Will You Be Living in a Box?
Photo. Supplied
Austin Ellis studied a M.A in International Relations and graduated in 2008.
I’m a dry cargo Shipbroker. I’m also in the Houston Shakespeare Festival. I try and move cargos of bulk commodities (grains, ore, coal etc) around the world. This involves finding a suitable vessel and negotiating the best possible freight rate on behalf of my principle. When I fix a cargo my company gets paid a percentage commission on the total freight. In practice this involves lots of time on the phone exchanging news around the market and providing as much information as possible to my client.
Work Experience
I’d worked pretty much constantly since I was 16 at various part-time jobs. The only ‘professional’ work experience I had though was 3 months with an Independent Financial Advisor that I’d found during a summer in Barcelona.
St Andrews
I loved every minute of St Andrews. Academically, socially and with respect to available activites, I think St Andrews is a very special place and I feel extremely privileged that I was able to go to university there.
Job hunting
I have duel American/ British citizenship and moved to Texas after graduation. I was sending out as many applications as I could once I arrived, but was also meeting old contacts that my parents made when they lived here. I was pretty lost because I didn’t have a specific industry that I wanted to enter, and this meant my search for vacancies was a little directionless. Luckily Houston has plenty going on economically and I think I stood out here because of my background. My current boss is an Englishman who I was introduced to, so I
guess in my case it was a combination of luck and nepotism.
Happy?
It’s a job, but as far as jobs go it’s a good one - I don’t feel like slashing my wrists on a Monday morning. It’s a very personal business, so there is lots of travel and lots of time on the telephone, it’s quite varied and stimulating. Once you get into serious negotiation, the job changes totally, there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, and the game you play will decide who gets it. That’s a buzz. There are some drawbacks too though. You need to be available 24/7, if there is a problem with the ship or an opportunity arises in a time zone other than your own you can often find yourself working at 3am. It’s also on me to negotiate the full terms of the contract which is a headache to me as I’m not very detail orientated.
The Credit Crunch
Shipping got absolutely hammered by the crisis - to give you an idea, a ship that was trading for $200,000 per day in August 2008 was down to around $3000 per day in November. I work for a small company (there are 6 of us) and we made lots of money in 2007
and the first half of 2008. So when I joined there was plenty of cash floating around. All of this money, and more, has been used to keep us going though 2009 as we did barely any new business until July. We’ve all taken paycuts of 30% and the business very nearly went to the wall. Things are looking up now though, and from my point of view as a new entrant to the industry it may have actually been beneficial, as people have been much more willing to talk to a newcomer than they may have been when they had more established business.
Advice
I think a good piece of advice when looking at different industries is to do something where a large amount of money changes hands (assuming you are money-motivated). After all, a little of a whole lot is a lot and a little of a little is a little - the more cash you handle, the more you are likely to keep. Shipping is quite good for this and you can do very well in it if you are successful. Good characteristics for a broker are hustle, personality, persistence and detail orientation. But it is also a technical business so there is a steep learning curve - you will need to find someone to train you and give you a break. Check out www.tradewinds.no for job listings and such, I think your best bet is to ask questions and display desire - meet people if you can. If you are genuine then you will be shown a way in.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself after you graduate, realize that our generation will probably work well into old age so, although you may have been old at St Andrews, you are very young in your career. There is no rush to realize your destiny within months of graduating. If, like me, you graduate and feel directionless then try and relish that directionlessness as freedom as it may not come again. Even if you come up against a lot of no’s, you are still at the point of maximum choice and opportunity in your life, which, I think, is very exciting.
Monday 28th September 2009
I’m a dry cargo Shipbroker. I’m also in the Houston Shakespeare Festival. I try and move cargos of bulk commodities (grains, ore, coal etc) around the world. This involves finding a suitable vessel and negotiating the best possible freight rate on behalf of my principle. When I fix a cargo my company gets paid a percentage commission on the total freight. In practice this involves lots of time on the phone exchanging news around the market and providing as much information as possible to my client.
