— Soumya Namdeo

I chose to study Business Management with Employment Experience undergraduate degree at the University of Sheffield because of the international exposure. After growing up in Bhopal, studying and working in Sheffield (England) was not an easy decision. However, the confidence level, knowledge, skill sets (such as communication and cooking skills), mindset, and ambition I possess now are all due to my decision to study abroad.

Besides the international exposure, I was awarded an International Management Merit Scholarship by the Sheffield Management School, which further motivated me to choose this university.

I also received offers from the University of Birmingham and a university in the United States. I made the right choice as the University of Sheffield has been ranked as the top university in the Russell Group for student experience and support by the Daily Mail University Guide. The latest ranking follows the University of Sheffield being awarded University of the Year by students in the WhatUni Student Choice Awards earlier this year and rated top of the Russell Group in the latest National Student Survey (NSS) for the second year in a row.

My university experience was filled with busy days where I kept myself occupied with one activity or another. I was part of the international student committee, volunteering committee (which I chaired), societies committee, and many more, all of which helped me gain skills such as teamwork, event execution, and conflict resolution. These activities also allowed me to meet new people and gain experiences I will cherish for a lifetime. I also volunteered with food banks and the Sheffield church alongside other students as a volunteering ambassador —opportunities offered by the university.

The Sheffield University’s Students’ Union, which is ranked top in the UK, also offers one-day trips to different cities across the UK, which was a great way to make new friends and explore a new place with university support. They provided a guide and an itinerary, which were helpful in exploring new cities.

My typical day would involve walking 20-30 minutes to my university lecture halls in the morning for my 9 am class, then moving to other lecture halls for subsequent classes. I enjoyed breaks between lectures, sitting in the Student Union with my friends and grabbing lunch from university food outlets or John’s Van—I had my favorite barbecue chicken burger from there almost every week. Sometimes, I took long walks to Crookes Valley or Western Park, which are just beside the Students’ Union, and enjoyed the serene pond view with ducks swimming there. If I had long breaks, I spent my time in the library catching up on pre and post-lecture work and working on my assignments. After lectures, I would return go back to my room to freshen up before returning to the university for committee meetings for the clubs I had joined. After returning to my room, I would cook dinner with friends and then play games and enjoy time together — this was what a typical university day looked like for me.

My first day in Sheffield was filled with nervousness and excitement. I had already booked my accommodation and connected with some Indians and my flat mates online beforehand (who were all from different parts of the world). So, I knew a few people, but travelling alone for the first time and setting everything up myself was a challenge. Thankfully, my friend from my city who had arrived in Sheffield before me took me to Tesco for my initial grocery shopping and showed me around the university — since I had arrived late and missed the meet-and-greet events and the initial freshers’ week.

My flat mates also ensured my safety and taught me about UK culture. They created a group and established some codes to message in case of danger — whether from a person or in a place — which eased my fears about being in a new place.

Celebrating Halloween with them was a great experience. I missed home during the first couple of months, but having a group of Indian students and celebrating Indian festivals there helped ease my homesickness. I celebrated almost all festivals, such as Diwali and Garba, by visiting the Indian temple there. In some ways, my experience of celebrating was even better than in India, as everyone celebrated the festivals there with full heart, love, and dedication with the aim of creating a home away from home. Also, celebrating UK festivals such as Christmas, Halloween, and Easter were a great experience — the whole country lights up during Christmas. Trying new cuisines was also fun — I often visit my favourite Japanese restaurant, ‘Let’s Sushi’.

I found everyone in the city warm and welcoming, people in Sheffield are accepting international crowds. They appreciate that students leave their families and live independently, understanding the hardships involved in this process. I have found myself engaging in conversations with British people about this and feeling the warmth and love they offer. They are always smiling and willing to help navigate anything required. My personal tutor and university career service advisors were also true contributors to my journey to success so far in the university and beyond.

Getting involved in residence life activities, university events, clubs, and societies was the best part. It provided me with skills and experiences that helped me secure internships and job roles. It also helped me make lifelong friends. Living in university residences was also the right decision for my first year, as it helped me make lifelong friends and enjoy the common room activities organised by the university residence staff, like pumpkin carving for Halloween, Zumba, and ukulele classes. Every flat had a residence mentor who would help resolve any conflicts students might have — as not many of us knew how to live with new people at 17-18 years old.

When it comes to earning money from part-time experience, it taught me the importance of earning, discipline and much more. In the first year, I worked part-time as a steward at football matches, earning the national wage for my age group in the years 2019-2020, around £7 per hour. I also took up university job roles that paid well. I worked as a note-taker for disabled students, which paid around £13.5 per hour and Placement Student Ambassador which paid around 11.5 pounds per hour. Additionally, I worked with a traffic management company and as a steward, earning around £10 to £11 per hour, which helped me cover my living expenses during my time at the university.

Securing a role at Experian was a seamless process due to my prior experience in job applications — similar to when I applied for and secured a position at Cummins for a one-year placement in project management and marketing between my second and final year.

For the graduate role, I was well-prepared for psychometric tests and video interviews, thanks to my ongoing job hunt. For the video and final interviews, I conducted extensive research to understand Experian’s values and initiatives by reading articles, browsing their website, and connecting with employees on LinkedIn. The assessment centre, although time-consuming, felt welcoming, thanks to the thorough information provided by the HR representative beforehand. The process included an icebreaker, a Q&A session with existing graduates, a group activity, an assessment-based interview, and a final interview with senior product managers. Keeping meticulous notes during interview preparation helped me immensely on the assessment day.

The delightful surprise came when the HR representative revealed Experian’s willingness to sponsor my Skilled Worker visa during a congratulatory call about my application outcome. A Skilled Worker visa allows one to come to or stay in the UK to do an eligible job with an approved employer. Normally, one must have a job offer from an approved UK employer before applying for a Skilled Worker visa.

The subsequent online visa application process was facilitated by Experian in partnership with Deloitte, who assisted me throughout. It took just a day to complete the online visa form and digitally submit my documents, and my visa arrived within two months of the application.

My biggest takeaway from the application and job securing process is to start early. Begin working on your first CV draft from May/June onwards to apply for graduate roles for the following year’s intake. Get reviews on your CV and cover letter from the university’s career service advisors and your seniors. By August, start applying to companies. Keep an Excel sheet to track your applications and continuously tailor and improve your CV for each application. Simultaneously, practice psychometric test content through readily available online resources.

I found practice tests on Google and YouTube videos on aptitude math, integrated reasoning, and data insights very useful. I also connected with employees on LinkedIn about their experiences in the company, which helped me during interviews. Practicing common situational judgment questions was also very helpful for the interviews.

(This letter is part of a series by The Indian Express where we bring to you the experiences of students at different foreign universities. From scholarships and loans to food and cultural experiences — students tell us how life is different in those countries and things they are learning other than academics)