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.

This is my first full-time position after submitting my PhD, which was funded jointly by YouGov and the Economic and Social Research Council. I am based YouGov's global headquarters in London and undertake a range of tasks including drafting questions, scripting surveys on the company's proprietary software, and communicating and negotiating with clients. In addition, building on the analytical skills that I developed during my PhD, I process and weight data for clients, and undertake data analyses with varying levels of complexity. These analyses range, for example, from crosstabs to confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling.

We start each week with a team meeting at which we discuss upcoming political events and the likely questions that we will need to ask around them, as well as the projects that we are working on. We then tend to work independently of each other on our various projects, though the team is also very supportive and colleagues can be called upon to assist with work when necessary. The projects that I work may be small, for instance centred on delivering the results of one or two questions placed on our daily political omnibus poll. Alternatively they may be large, for instance developing multi-wave and multi-country surveys, fielding them, and then delivering the results. A typical day will contain a mix of small project that are completed quickly, and ongoing work on large projects. In addition, I will often undertake analyses on behalf of my colleagues, delivering and, where necessary, interpreting the results for them.

My colleagues are lovely and supportive, and the variety of topics that we poll on makes the data that I am dealing with on a daily basis thoroughly interesting. In addition, when we have space on our polls we can ask questions to the public that are of general interest to us, allowing us to investigate weird and wonderful topics, and resolve disputes on questions ranging from the banal to the thoroughly consequential.

Negotiating the wording of questions with clients who have a particular political agenda can be challenging. Further, working for clients with whom you disagree politically on quite a fundamental level can be dispiriting.

Having working national and grassroots student political campaigning after by undergraduate degree, I became interested in the field of political behaviour. This is the subject that I chose to study when I returned to academia to undertake a masters degree and, subsequently, PhD. Specifically, I am interesting in why some people get involved in politics whilst others do not. More widely, I am fascinated by the drivers of political opinion and behaviour. As such, when my thesis was complete, the opportunity to work at a company where I would be analysing data about political opinions and behaviour on a daily basis was too good to miss!

Generally, I use my critical skills both when drafting questions and analysing the results, whilst the latter also unsurprisingly requires my analytical skills. My interpersonal and communication skills (both verbal and written) are in constant use in relation to both my team and the clients who I work with. In terms of qualifications, the understanding of politics that I gained at A-level and undergraduate degree is crucial, whilst the social research skills that I developed during my masters are also very important. Further, on a technical level, the analytical methods that I learned during my PhD are frequently utilised.

PhD in Government, Department of Government, University of Essex, Colchester (2012 - Present (under examination)).

Thesis focusing on how structural and perceived privilege impact on political participation in the United Kingdom, based on statistical analysis of an original survey of a representative sample of British adults.

M.A. in Political Behaviour, Department of Government, University of Essex, Colchester (2011 - 2012).
Modules: Political Explanation, The Analysis of Public Opinion, Theory and Explanation in Political Science, Political Behaviour, and an M.A. Dissertation.


Democratic Support Coordinator, Union of Brunel Students, Uxbridge (2008 - 2011).

This was a permanent post at the students' union at Brunel University in West London. I was responsible for recruiting, training, and supporting student representatives in the eight schools of the University, organising the Union's democratic events (e.g. elections), supporting the elected students and bodies, coordinating the review of the organisation's constitution, and managing the research and writing of the Union's contribution (from a student perspective) to an audit of the University.

Universities, Events and Training Intern, People & Planet, Oxford (2007 - 2008).

This was a one year post working for the leading national student campaigning charity (focusing on economic justice, human rights, and environmental issues) in the UK. I gained a huge array of skills in post, with my responsibilities ranging from supporting and training local groups in Yorkshire, the North East and London, to helping to organise national events for hundreds of participants, to consulting on and planning national democratic decision-making.

In the short term I plan to stay in my current role but my ultimate goal is to return to academia. This is because I enjoy research and, more importantly, love teaching. Thus, my ideal post would be a teaching-heavy contract at a higher education institution in this country or overseas. In the interim, I am also considering research and evaluation roles in the third sector.

Definitely take up the course; I couldn't have improved on my time at Sheffield!

Once in Sheffield, make sure you take advantage of all the amazing extra-curricular opportunities that are provided by the Students' Union. The societies are amazing, the student democracy is great (and wants your input), and the support available (whatever you need) is superb.

Take advantage of all the opportunities available to you while you're at the University you'll be well-equipped to enter the world of work afterwards.

Thank you Sheffield (city, people, University, Students' Union, and staff) for some of the best years of my life!