Work Experience
I’d worked pretty much constantly since I was 16 at various part-time jobs. The only ‘professional’ work experience I had though was 3 months with an Independent Financial Advisor that I’d found during a summer in Barcelona.
St Andrews
I loved every minute of St Andrews. Academically, socially and with respect to available activites, I think St Andrews is a very special place and I feel extremely privileged that I was able to go to university there.
Job hunting
I have duel American/ British citizenship and moved to Texas after graduation. I was sending out as many applications as I could once I arrived, but was also meeting old contacts that my parents made when they lived here. I was pretty lost because I didn’t have a specific industry that I wanted to enter, and this meant my search for vacancies was a little directionless. Luckily Houston has plenty going on economically and I think I stood out here because of my background. My current boss is an Englishman who I was introduced to, so I
guess in my case it was a combination of luck and nepotism.
Happy?
It’s a job, but as far as jobs go it’s a good one - I don’t feel like slashing my wrists on a Monday morning. It’s a very personal business, so there is lots of travel and lots of time on the telephone, it’s quite varied and stimulating. Once you get into serious negotiation, the job changes totally, there’s hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line, and the game you play will decide who gets it. That’s a buzz. There are some drawbacks too though. You need to be available 24/7, if there is a problem with the ship or an opportunity arises in a time zone other than your own you can often find yourself working at 3am. It’s also on me to negotiate the full terms of the contract which is a headache to me as I’m not very detail orientated.
The Credit Crunch
Shipping got absolutely hammered by the crisis - to give you an idea, a ship that was trading for $200,000 per day in August 2008 was down to around $3000 per day in November. I work for a small company (there are 6 of us) and we made lots of money in 2007
and the first half of 2008. So when I joined there was plenty of cash floating around. All of this money, and more, has been used to keep us going though 2009 as we did barely any new business until July. We’ve all taken paycuts of 30% and the business very nearly went to the wall. Things are looking up now though, and from my point of view as a new entrant to the industry it may have actually been beneficial, as people have been much more willing to talk to a newcomer than they may have been when they had more established business.
Advice
I think a good piece of advice when looking at different industries is to do something where a large amount of money changes hands (assuming you are money-motivated). After all, a little of a whole lot is a lot and a little of a little is a little - the more cash you handle, the more you are likely to keep. Shipping is quite good for this and you can do very well in it if you are successful. Good characteristics for a broker are hustle, personality, persistence and detail orientation. But it is also a technical business so there is a steep learning curve - you will need to find someone to train you and give you a break. Check out www.tradewinds.no for job listings and such, I think your best bet is to ask questions and display desire - meet people if you can. If you are genuine then you will be shown a way in.
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself after you graduate, realize that our generation will probably work well into old age so, although you may have been old at St Andrews, you are very young in your career. There is no rush to realize your destiny within months of graduating. If, like me, you graduate and feel directionless then try and relish that directionlessness as freedom as it may not come again. Even if you come up against a lot of no’s, you are still at the point of maximum choice and opportunity in your life, which, I think, is very exciting.
Monday 28th September 2009
Will You Be Living in a Box?
Photo. Supplied
Lewis Shields studied a M.A. in Social Anthropology and graduated in 2007.
I work in Flagship’s Travel and Leisure division where I represent travel and consumer brands e.g. hotels, countries, cruise lines, tour operators etc. No two days are the same, which is what I enjoy, but a lot of my tasks entail liaising with clients and media, writing press releases, organising events, coming up with creative campaign ideas and reporting. I really enjoy my job. Studying social anthropology, I’ve always been intrigued by other cultures and travel and I’m glad that I have found a job which indulges these interests. The job is very fast-paced and multi-tasking is a must, but I thrive on pressure and love meeting people so couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.
St Andrews
I really enjoyed my time at St. Andrews. For a small sea-side town, there’s a really buzzy cosmopolitan atmosphere brought in by the mix of nationalities studying there. Despite the lack of formal entertainment, there was always something to do, people to see and parties to go to. The University itself was excellent and I was very lucky to study a subject which fascinates me.
