We’re all familiar with the billion-dollar questions that spring upon us as we navigate school; ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ ‘What is your dream job?’ ‘Which industry are you aspiring towards?’ This can be easier for some people to answer compared to others, and during school, I was completely indecisive myself! If you’re in this position currently, I’m here to tell you that this is completely okay!
I grappled with a lot of different interests during school; this mainly lied in Biological Sciences, but I was also fond of the lessons that I had in the Humanities. I wanted to pursue a University degree, and upon attending UCL’s open day, I came across the degree ‘Arts and Sciences’ which provided the opportunity to pursue a ‘major subject pathway’ and ‘minor subject pathway’. I was simultaneously excited and nervous, the former because it addressed my worry of having to pick a single discipline to study for three years, and the latter because it wasn’t a ‘conventional’ degree to study amongst my community. Reflecting back, I am so glad that I made the leap because I was able to study a range of topics that piqued my interest, ranging from Genetics and Molecular Biology to Behaviour Change and Human Migration. I was also able to spend the time refining my academic interests, leading me to pursue a Masters in Genomic Medicine at Imperial as I was keen to learn more about personalised healthcare, both from a molecular and bioethical lens.
Whilst studying for my Masters, I deliberated the various career options before me. I knew that I wanted to step outside of academia, and have a role where I could directly engage with people and also develop technically. I found that Technology Consulting offered a perfect blend of this, and this is how I ended up joining the Technology Consulting graduate scheme at EY a year ago! 🙂 My transition to this role was supported by the fact that I was able to apply various qualities, including agility, adaptability, and interdisciplinary research skills, as well as wider transferable skills from my work experience, such as communication and teamwork, and overall, have the willingness to learn.
Takeaways from my story:
- Take the time to explore and evaluate all your options and don’t let the fact that it may be a ‘non-conventional’ route stop you
- The subjects that you study don’t necessarily define your career route because the skills that you pick up from your education and work experience can be applied to different fields
- Your unique story and perspective matters in applications, make it known!
- Remember that everyone’s career journeys look different, there is no need to strictly define your career goals, and it’s okay if they change over time
I’ve also been fortunate to join TPN as the Student Ambassador lead. I’ve been working with bright-minded students from universities across the UK to help boost TPN visibility. The community is brimming with support for Tamil Professionals across a vast range of sectors and pathways. It’s been a pleasure to be a part of it, and I am incredibly delighted to see the insights, opportunities, workshops, and events that TPN provides to foster career journeys. I look forward to seeing this community continue to grow, whilst also growing professionally myself!
[Note: All views are my own and do not represent those of my Employer]
