Alumni

Bethany Harris

Career Path: Office Manager, Harper Concierge
Location: London, UK

I have always wanted to pursue a career that centred around fashion. Working as an Office Manager allows me access to all sectors of fashion business, such as marketing, sales, technology and logistics. Completing my English Literature degree meant I learnt the skills required to be successful in these different fields as I approach tasks from an 'out of the box' thinking and analyse the small details.

I achieved this career by consistently emailing and applying for various job roles. One of the sites I used to apply for my now current position, was actually recommended to me at one of the job adviser sessionsthe University ran.

What are you doing now?

Living my best life in London, working as an Office Manager for Harper Concierge in a sector I've always been passionate about.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study here?

I loved the city atmosphere, the nightlife was energetic and exciting. The campus grounds always felt welcoming and friendly and were also in an ideal location.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

I had a 40% lecture to 60% seminar ratio which I benefited from as I enjoyed discussing texts in depth in a small group. As the course progressed I had more independent study time - which was sometimes difficult if you were struggling on a assignment etc.

How connected was your course with industry?

I had a six month weekly placement as part of my career-orientated course module. Every Friday I spent the day at a local middle school.

What was the best thing about your course?

The variety of modules you could choose from was the best part. There was always at least 2 modules during each semester that I really enjoyed.

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals/ give your career an edge?

It was great having the career advisers to speak to which gave me great advice in applying for job roles. Studying English Literature also allowed me the skills to look comprehensively at work in fine detail and pick important parts. It also gave me the edge of thinking about the intentions behind any narrative which was really helpful for the marketing part of my job.

Which skills/knowledge did you learn on your course that you use most now throughout your career?

Prioritising time for tasks and being realistic about the time it will take to complete. Also always think about the importance of anything you word e.g e-mails, presentations etc.