Work Experience
My previous work experience consisted of positions of responsibility in the restaurant and hotel industry. I also spent a year as Senior Student of University Hall which gave me experience in event organisation and communications.
Credit crunch?
Not directly. London was already an expensive place to live, so although the cost living has gone up you don’t necessarily notice it.
Advice
Get involved with as many societies as possible and try to get experience organising events and handling communications. You’ll soon notice once you’re in the job that who you know goes a long way, so meet as many people as possible. Newspapers and companies are putting more and more content online – so make sure you turn all that Facebook time into a positive and brush up on how companies can use social networking to their advantage. Work experience helps a lot when you’re applying for jobs, so be prepared to put in a couple of
weeks for free in your summer holidays – it will be worth it in the long-run.
Monday 28th September 2009
I work in Flagship’s Travel and Leisure division where I represent travel and consumer brands e.g. hotels, countries, cruise lines, tour operators etc. No two days are the same, which is what I enjoy, but a lot of my tasks entail liaising with clients and media, writing press releases, organising events, coming up with creative campaign ideas and reporting. I really enjoy my job. Studying social anthropology, I’ve always been intrigued by other cultures and travel and I’m glad that I have found a job which indulges these interests. The job is very fast-paced and multi-tasking is a must, but I thrive on pressure and love meeting people so couldn’t imagine myself doing anything else.
St Andrews
I really enjoyed my time at St. Andrews. For a small sea-side town, there’s a really buzzy cosmopolitan atmosphere brought in by the mix of nationalities studying there. Despite the lack of formal entertainment, there was always something to do, people to see and parties to go to. The University itself was excellent and I was very lucky to study a subject which fascinates me.
Work Experience
My previous work experience consisted of positions of responsibility in the restaurant and hotel industry. I also spent a year as Senior Student of University Hall which gave me experience in event organisation and communications.
Credit crunch?
Not directly. London was already an expensive place to live, so although the cost living has gone up you don’t necessarily notice it.
Advice
Get involved with as many societies as possible and try to get experience organising events and handling communications. You’ll soon notice once you’re in the job that who you know goes a long way, so meet as many people as possible. Newspapers and companies are putting more and more content online – so make sure you turn all that Facebook time into a positive and brush up on how companies can use social networking to their advantage. Work experience helps a lot when you’re applying for jobs, so be prepared to put in a couple of
weeks for free in your summer holidays – it will be worth it in the long-run.
Monday 28th September 2009
Will You Be Living in a Box?
Photo. Supplied
Nicholas Taylor studied a joint Honours in Physics and Maths and graduated from St Andrews in 2008.
Since graduating with a Distinction at Masters in my PGCE, I hold a science teaching post at a large secondary school in Reading, Berkshire. I teach11-19 year olds science up to 16, then specialising at Physics at A-Level. I will also be doing a full masters in education, MEd, as I teach as part of my professional development. I most positively enjoy my job. No two days are the same, which is one of the things that drew me into teaching, and there are a lot of opportunities to progress professionally earlier on, and you are always learning
something new - sometimes from the pupils themselves.
St Andrews
Absolutely loved it. This was due to the social aspects such as the academic family element and the family-like feel of the halls of residence I stayed in. I felt it was easy to make friends and form social networks. It really helped me develop as a person and in confidence; I was quite shy when I first went to uni. On the academic side of things the courses themselves, in both Physics and Maths
also helped in that regard and helped me develop skills that I am using today - such as communication skills, writing to an academic audience and problem solving. Although as most people find, you don’t always enjoy all the courses you do, but you just get through those ones you don’t! I miss St Andrews a little, but by fourth year it felt too small. It will always be there in my heart but I felt the time was right to move on. At the end of the day I know I made the right choice in going to Oxford University for my PGCE and I am loving every minute of teaching.
Work Experience
Only a little, but more than most I suppose. I did a summer placement with Rolls Royce, but ultimately the extent of my work experience came from working at Tesco’s on occasion, which was an experience in itself! After graduating from St Andrews I went straight into doing a PGCE(Physics) at Oxford University which entailed me doing two placements at 2 different schools, both comprehensive state schools.
