Anas Mudassar

• Year of graduation: 2022
• Current job title: Store Systems Developer
• Current employer: Superdrug
• Industry sector: Retail

Your university/career journey

Why did you decide to study at the University of Northampton?

I was offered a 30% scholarship from the University of Northampton because I scored highly in my course at the Limkokwing University in Malaysia, where I completed my undergraduate degree in Software Engineering. Therefore, I planned to study my Master’s at UON.

What are your career goals/aspirations?

My career goals are to be a successful Software Engineer in a well-reputed, multinational company. I’m pleased to say that I’m on my way to achieving my goals as I’m currently working as a Store Systems Developer at Superdrug Head Office. This is a senior level 3rd Line Support position. Recently, I’ve received a Certificate of Recognition Award from the IT Director and Head of Cooperate Technology at Superdrug, for a successful and smooth completion of my project.

How do you think your studies will help your career or personal development when you graduate?

My studies at the University of Northampton really helped me to start a good career in the field of computer science. After my final assignment submissions, I started to apply for jobs in different companies. This went really well and before my graduation I had received offer letters from Barclays Bank and Superdrug head office. I chose Superdrug because it was a senior role.

Which, if any, skills and knowledge/understanding gained on your degree do you feel will be most useful in your future career?

The modules on my MSc really helped me to polish my existing skills and also enabled me to gain new skills. The knowledge that I got from my study at the University of Northampton really helped me to achieve my goals.

Do you have any tips on applying for a job after your studies? What can other students do to help them get one?

Build a strong CV with a good cover letter, create your LinkedIn profile and make it interesting and easy to understand for hiring managers. Also, prepare for your hiring tests and be confident during your job interviews.

What advice would you give to students about to begin a placement year?

My advice is that if you get a placement year, make it worth it. Try to learn new skills and gain more knowledge about your field of work. Be focused and work hard to achieve your goals.

Extra-curricular activities

What extra-curricular activities did you participate in whilst studying, i.e. sports, societies, volunteering, working as a student ambassador?

Unfortunately, when I studied at UON, it was online due to the COVID-19 lockdown. Therefore, I didn’t participate in any sports. But I’ve worked as Student Ambassador.

How do you think these extra-curricular activities will enhance your career prospects?

Working as a Student Ambassador really helped me to polish my communication, team working and time management skills. These skills are very useful in professional life.

Are you currently involved in any community or volunteering projects?

At the moment, I’m fully focused on my work and career, so I don’t have enough free time to be involved in any volunteering projects. Once I’m settled in my career, I would really like to do some mentoring and provide help to students who are about to start their careers.

Your advice

What advice would you give to undergraduates interested in this career path?

I like to advise students who are studying in my field to try to learn something extra, aside from your course. You won’t learn everything on your degree, so do some extra projects apart from your assignments which you can show to an employer to make you stand out.

In 10 words, or fewer, how would you summarise your UON experience so far?

Full of knowledge, efficient, helpful, skills, advanced, good.