in Sheffield. Upon arrival, I was amazed at the amount of opportunities that were presented to me and I knew that I wanted to make sure that I made the most out of my time at university. Here at Sheffield you are strongly encourages you to exceed in your studies as well get involved in extracurricular activities, as these are not only fun and interesting at the time but also look great on your C.V and help make you stand out from the crowd in the job market.

There are a range of different societies to join, and there really is something for everyone. I decided to get involved with the Management Society (ManSoc) a committee run society, by students and for students. ManSoc offers lots of socials and sports events, which I found a great way to instantly meet new friends and also encouraged me to interact with second year students to get advice on particular modules and applying for internships. Through the society I was also given access to a range of information regarding careers and guest speaker events.

Another opportunity that I have got involved with is Enactus. Enactus Sheffield is a student-run company based at the University of Sheffield, dedicated to running commercial and social action projects to make a difference to the lives of others both in our community and internationally. Enactus Sheffield created the ‘Homemade’ project, working with homeless men to help them gain financial stability and once again become self-sufficient. This has been particularly rewarding as well as placing me at an advantage when applying for first year insight programmes.

I also attended various talks organised by the Management School’s Employability Hub as part of their Careers Discovery Series, where guest speakers from different companies come in to talk to students about their recruitment process and the opportunities available. One organisation that particularly stood out for me was KPMG and so I decided to apply for a first year insight programme. I was successful in gaining a place on this and the talks that I attended really helped me in the application process. This opportunity will give me an early experience working for an organisation which I may look to apply to in the future for an internship.

I would really recommend getting involved with as many opportunities that the university offers. At Sheffield, you will be spoilt for choice!

Choose a placements for a degree with employment experience

By David Chamberlain

Hi Guys!
First of all let me introduce myself. My name is David and I am a 4th year BA Business Management student. If you are wondering why I am still here after four amazing years in Sheffield, it is because I took the option to extend my degree to include a placement year.
Placements at Sheffield are not mandatory like you might see at other Universities. This really gives you the freedom to decide to do a placement once you have found your feet with your studies and is just one of many options that allow you to add value to your degree. Taking a year out is not for everybody, so it is important to decide whether you’d prefer an internship or a placement. I opted to do a placement year because I felt that it would give me a more in-depth experience of the company that I joined. Also, I wanted the experience of moving away for a year, with a salary and a real level of responsibility, and it duly delivered.
I moved to London for my third year to work with one of the leading providers of consumer insight to the fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) market. Working within a Global Business Development team, I got to develop first-hand the skills that I had been learning about from an academic perspective but also developed the real practical expertise that you don’t get until you are in the workplace. The level of responsibility I was given was amazing, and I learnt so much from my exposure to senior colleagues and clients. I worked with some of the biggest brands across the world, such as Coca-Cola, Kellogg’s, GlaxoSmithKline, PepsiCo and Twinings. This kind of exposure is something you can really talk about to make yourself standout in the graduate market. The area I found most interesting was working with large sets of data and then being tasked with making real business recommendations to clients. The whole “London experience” is something that I really enjoyed, and there is no better time to do it than whilst at University. It serves as a good indication as to whether you could move there when you graduate and shows you what you might look for in terms of location.
I think now that I am back for my final year I have matured as a student much more because of my placement. I am far more organised now than I would have been before and it has allowed me to really tackle the rigours of what is quite a demanding final year, and also think about what I want to achieve after University as well.
I recommend having a good think in your first year about what you want from your degree, look at the different options in detail and then work out which is best for you. For me, it was a placement and I hope I have helped explain some of the benefits!

Applying for an internship

By Anamil Kochar

Around late November during my first year at university, I started thinking that I wanted to make the most of my summer break by doing something productive. Knowing nothing about the corporate world, I decided to apply for an internship as I thought working in a financial company would greatly enhance my chances for a career on the Wall Street after I graduation.