Credit Crunch?
It hasn’t really affected me, I think I would have been more worried if I was teaching a different subject that isn’t Science or Maths, as the job market as a Geography or an English teacher is extremely tight at the minute. Saying that, teaching is a more
stable choice and is not being affected as much by the credit crunch, I get raises each year for 6 years automatically and raises in salary based on performance - and the starting salary isn’t bad either.
Advice
Don't go into teaching thinking it’s the easier ride, because its not. Only consider teaching if you really want to do it, not because you can’t of think anything better do, as most of those people dropped out quite quickly off the course. I would say try to get some experience beforehand, just ask to go into a classroom or a school for a week or two, they are usually okay if you ask nicely. Consult the Careers Centre as they truly are a great help. I am even on the alumni network which is used when students want advice about different careers
from those already in said careers, and who are graduates of St Andrews. Just go in and ask and they'll set you up with someone to chat to. When you go through the process of getting a place on a PGCE course, choose wisely, OFSTED usually has a report on each university and their PGCE course - and prepare for your interviews a little, read up on some educational issues (TES.co.uk is a good website for this) and issues surrounding your subject. But ultimately the best advice is to just be yourself.
Monday 28th September 2009
Since graduating with a Distinction at Masters in my PGCE, I hold a science teaching post at a large secondary school in Reading, Berkshire. I teach11-19 year olds science up to 16, then specialising at Physics at A-Level. I will also be doing a full masters in education, MEd, as I teach as part of my professional development. I most positively enjoy my job. No two days are the same, which is one of the things that drew me into teaching, and there are a lot of opportunities to progress professionally earlier on, and you are always learning
something new - sometimes from the pupils themselves.
St Andrews
Absolutely loved it. This was due to the social aspects such as the academic family element and the family-like feel of the halls of residence I stayed in. I felt it was easy to make friends and form social networks. It really helped me develop as a person and in confidence; I was quite shy when I first went to uni. On the academic side of things the courses themselves, in both Physics and Maths
also helped in that regard and helped me develop skills that I am using today - such as communication skills, writing to an academic audience and problem solving. Although as most people find, you don’t always enjoy all the courses you do, but you just get through those ones you don’t! I miss St Andrews a little, but by fourth year it felt too small. It will always be there in my heart but I felt the time was right to move on. At the end of the day I know I made the right choice in going to Oxford University for my PGCE and I am loving every minute of teaching.
Work Experience
Only a little, but more than most I suppose. I did a summer placement with Rolls Royce, but ultimately the extent of my work experience came from working at Tesco’s on occasion, which was an experience in itself! After graduating from St Andrews I went straight into doing a PGCE(Physics) at Oxford University which entailed me doing two placements at 2 different schools, both comprehensive state schools.
Credit Crunch?
It hasn’t really affected me, I think I would have been more worried if I was teaching a different subject that isn’t Science or Maths, as the job market as a Geography or an English teacher is extremely tight at the minute. Saying that, teaching is a more
stable choice and is not being affected as much by the credit crunch, I get raises each year for 6 years automatically and raises in salary based on performance - and the starting salary isn’t bad either.
Advice
Don't go into teaching thinking it’s the easier ride, because its not. Only consider teaching if you really want to do it, not because you can’t of think anything better do, as most of those people dropped out quite quickly off the course. I would say try to get some experience beforehand, just ask to go into a classroom or a school for a week or two, they are usually okay if you ask nicely. Consult the Careers Centre as they truly are a great help. I am even on the alumni network which is used when students want advice about different careers
from those already in said careers, and who are graduates of St Andrews. Just go in and ask and they'll set you up with someone to chat to. When you go through the process of getting a place on a PGCE course, choose wisely, OFSTED usually has a report on each university and their PGCE course - and prepare for your interviews a little, read up on some educational issues (TES.co.uk is a good website for this) and issues surrounding your subject. But ultimately the best advice is to just be yourself.
Monday 28th September 2009
