Amena Hussain

Amena’s confidence in maths led her to complete a degree in accounting. However, since graduating, she has decided to pursue a career in marketing and communications. The change in career path was due to Amena discovering her passion for the creative, strategic, and dynamic aspects of marketing, which aligned better with her skills and strengths. She says, 'marketing offers diverse tasks and projects, providing more variety and opportunities for growth in areas that excite me. Additionally, the collaborative and stimulating work environment in marketing suits my personality better than the structured nature of accounting’.

Navigating Clearing and choosing Herts

Amena decided to explore Clearing to ensure she found the best possible course and university for her academic and career goals. It allowed her to remain flexible and open to new possibilities, ensuring she made an informed decision about her education. Clearing also helped Amena manage any changes to her original plan, guaranteeing that she secured a place on a course where she could achieve her full potential.

After researching all the options available to her, Amena decided to choose accounting because of her strong interest in working with numbers and financial data. The field also offers diverse and stable career opportunities in various industries, ensuring job security. Amena chose Herts to study for her chosen degree due to the University’s strong reputation for its business school, which is accredited by reputable professional bodies such as ACCA and CIMA.

Amena described the stress and uncertainty that came along with applying through Clearing as ‘easily manageable’ because of the kindness and support given to her by the Clearing operators at Herts. She adds, ‘I spoke to a Herts staff member over the phone who helped me with my decision, guiding me through the process and explaining what I needed to progress to the next stage. After a very short and informative conversation, I was left relieved and excited when I was guaranteed a place on my chosen course’.

Opportunities to grow

Since graduating, Amena has decided to change direction and pursue a career in marketing. She is currently working at the University as a Graduate Staff Communications Executive. Amena attended Herts during the pandemic and has used her new role as an opportunity to rediscover the campus and get a flavour of the University experience she missed out on when studying at home.

Although she studied a course unrelated to marketing, she believes it has helped her hugely in her role today. She credits her course for teaching her transferrable skills such as organisation, communication and working well under pressure, which are all vital to her role now.

Going forward, Amena would like to continue growing her career in marketing as it is an interesting and growing industry, which she believes Herts has equipped her for.

Advice to current and future students

Amena’s advice for students is to take advantage of the career resources available at Herts, such as career counselling, workshops, and networking events. Additionally, she recommends starting to think about career goals early and seeking opportunities to gain relevant experience through internships, part-time jobs, or volunteering.

She goes on to say, ‘From someone who wasn’t fortunate enough to fully embrace my university experience due to the Covid pandemic, I’d say get involved and take advantage of the numerous clubs, societies and extracurricular activities offered at the University. It’s a great way to meet new people, explore your interests and develop valuable skills outside of the classroom.

‘Remember, your time at Herts is not just about earning a degree but also about personal growth, exploration and building lifelong skills and connections. Enjoy the journey and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way!’