Varun Lobo, 2020 graduate
Varun graduated from American Studies and History BA in 2020. He is now working as Workday Consultant at Deloitte.
He discusses the skills gained from his course and how they help in his current role.
What made you choose your course?
"My UCAS year, when I applied to university, was 2016/17. This was the year where Donald Trump got elected. It was plastered all over the news, and the more I started reading into it the more I thought ‘Wow, this is really interesting’.
I didn’t actually know American Studies was a course. Originally, I was just going to apply for single honours history at university. Then I did some more digging on UCAS and this came up. I thought ‘This is going to be really interesting. I can learn more about the history and politics of America and get a better understanding of all the interesting stuff I’ve been reading in New York Times over the election year’."
What are the main skills that you gained from your degree?
"100% the research and analysis. I use the analysis in my day-to-day job. It’s looking at the bigger picture, the why, the how, not just what’s in front of you.
There’s no way I’d be half as good a researcher as I am without all the skills I learnt on my degree.
When you’re on a course, it can be hard to see the bigger picture and how this translates into real-world experience, but it’s definitely there. It’s a sub-conscious process, then you come out of the degree like, ‘Actually I’m not too shabby a researcher!’"
How did you choose your optional modules?
"I’d try and get a mix between stuff I knew I really loved and trying something new. If there’s a lecturer you had in your first year who you really connected with, and you really liked their way of teaching, if they’re doing an optional module in the subsequent years, I'd recommend you choose it! Even if you think it might be outside your interests. If you connect with the way they teach, it makes it a lot easier to connect with the subject material. If I saw names that I recognised, I’d try and get onto their modules."
Did you have a favourite module?
"I really loved Christopher Phelps’ 'American Radicalism'. It was something I’d never done before. That module was a lot of fun. It goes back to my point of, if you choose a lecturer who you connect with, you get a lot out of it. You’ve got that professional relationship there."
Is there anything surprising that you learnt about yourself?
I enjoy writing essays! I always thought that would be the worst part but actually, if you’re interested in the subject, it can be really interesting.
"That’s something I miss now, having that dedicated few months to really dig deep into an American history topic, or an American politics topic."
What was your dissertation on?
"I chose to do my dissertation in history. I did it in early modern European witchcraft history. You have to choose something you’re really passionate about and will go the extra mile for."
What was the staff support like?
"My lead department was American and Canadian Studies and everyone was so friendly. I built really good rapports with the various lecturers, especially through things like helping out with Open Days. It’s a great way to get to know the department more. I also made the most of staff office hours – everyone is so approachable."
That’s what enabled me to be so successful, that the staff in American and Canadian Studies were so great.
How did you get your current role? Did you always have a career plan in mind?
"I absolutely did not think I would end up at Deloitte! I took a chance and did a graduate scheme application, thinking it probably wouldn’t go anywhere, then stage by stage I got closer and closer, then they offered me the role! My top tip would be to apply for these jobs, because even if it’s for a really big company like Deloitte, who get thousands of applications, someone has to get the jobs!
For a really long time I wanted to be a teacher, then I tried it and realised it probably was not for me.
I’d say if you have time during the holidays, try and do some volunteer work experience to work out what you like and what you don’t.
You don’t have to have it all figured out, there’s so much I’ve learnt in the last two years in my job that no amount of research could have prepared me for in the application stage."
How has your degree helped you in your current role?
"Through my ability to research and analyse information, alongside summarising and digesting it quickly. It’s insane how relatable it is to getting a massive book in the library and taking three or four key points out of it, to what I’m doing now, where I’m getting a huge amount of information and summarising the key points for colleagues."
What’s your favourite thing about your current role?
"I work with the best team in the world. I really love my team."
Find an organisation that fits within your values and who you are as a person and, at least in my experience, the people around you will be people on your wavelength and align with you as a person.
What does success look like to you?
"It's more about the journey, rather than the end point. It’s about analysing how I got where I am, getting past the hurdles, getting through my degree. That’s success to me, the journey to how you are now."
Anything else to add?
"Just that my time at Nottingham was the best time of my life and I miss it very much.
Any time I go on holiday, even now, my first choice is always somewhere in America. And I still have my New York Times subscription! It’s definitely a hobby of mine to read up on American politics in my spare time."
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