Jelena – Data Acquisitions Administrator at a RecTech start-up

Jelena graduated from the University of Leeds with a degree in Physics. She now works as a Data Acquisitions Administrator at Source Breaker, a recruitment technology start-up.

Source Breaker, what do they do?

They are a recruitment technology start-up.

Why did you sign up to Inspiring Interns?

I signed up to Inspiring Interns because I liked the idea of my first job being an internship with the possibility of becoming permanent as I wasn’t too sure in what direction I wanted my career to go in.

How did you find the process? Tell us about your experience with us.

I had a great experience with Inspiring. I was contacted to make my video CV and the day after making the video I got a call from Inspiring Interns inviting me to an interview for an internship that same week. The following week I got the job.

“I signed up to Inspiring Interns because I liked the idea of my first job being an internship with the possibility of becoming permanent.”

What was your job-hunting experience like before you came to Inspiring?

I was lucky enough to find Inspiring in my first week of job hunting and then get a job with Inspiring the following week (my first interview from Inspiring).

How long did it take you to find a job with Inspiring and how many interviews did you have to go for first?

It took me a week to get a job with Inspiring. I got the first job I interviewed for with Inspiring.

How did you remain resilient when job hunting?

The main thing I did was keep applying for different jobs even if I had my heart set on one job. However, I was lucky enough for my job hunt to only last two weeks, so I didn’t have many struggles during that time.

How did you decide this was the company for you?

I decided this was the company for me as the Head of Department spoke about how the company is very focused on career development which is important for me as I’m at the start of my career.

What was the interview process like and how did you prepare for it?

I had two interviews, one with my potential manager and one with the Head of Department. Inspiring Interns sent me a list of questions and topics to research. I spent time researching the company and practising answers to typical interview questions. Inspiring Interns went through the questions with me and gave me tips on how to improve my answers and after our chat, I used her feedback to improve my responses.

What is the best bit about working for them?

The company has a great working environment. We all work very hard but everyone is kind and welcoming so we have a lot of laughs during the day. Very early into my internship, the company became keen on my development in the company which motivated me to work harder and gave me a sense of direction.

What type of things do you do on a day-to-day basis?

I extract data from websites.

What skills do you use on a daily basis?

I mainly use basic HTML programming skills.

What new skills have you learnt?

Through the job, I’ve learnt basic HTML programming skills, for example writing XPaths and regular expressions. I’m also learning other programming languages such as Javascript as the company purchased an online full-stack developer course for me to complete in my own time in the hopes of progressing into a junior web developer role with them.

How did you decide this was the role for you? (It’s ok if you didn’t!)

Very early on I knew this was the right role for me as it gave me basic skills that are helping me progress into the career path I want to take.

What is the best part of the role?

The best part of the role is that it’s the type of job that when you get stuck on something, it feels so satisfying when you finally figure out what to do.

Did you know this was what you wanted to do when you left University?

When I first left University I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. I originally wanted to go down a programmer route but didn’t have the right skills so started applying for data analyst roles. Luckily for me, however, the company is helping me become a web developer with them so I’m going to end up in the original career path I wanted.

“The company is helping me become a web developer with them so I’m going to end up in the original career path I wanted.”

Starting a new role after university, it isn’t easy. How have you coped with the bad days?

I use little things to get me through difficult days like listening to music while I work. At our office, we have communal spaces so if anyone doesn’t feel like sitting in the office or just needs some space we can sit in the communal area and have some alone time if we want. You just need to find what works for you.

What was the most difficult thing about starting working?

The hardest part is realising that when you’re having an off day and don’t feel like getting out of bed, you can’t just skip work like you can skip a lecture. You need to find a way to motivate yourself on your off days.

What tips would you give new grads about job hunting?

The main tip I have is to just keep applying for jobs even if all you’re getting is rejections.

What tips would you give new grads about interviews?

Over prepare for it and make sure your personality shows through in the interview as a lot of companies look for people who would fit their company culture.

What tips would you give new grads about starting work?

Make sure you show a lot of interest in the job and the company. You’re more likely to progress faster if you do.

If you have any questions about the work, always write down the answer, even if you think you’ll remember it, so you don’t have to ask the same question again. Also, speak to everyone at the company and ask everyone about what they do because you might find what direction you want to go in.