Khubayb Majid

Why did you apply to the University and why did you choose that course?

I decided to apply to the University of Bradford because I heard great things about their tech programmes from family members and friends. The extracurricular activities that Bradford also offered was definitely a winning factor too.  Plus, I really wanted to gain some experience and knowledge with real coding, not just learning the theory side of programming.

The Software Engineering course seemed like the perfect fit. They have collaborations with tech companies, internships, and real-world projects, which sounded super exciting to me. I figured, if I am going to learn how to build software, why not do it at a place where they are actually working on innovative projects. It just felt right, and it was a chance to learn what I love in an environment that is all about pushing the boundaries.

What steps did you take to improve your employability whilst at university (and/or after you graduated?)

During my degree, I worked as a Junior Software Engineer with a small company where I learnt a lot about database integration and migration, coding and testing (using Java & Python) and applying Agile Methodology. I also worked as a Donations Officer (charitable organisation), Social Media Manager (promoting the company and business) and as a Receptionist (developing my customer service skills).   The above experiences played a big part into me getting the opportunity to have interviews with many companies and it really helped me to stand out.

For graduate roles, I started applying early once in my third/final year (Sept/Oct 2022).  During this time, I made the effort to talk with the Faculty Career Consultant who helped build my CV and CL, I also stayed in close contact with the Career Consultant for any upcoming interviews and assessment centres from which I gained valuable help/information. This gave me a head-start and the confidence to sell myself effectively during the formal interviews.

How did Career and Employability Services support you during your time at university?

Career and Employability Services has helped me every step of my career from building my CV and CL to interview support and to receiving constant emails about opportunities to apply for.

Most importantly, the Faculty Careers Staff work very closely with the Department of Computer Science to plan and organise the yearly event – ‘Computer Science Showcase and Networking Event’ where we had the opportunity to meet employers strictly recruiting for the tech industry.  It was at the ‘2023 Computer Science Showcase and Networking Event’ that I met my future employer (YBS)!  Careers ensured that my CV was up to date (prior to the event) and provided hints and tips on how to network with employers at the event.

Tell us about your current job and what makes you successful in securing the job?

I have landed the role as ‘Front-End Developer’ and I believe I was offered this job from my attractive/targeted CV and Covering Letter, my work experience and knowledge gained from the many projects I worked on within my time at the University of Bradford.

Furthermore, the skills learned such as teamwork, leadership and the creative enhancement Bradford has brought out of me was an attractive skill to my employer and this helped me to land the job. Not to mention the technical skills gained which helped me to perform very well in the tests I was set as part of the interviewing process!

What advice would you give to current students wishing to enter this type of career/sector?

If you are genuinely interested in this career the advice, I would give is to work on small projects yourself at home, and make sure you understand what Software Engineering is (compared to Computer Science or Cyber Security).  Do not be afraid to make mistakes or feel completely helpless within programming as this is completely normal, practise really does make perfect!

The tech sector/industry is very competitive – a degree alone may not be enough (though important) but any work experience (e.g., part-time jobs) and roles particularly relevant to the sector will differentiate you to other candidates.  Getting online tech certifications would also come in very handy!!

Lastly, I would like to say,‘make the most of your time and enjoy it as you learn’, you won’t always enjoy everything but make sure to understand everything as much as you can because you are building your skillset to set yourself up for the future.