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Graduate case studies

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Kareem - 
Business Development Manager

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.

About the job

Main responsibilities

My responsibilities include the following activities:

- Client servicing and project coordination (attending meetings regarding complaints or support).
- Documentation development (Memorandum of Understanding, Fee Proposals, Performance Reviews, Expression of Interest and Feasibility Studies).
- Attending major exhibitions, workshops, networking events and lectures.
- Overseeing the development of marketing literature such as pre-qualification documents, company portfolio, website and ISO certifications
- Cold calling potential clients and conducting introductory meetings.
- Providing management with feedback

Typical day

As a business development manager, my tasks are quite inconsistent throughout a given week. However, to simplify, my first task when I arrive at the office would typically entail looking over my emails - primarily from clients, which is followed by a quick online search for any upcoming construction exhibitions in the region. After contacting prospective and existing clients, I typically work some form of a report, either managerial documents (MOUs, EOIs, feasibility studies, etc.) or marketing literature (PQD, portfolio or ISO certifications). However, given that I started in the company as a graduate engineer, I still take part in site visits and early conceptual design meetings.

Why did this area of work appeal to me?

It's very important to identify what you're good at as early as possible and see how to implement it in an industry that you have access to; I found out quite early on in my higher educational career that my strongest skill was dealing with people.

Skills/qualifications I use in my job?

In order of importance:

People skills, people skills, people skills, technical skills.


Career information

Brief history since leaving University

I graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2017 and proceeded to begin my postgraduate degree from Imperial College London where I studied for an MSc in Structural Steel Design. I completed my master's course in the summer of 2018 and subsequently moved to Dubai to join Orion Engineering Consultants as a Graduate Engineer.

Where do I see myself in the future?

Diversifying my knowledge in upcoming technological developments within the construction industry before launching my Sheffieldstartup.


Advice to students

My piece of advice to students

Be realistic in what you want from life and, in particular, what industry you can contribute to effectively.

Take everything you learn with a grain of salt and don't look for immediate applications of your learnings - it all pans out eventually.



Send Kareem a question about their career.


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Last updated: 13 Mar 2019