Jessie graduated from the University with a BA in History in 2014. She has gone on to secure a job working in Artist Relations with a recording company.
What attracted you to studying at Kent?
When I visited Kent on the open day, I fell in love with the campus. It is so beautiful to study at Kent and the campus is a really nice and safe place to be. I also really loved the School of History when I came. In comparison to other universities, the School of History at Kent offers a really varied selection of modules to study. I didn’t know if I wanted to concentrate more on modern or medieval history so the course at Kent really appealed to me as it let me do a bit of both.
How did you find your course?
Honestly, I loved every minute of it. Every part of the School of History made my time at Kent exciting and enjoyable. The School of History offers such a wide range of modules to choose from and the staff are always there to help you with any questions you might have. Studying in Canterbury and choosing History is also a great idea – Canterbury is a history hub! Oh and graduating in Canterbury Cathedral wasn’t too bad either!
Did you take on any work experience placements during your studies?
I did quite a few work experience placements during my studies. I was lucky enough to work at some great companies such as Bestival and Channel 5. I also completed work experience in the music industry at a radio pluggers called Hart Media.
These placements, coupled with my degree, allowed me to have some great job prospects when I left university. Within a month of finishing, I had secured a month long internship at Channel 5 and when I had finished that, I had three job interviews lined up, one included working for Sony Music. I wouldn’t have got these opportunities if it wasn’t for the work experience and internships I took up during my studies. That little bit of extra work during my degree has led to great job prospects after my degree.
Did you take part in any extra-curricular activities?
I was quite a busy person during my degree. I was part of the radio station, CSR FM and I had a part time job at Origins Bar and Bistro in Darwin. Both were fantastic to do whilst at University and led me to have a really varied and exciting time at university. It was also great to make so many friends in loads of different areas of University life.
Balancing these with my degree was quite difficult at times. The key thing for me was to have a good social/studies balance. I did this by planning my days in advance. If I knew I had an essay due in half way through the term, I would choose my topic in the first week and start researching it then. It required some time management but it worked out well in the end!
How do you think your studies and extra-curricular activities have helped your career prospects?
They have helped me enormously. Having a degree from the University of Kent is brilliant for my future career prospects and many job interviews I have been to have commented on Kent being a great University to have been to. Moreover, every interview I have been to, the employers are very impressed with how much I have done. To them, they say it shows I am a self-starter and have a lot of get up and go.
For many employers and for graduates in this competitive job market we face, it is so important to have work experience. That is what separates you from the others going for the same job. Many people have a good degree these days from good universities, and that is what will get you an interview. It is the extracurricular activities and work experience which you undertake, which will get you that job!
What are you doing now?
I have just finished a 6 week placement at Channel 5 in their PR department. This involved helping to arrange interviews with national newspapers, meeting talent and helping with press days and writing press releases. I am now waiting to hear back from three companies I have had job interviews with. This included Sony Music, an artist management company and a PR company so fingers crossed!
What are your future career plans?
I would love to work in the music industry. My ambition is to work in A&R which is sourcing new music for record labels to sign.
What advice would you give to anyone thinking about taking a degree at Kent?
GO FOR IT! Jump head first in to it and you will have the most amazing time. Kent is a brilliant place to go for a History degree. It is one of the most exciting and innovative universities in the UK and is at the forefront of research. The amount of extracurricular activities available for you at the University is brilliant. Just go for it. Jump in and get stuck in in all aspects of University life and you will have the most amazing experience you could hope for!