The first step was to get my CV reviewed by the Careers Service, once I had done this I started searching for internships in various companies through websites like ratemyplacement. Figuring out the right company to apply for was a journey in itself encompassing understanding the opportunity in detail and researching the company to see if it made sense for me, after my initial analysis I decided I wanted to apply for several internships, the application process is probably the most time-consuming part of the overall process, from filling in information on education and personal details to answering application questions, it is also the most important step. Inching through the online tests, which consisted of numerical, verbal and logical reasoning was the next stage of the process and by March, I was asked to appear for a Skype interview from Bank of New York Mellon Corporation, Pune, India office. I had a week to prepare and I spent that time researching the company, what it does and the services offered, a few weeks after my interview, I got an offer letter for a two month internship in the Finance Team of BNY Mellon one of the biggest investment banks in the USA. Can you imagine? my very first corporate job! I was so excited.

The first week I went through induction and attending a training program getting to know how the company works. The next week was spent in shadowing my team members and getting an overview of the work my team was responsible for. The main work started after that. I spent my time analysing the Financial Reports of the company. I also helped in developing profit and loss and cash flow statement and Budgets for different department such as HR, IT etc. I also undertook several online trainings such as mutual funds and derivatives, learning more about the different areas of finance and investment. I also received training on stocks, share market and how to analyse them. In the last week of my internship, I had to write a report about what I had learnt during the two month period, my manager and my team were really happy with my work and congratulated me.

Through my internship I believe I have gained a practical approach on the subject and can understand my course in a greater detail with focus on real life scenarios. I have started developing a practical approach of working in accounts. Also, I understand risk and uncertainty much more, which will help me immensely towards a career in area of Investment Banking. I believe this two month experience has opened my eyes to the real world of Finance & Investments.

Supporting our students

By Annabel Faulkner

The support level at the Management School here at The University of Sheffield is excellent. There are many ways they ensure your time here runs smoothly and you have the best time possible; from assigning you a personal tutor from day one to the team in the Student Experience Office, to your module leaders.

When you first arrive at university, you will be assigned a personal tutor at the Management School who will stay with you throughout your years of studying. This is great because they really get to know you as a person and are a familiar face to call upon throughout your time at university. A personal tutor is your first port of call for any questions, queries or worries you have about study or general life at university. If they are unsure of the best course of action or answer to your question, then they know who is best to contact and will point you in the right direction to find the answers to your questions. Another beneficial aspect of a personal tutor is that they are an experienced academic within the Management School so not only are they experts in their specific field, but they know how to structure essays and academic papers, which is often very different to how you will have written essays before. They are more than happy to give any help or advice you need on your studies! Further to this, their offices are based on site at the Management School so they are in a really convenient location for you to pop by between lectures or seminars and are close by for whenever you need them.

The Student Experience Office, based at the Management School is your go-to place for if you have any timetabling issues, coursework queries or any general questions needing answers. They are fantastic as they are so knowledgeable and are open throughout the day during term-time, every day. You can pop by the Student Experience Office at any time to sort out any queries or questions. They help with timetabling issues such as if you have a clash or need to change seminar group. They are also the office where you submit all your coursework, so you will visit them often throughout your time. Their location is conveniently based at the Management School once again so they are accessible to everyone and available for students to drop in between lectures and seminars.

Specific to the course, there is a high level of support provided. Each module has a module leader who runs and executes the module, often taking the large core lectures. They give you their contact details at the start of the module and encourage you to get in touch if you have any problems. Their offices are also based at the Management School and they have office hours where students are welcome to drop-in for a general chat, to ask about the course or solve any problems they are having. Alongside the module leader, there are seminar tutors. Seminars are smaller and more interactive classes, which give you the opportunity to ask more questions in a more intimate learning environment. Seminars are there to go over the material studied in the lectures in more detail and answer any questions students may have. Seminar tutors also have office hours and encourage students to speak to them if they need any clarification on any topic they are studying. They are really approachable and willing to help! If any issues of the course arise or you are struggling then the academic staff running the modules are there to help!

The general support provided within the Management School is fantastic. All the staff within the Management School are always friendly, willing to help and make themselves available to do so. If you have any course or general issues throughout studying your degree, there is always someone on hand to talk to and solve your issue!

