Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

Leadership of the financial operations team, a team of 30 responsible for processing c. £450m of transactions annually.

A large part of my role revolves around people management, whether with my direct reports or the wider team. This can range from individual issues to team restructures. I have a key role to play supporting projects which impact on the team.

No two days are the same. It can be hectic at times, but I rarely end up doing what I expected at the start of the day. There are always problems to solve, or opportunities to use my skills to help others in the organisation.

Part of my team is based in York which gives me the opportunity to head back up north every now and then, which is nice! There's also the bonus that, on the occasions where you find yourself working late, it's a bit like voluntary work!

There's always a fire to be put out somewhere. Things often work out differently to how I plan them.

I am passionate about the charity sector and enjoy being able to use my skills for a cause I care about.

I am a fully qualified Chartered Public Finance Accountant, which is an essential qualification for my job. I do think that elements of my History degree, such as group work and presentations, helped me to improve my confidence when I was a student. That also helps me in my job as I have to liaise with lots of different people throughout the organisation.

I do not receive any formal training in my current role, but in my previous role my employer paid for me to train as an accountant, including paid time off to attend college and study leave.

Norwich Union (now Aviva) Healthcare, Sheffield. July 2007 - June 2008. Worked as a claims assessor.

Audit Commission. September 2008 - September 2012. Trained and qualified as a Chartered Public Finance Accountant whilst working as an auditor.

Macmillan Cancer Support. September 2012 - Nov 2013. Financial Accountant; Dec 2013 - present: Head of Financial Operations

My intention is to grow my career in the charity sector, ultimately aiming for a Chief Executive role one day.

Work experience is important, as in a competitive market it can give you the edge over people who haven't worked at all. It doesn't necessarily have to be through doing unpaid work, however, as seems to be in vogue at the moment. Working in a shop or bar, as I did, shows that you have the discipline for the world of work once you graduate. In terms of charity specific experience, volunteering for a charity can be a a rewarding way of getting some experience on your CV as many charities, especially small ones, need volunteers to help support their finance functions.