Claire completed her BA English Language and Linguistics in 2003, MA Sociolinguistics in 2005 and PhD English Language and Linguistics in 2008. She is now a Research Fellow at Kings College London.

Why did you choose to study with us?

Essex is one of the best universities for studying language and linguistics. I also liked the number of clubs and social events the University had to offer.

Briefly describe your life at Essex.

I enjoyed studying in my Department. The lecturers were really helpful and encouraged me to stay in academia. I found my courses really interesting and so many of the things I learnt at Essex are useful to me now.

How relevant is your course to your current role?

All the research skills I learnt throughout my course, and through my Masters and PhD, have enabled me to work in very different environments. I wouldn't be able to do my job now without that solid grounding.

What other skills did you learn at Essex that have helped you?

I learnt how to do presentations and make them interesting to the audience! I gained important skills in how to plan and prepare workshops. I also learned how to get on with lots of different people and develop good working relationships.

What advice would you give to current students who may be seeking work?

I would suggest seeing a careers advisor, as well as thinking about the skills and interests you have. There's so many different jobs out there that you may not have thought of (I didn't know mine existed at first!).

What are the best memories of your time at Essex?

The end of exams party was always the highlight of the year. My other favourite memory is sitting by the lake with my friends and enjoying a beer on a sunny day.

If you could have your time at Essex again, would you do anything differently?

I would have worked a bit harder in my first year.

How would you summarise your time at Essex?

I loved being at Essex. I met some fantastic people who I am still close friends with. I think I got the balance between playing hard and working hard pretty good!

Makayla graduated with a BA English Language in 2009 and gained a training contract with Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer.

What was good about your course at Essex?

I loved having the freedom to tailor my modules to match my interests. My lecturers were passionate about their subjects and were always friendly and approachable, while the research focus of the Department also meant that the content of the course was really up-to-date.

What did you do after leaving Essex?

I completed work experience with a local legal firm and attended open days and workshops at a range of city law firms. I then gained a training contract with Freshfields. I have gained my Graduate Diploma in Law and just completed the Legal Practice Course (LPC).

How relevant is your course to your current role?

Having a much more in-depth knowledge of both the English language and communication in general is very relevant to a legal career. For example, my studies in pragmatics and syntax are relevant with regard to drafting, whilemy studies in conversation analysis help with regard to negotiating and interviewing. Many of the skills I acquired during my course at Essex are also very useful, particularly the analytical and research skills I developed.

What do you find most interesting/enjoyable about your job?

I was attracted by the challenging environment and ever-evolving nature of law, as well as the fact that I can use many of the things I learnt during my course in my job. Commercial law matches my interest in business and also provides the international element and variety that I was looking for in a career.

What tips would you give to students who are starting their course?

I would highlight how important it is to try hard from the first year. Although it doesn't always go towards your final grade, law firms ask for a breakdown of grades across your degree and so all years are scrutinised. Make the most of the many extracurricular activities available (as well as focusing on the academic side of things) as they can help to develop you into a more rounded individual and mean you stand out.

What advice would you give to graduates starting their job hunt?

Be open minded about what it is you want to do and don't feel limited by the subject matter of your course.

Jenna graduated with a BA Language and Communication in 2006. She now works as an Assistant Editor in the English language teaching section at Cambridge University Press.

Why did you choose to study with us?

My interest in linguistics started at sixth form. Essex was a simple choice; it was a small campus university with a world-class linguistics department.

Briefly describe your life at Essex.

My social life at Essex was very full! I instantly found friends that I had more in common with than anyone else I'd ever met before. Academically I found my course enjoyable, challenging and well supported.

What did you do after leaving Essex?

Upon leaving Essex, I took a temporary planning enforcement job with my local council, whilst trying to becoming a music journalist on the side. I then, after nine months, started working as a research officer for an education charity.

How relevant is your course to your current role?

My course couldn't be more relevant. I find myself referring back to previous lectures on corpus linguistics, TEFL and phonetics on a daily basis.

What other skills did you learn at Essex that have helped you?

It was at Essex that I got a taste for writing and editorial work. I honed these skills through work with The Rabbit, the student newspaper. This also led to several years working part-time on various music publications.

What do you find most interesting/enjoyable about your job?

Working on English language teaching print and online publications is different every day. You might be desk editing one day, going to an audio recording the next, producing an e-learning video the following day. It's constantly interesting and challenging.

What advice would you give to current students who may be seeking work?

Work experience is key! I was lucky to find an entry level position in which I could work my way up, but posts like that don't come up very often. Work experience gives you the chance to gain experience and make those all-important contacts.

What are the best memories of your time at Essex?

My best memories of Essex are indie nights, good friends and summers spent sitting by the lake.

If you could have your time at Essex again, would you do anything differently?

I'd have tried to get work experience in the field of publishing much sooner. I'd known for years that it was what I wanted to do but I thought I could just gain an entry level job easily.

How would you summarise your time at Essex?

I had a brilliant three years, met some interesting people, learned things that will stay with me for life (both academically and otherwise) and grew up a lot.

Natalya graduated with a BA English Language and Literature in 2009 and now works in marketing.

What did you do after leaving Essex?

I joined some temping agencies in London in order to earn money whilst gaining valuable work experience. One of the companies I was temping for then me offered a permanent job. From my experience, employers admired the fact that I was working whilst seeking permanent employment, instead of sitting at home doing nothing and waiting for something to come up.

How relevant is your course to your current role?

As Marketing and Submissions Officer, I am required to be thorough and assist the bid and project teams in preparing bid tender responses for private and public sector construction contracts. I assist in writing, editing and proofreading the bid content to ensure that our responses meet the client's requirements and best demonstrate the company's experience and company ethos. I maintain and implement the company brand guidelines in marketing materials and bid responses, and design and format the bid submissions.

What was good about your course at Essex?

My lecturers were helpful and at your disposal if you needed advice and support. This is something I would advise students to take advantage of. I also enjoyed the University campus life, with everything on one campus.

What other skills and experience did you gain at Essex that have helped you?

I gained analytical skills, experience of working to deadlines and a confident approach to working on my own initiative. The University of Essex encourages independence, debate and research.

What do you find most interesting about your job?

I enjoy being part of a large, expanding international organisation. Bouygues UK is of French heritage and it is great to experience working with different cultures. I find the construction industry interesting because, as a company, we are working to deliver something tangible that will make a difference to the communities in which we build, whether it is providing a new school, hospital, housing or new student accommodation!

What tips would you give to students who are starting their course in terms of what they might gain from the University experience?

Join the societies and clubs on offer, it is a great way to make friends when you first start and is also something extra you can add to your CV that demonstrates your personal interests and can benefit future employment. I joined the University newspaper in my first year as a contributor and, in my second year, became the editor of the music section. This gave me experience of working with the editorial team and managing a team of contributors.

What advice would you give to graduates starting their job hunt?

Remember, although you have studied you do not have work experience and it is for you to prove to an employer why they should invest their time and money in you. This is why extracurricular activities or summer work placements will impress them, as they demonstrate commitment and a good work ethic.

Join a recruitment agency - it is better to see them in person to register. Specify what type of roles you are interested in and if you are offered temporary work take it; it is all valuable experience that can be added to your CV. It is also an opportunity to network, and you may be remembered and contacted in future should a permanent role become available.

Don't give up. It can be exhausting when you are trying to sell yourself via a job application but you must remember your achievements and believe in yourself.