Simone Hakami

Leeds University Business School has given me a number of opportunities, which I have found very valuable. As I am originally from Huddersfield, it is enjoyable living so close to home as I still feel independent in Leeds, however it is comforting to know that home is only half an hour away.

One of the many reasons why Leeds is such a great place to study is that it is one of the major financial centres within the UK, meaning many big employers are just on our doorstep! There is often a different employer on campus each week, if not every day, meaning there are a wide range of opportunities to access the working world and employers that you wouldn’t usually experience elsewhere.

I find the course very exciting and a welcome challenge. My first year at University has been one of the best years of my life and one factor that contributed to this, is my enjoyment of my course. There are a wide variety of modules on offer and last year I studied Lower Intermediate German as my discovery module. I previously studied German at school and I enjoyed picking it up again; it has been extremely useful having this on my CV as it is a key talking point with employers. I have also found it very useful that what we learn in lectures is so relatable to the real world; for example, one of my Foundations of Finance lectures was on how to read and understand the Financial Times.

I am very happy being a student here and so I wanted to share this and promote the Business School to other students. This is what sparked my interest in the Business School Ambassador Scheme. So far, I have worked at numerous open days and I have absolutely loved every single one. The role involves interacting with a wide range of people, whether these are prospective applicants and their parents, my fellow students, or lecturers and teaching staff here at the university. Initially, I was worried lecturers and professors would be intimidating, however through the scheme I have found out they’re not so scary after all! The Business School is quite large, so it’s been useful to get to know other students across different years and other courses. 

Now that I am applying for summer internships, employers are constantly asking for when I can demonstrate my use of various skills such as communication and team working and this has provided the perfect opportunity to do that! Being an ambassador made me want to work towards a larger role within the Business School and I am now the Accounting and Finance Intern which is another responsibility I am enjoying.

I’m so grateful for all the opportunities I have been offered at the Business School, and I couldn’t recommend the University enough.

This profile was published in November 2015 during Simone's second year of BSc Accounting and Finance.