BSc Accounting and Finance student Huanna Hu took a Year in Industry at profit recovery firm PRGX where she applied the skills she had gained on her course, excelled in her chosen field and gained newfound confidence in herself.
My parents are businesspeople – it’s what brought them over to the UK from our home country of China to run a Chinese takeaway here in the UK. Like my mother and father, I have a good head for numbers, and I knew that Accounting and Finance with a Year in Industry would open lots of doors for me, career wise.
I opted for a Year in Industry upon application because I knew I wanted to apply what I learned and gain experience. I also loved the idea of stretching university life – which I love – over four years and making the most of everything.
The Careers and Employability service were a huge help with my application for a Year in Industry. I went to several seminars and talks from industry leaders and the team helped me to draft a CV and cover letter.
I found the role at profit recovery firm PRGX myself, by scouring the internet for opportunities. When I was called to say I’d reached the interview stage, it felt surreal. Although I was incredibly nervous, there seemed to be a natural rapport between myself and the manager over Skype. I got the job!
‘Analytical Skills’
I spent the first part of the placement working in London, a few months working from home and the final three months in their Luton office. The work involved recovering profits for clients by looking at accounts receivable and accounts payable to identify any financial discrepancies between agreed payment terms vs. actual payments received.
I wasn’t expecting to be working as if I was a full-time staff, but from day one I was given big responsibility. Throughout the year, I was in charge of managing my own projects. By selecting from a list of suppliers that our client worked with and looking into the accounts of each supplier I wanted to audit, I used my analytical skills to calculate financial discrepancies; reach out to the suppliers on our client’s behalf and negotiate the missed funding back into our client’s account. My negotiation skills had to be strong when claiming back money and gather strong evidence to back up my claims.
By the end of the placement year, I was thrilled to find out the amount I’d recovered for the business was the highest out of the cohort of Year-in-industry students within my team and made a significant impact on meeting team revenue goals.
Having finished the year and now embarking on my final year of study, I feel like a different student. I have gained time management and decision-making skills and the perseverance and confidence needed to succeed across all disciplines. I also have a great sense of the direction I want my life to go in and the sorts of jobs I’d enjoy when I graduate.”
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