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Isabelle Chalmers

Isabelle
Chalmers

United Kingdom
In my second year, I chose to complete a half-year internship at Capital One as a junior finance analyst intern. Having the opportunity to choose this module during my second year was hugely beneficial and provided me with such a great work experience.

More about Isabelle

Isabelle studied BA (Hons) Business and graduated in 2021.

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

"I chose NBS due to their modern facilities and welcoming atmosphere. After visiting several other universities, I knew straight away after visiting NTU at an open day that I wanted to go there! Nottingham as a city is amazing and I’ve absolutely loved living here! I chose my course after enjoying studying business studies at A-Level. I was unsure on which area of business I wanted to go into and so kept my options open by choosing the Business course which covers a broad range of modules varying from economics to marketing."

What has stood out about Nottingham Business School?

"The opportunities available! There is so much to get involved in ranging from volunteering schemes, internships, societies, sports, employability awards and webinars. I have been able to take part in such a wide range of activities which has been great when applying for jobs. NTU really puts a focus on your employability and life after university, so that by the time you leave you to have so many different extra-curricular activities to speak about in interviews."

How would you rate the course facilities and why?

“I think the facilities at NTU are great. The library is open 24/7 and the laptop loans are two which have particularly stood out to me. The library academic workshops were also helpful with skills such as academic writing and maths help.”

What is your favourite thing about your course?

“My favourite thing about my course is the diversity of it. I study such a wide range of modules which gives a great overview of the business industry. We also have a module called ‘personal academic development’ which involves preparing for life after university, including things such as submitting a copy of your CV and LinkedIn profile. I found it particularly useful when reflecting on my time at university and evaluating all of the things I was involved with! It really helped when preparing for interviews as I had a range of activities I could speak about as a result of this module.”

Have you been involved in the CERT Mentoring Scheme? If yes, what has this role involved? What did you enjoy about it and how has it benefitted you?

"I was a CERT mentor in my final year and found it highly rewarding to be able to help the first-year students who went through similar experiences as I did. It’s a great way to meet new people and I think it’s good for the first-year students to have someone to relate to! I enjoy the flexible nature of the work as you are able to choose when you want to work, which is really useful when you have lots of deadlines and don’t want to be committed to a certain number of hours."

Have you had the option to personalise your course and experience at Nottingham Business School? How has this benefitted your studies?

"In both my second and final year I had the chance to personalise and choose certain modules. In my second year, I chose to complete a half-year internship at Capital One as a junior finance analyst intern. Having the opportunity to choose this module during my second year was hugely beneficial and provided me with such a great work experience. In my final year, I was able to choose an optional module again and chose to study the ‘global supply chain.’ Being able to choose modules which are of interest to you really helps you to stay motivated on your course as you are studying areas that you find stimulating."

Have you had the opportunity to get involved in any volunteering projects? If so, what did this involve and how did you benefit from getting involved in this?

“In my first year, I was involved in a volunteering scheme in partnership with AGEUK Notts and ClickSilver, which was a 6-week volunteering scheme where I was responsible for assisting the elderly with using technology. This experience was hugely rewarding and improved both my patience and communication skills. Being able to give back to the community was great!”

Did you gain any work experience during your course? IF so, can you tell us whether it was a placement year, internship or another opportunity? What have you enjoyed and what the benefits have been?

“In my second year, I chose to complete the optional module of the HY2 internship and worked at Capital One in their Nottingham offices as a junior financial analyst intern. The internship was originally meant to be for 16-weeks, but I was asked to stay throughout the summer and ended up gaining 8 months of work experience in a fast-paced financial services environment. My financial knowledge and excel skills improved significantly and the skills and opportunities provided during this internship solidified my interest in a career in the financial industry after university. It was great that I was able to complete this internship during my second year, meaning I didn’t take a placement year but still gained fantastic work experience! I also completed a short one-week internship at The Sun newspaper on their fashion desk which was a great opportunity to gain experience in a professional working environment.”

Have you used the services of the employability team during your time at NTU? If so, what help did they provide and how have you benefitted from it?

“The employability team were extremely useful when checking my CV before applying to jobs. I would really recommend their interview resources and CV360. They helped me to feel prepared and confident in my graduate job interviews! I also had several mock job interviews and took part in their mock assessment centres, which were great for building confidence before the real thing!”

What do you think of the support available at NBS and NTU? Think of both your course staff, student support, the employability team and global lounges.

“All the staff at NTU are really friendly and willing to have 1-1s with you if there is anything you are struggling with. The academic English support sessions in final year were particularly useful when writing my dissertation and the employability team were fantastic for providing advice with CVs and job applications!”

What's next for you after NTU?

“After NTU, I am going to be working in London at a company called Farfetch which is a luxury fashion retail platform, on their finance graduate scheme. I am really excited to be joining the company and cannot wait to learn even more about the financial sector!”

Has the employability team helped you plan for life beyond NTU?

“The employability team were great for checking my CV and providing interview help and advice. I would really recommend everyone to use their resources when applying for jobs! The team are always happy to have a meeting with you to discuss any questions about upcoming job interviews or provide mock interviews.”

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