The University provides loads of opportunities to gain work experience. I would encourage students to take advantage of those opportunities

Dan Newberry, Philosophy BA.
Dan Newberry
HR advisor, University of Sheffield
BA Philosophy
Dan is a HR advisor for the University of Sheffield; he also completed his BA in Philosophy here.

How has studying at Sheffield helped you in your career?

The main thing my degree has helped with is the ability to quickly and coherently critically appraise ideas that are presented to me. This is a skill that I have received praise for, although you do have to be careful to not come across as picky!

The communication skills that you learn in seminars are extremely valuable, as they help with being able to confidently present yourself and your ideas in meetings. Also, as my current role involves standing up in front of groups of people, being able to present ideas coherently, and deal with challenges to those ideas is crucial.

What advice do you have for current philosophy students?

When I’m recruiting people for jobs, a key thing we want to be able to see is that someone can demonstrate they have experience and can do the job. The university provides loads of opportunities to gain work experience, and I would encourage students to take advantage of those opportunities.

Also, as a university committed to student employability, if there is an area of work that you are particularly interested in (e.g. HR, finance, marketing) then do feel free to get in touch with the relevant department as I’m sure they will be more than willing to answer questions you have.

A world-class university – a unique student experience

Sheffield is a research university with a global reputation for excellence. We're a member of the Russell Group: one of the 24 leading UK universities for research and teaching.