A degree that suits you

By Annabel Faulkner

I’m Annabel and I am in my final year studying Accounting and Financial Management, here at the University of Sheffield. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here in Sheffield and studying at the Management School.
One of the key reasons why I have enjoyed my course so much is because of the flexibility there is within the course. This is a benefit for many different reasons, from choosing from a wide variety of modules to taking a year in industry in your penultimate year.

I opted to undertake a research project between my second and third year; a scheme run through the central university and supervised by an academic member of staff in the Management School. This is an example of one of the many options available to you during your years of study within the Management School; all of which add to your CV and to the skills you build upon throughout your degree. I really benefited from the research project and it gave me an insight into the world of academia and into some of the topics that the Management School research alongside running degrees. It lasted for 6 weeks; however, I extended mine to last the majority of the summer as I enjoyed the work more than I thought I would! I had a great experience and built on many different skills such as interviewing, collating results and writing up a research report, which was new to me at that time. Overall, I would definitely recommend looking in to the variety of options there are for work and experience during the summer months, such as a research project, internship or year in industry.
In first year of study, the school get everyone ‘up to speed’ by introducing an assortment of modules so students get a taste of many topics and get to understand and learn about many of these and to know which they would like to specialise in. Then, in second and especially third year, the modules studied become more and more the choice of the student. You can pick from a huge variety of modules which interest you and can choose to specialise more in finance or the management side of the degree. The choice is yours! Some of the modules give professional exemptions whilst others are more practical. There are modules which have more coursework, are more exam-based or include group work. You are able to choose the modules which suit you and will benefit you most. This is a real asset whilst studying here because you can really tailor your course to suit yourself and also choose modules heading in the direction of where you would like to work when you graduate. There is also help on hand, in the form of your personal tutor, the Management Society and module leaders, to aid you in your choice.
The flexibility of the course really enables you to select the path you take yourself, rather than it being dictated to you. This is definitely one of the main reasons why I have enjoyed the course so much!

Alumni profile – Michael Ginn, Corporate Banking Risk, Santander UK

In your job, what is a typical day / week for you?
Every day is unique for me as I work alongside companies across a vast array of industries, providing bespoke banking services to meet their financing needs. I might be working with a small bakery one day and a multinational chemical manufacturer the next, so gaining knowledge of what influences each business and market is crucial. Building relationships with customers is vital for me to understand management strategy and how the business operates, so I need to communicate with customers on a daily basis. My role also entails carrying out detailed analysis of customers’ financials and business model before forecasting their ability to service their debt.
What skills and experience did you gain on your undergraduate course that has helped you in your current role?
In an academic sense, I learnt a lot from the modules I selected. The Financial Accounting modules have been extremely beneficial for me when analysing prospective customers’ accounts whilst taking ‘An Introduction to Financial Derivatives’ helped me quickly understand the complex foreign exchange products that Santander offer.
The course also helped me develop my transferable skills. Working on group projects helped me learn the importance of teamwork, communication and delegation which I have been able to apply when being tasked with managing projects in my role. During my three years on the course my report writing improved, becoming much more structured and concise which is now invaluable in my role when writing up deals to submit to our credit team for approval.
How do you think the university / Management School helped you in your career thus far?
Graduating from the University of Sheffield, a Russell Group university, gave me an excellent platform to build a successful career in banking. Added credibility comes from obtaining a degree from one of only 57 Triple Crown accredited management schools across the world.
Career events put on by both the Management School and The University of Sheffield were pivotal for me in obtaining the type of job I wanted. I attended networking events with professional service firms, CV building workshops and careers fairs which all provided me with help and guided of how to succeed through the tough application processes of multinational firms.
What advice would you give to prospective students studying your course who want to go into a similar area?
Really have a detailed look at the modules on offer. There is such a variety, so pick the ones that interest you (not just the highest pass rate!). Enjoying a module will mean you read around the subject and build a good foundation knowledge before going into your chosen role. Gaining a keen interest in a certain module may influence your decision of jobs to apply for.