Xiaohongshu
Many students underestimate the skills they are already developing through university life, whether through leadership roles, involvement in student groups, part-time work, volunteering, academic representation, or simply navigating day-to-day responsibilities.
This supportive alumni panel will help you recognise the value of these experiences and understand how they can translate into confidence, employability and future opportunities.
You will hear from UCL alumni who were actively involved in student life in different ways, from society committees and sports clubs to academic reps and sabbatical officer roles, and who have since built careers across a range of sectors. They will share how they learned to talk about their experiences in CVs, applications and interviews, and how their time at UCL helped them grow personally and professionally.
Whether you have held a leadership role before, are newly elected into a student role, or are simply curious about getting more involved, this session offers a welcoming space to explore the value of student leadership, discover opportunities across UCL, and build confidence in communicating your strengths to employers.
What you can expect
In this session, you will have the chance to:
- recognise the transferable skills you are already building through university life
- learn how alumni have translated student leadership and wider involvement into career confidence
- hear practical advice on talking about your experiences in CVs, applications and interviews
- explore how to turn everyday responsibilities into strong examples of impact, initiative and transferable skills
- build confidence in networking and speaking to professionals in a natural, low-pressure way
Skill focus: Confidence, Communication, Self‑Awareness
Meet your speakers: A panel of UCL alumni from varied sectors, sharing honest insights into how their university involvement -from small roles to formal leadership positions - shaped their career journeys.
Jarrod Chan, originally from Singapore, served as an Air Force officer before studying History at UCL, where he was deeply involved in music and student leadership. He began his career in London at firms including EY, Morgan Stanley, and Optiver, gaining experience in consulting and finance. He is now the founder of Pagoda, an education and careers consultancy, where he helps students secure top university placements and competitive roles while developing long-term career skills.
Issy Smith, London-born, studied both her BA and MSc at UCL on Spanish and Latin American language, history and politics. She was greatly involved with the Students’ Union through sports club leadership and part-time paid roles that led to her being the Postgraduate Sabbatical Officer in 23-24. After her year in office, she worked for Hult International Business School in Alumni Relations and now, for UCL’s Provost’s Office as an Institutional Project Lead.
Ana Boikova, half-Russian half-Ukrainian, came to UCL to study her BA Economics and Business with Eastern European studies. During her time at UCL she was a commuter student and was super engaged in Cheerleading, being Treasurer and coach in her final year. She was then elected as an Activities & Engagement Officer and is now finishing her 2nd sabbatical term. She will be starting her graduate scheme in consulting in October and has previously interned at a trading desk in Shell.
The panel will explore questions such as:
- When applying for opportunities after university, how did you talk about your student leadership, extracurricular or representative experience on your CV and in interviews? What helps a student stand out to employers in an authentic and credible way?
- What advice would you give to students on turning their day-to-day responsibilities and experiences at university into strong examples of impact, initiative and transferable skills?
- For students who may feel unsure about networking or speaking to professionals, what helped you build confidence, and how would you encourage them to approach networking in a more natural way?
- What is one piece of advice you would give to students who want to make the most of their time at university and prepare themselves well for life beyond graduation?
Who should attend? This session is open to all UCL students, and may be especially useful if you:
- are currently involved in student leadership, societies, clubs, volunteering or representation
- have recently been elected into a student leadership role
- are thinking about getting more involved at UCL
- want to understand how your university experiences can support future applications
- feel unsure how to talk about your strengths, skills and impact to employers
- would like to hear honest career reflections from alumni who were once in your position
⭐ ExtendED Conference
This session is part of the ExtendED Conference - two days of trying things out, meeting new people and discovering skills you didn’t even realise you had. Think of it as a little festival of confidence‑building: workshops, keynotes, creative moments and chances to connect with brilliant people from across UCL and beyond.
Dip into as many sessions as you like. Follow your curiosity. Collect some unexpected insights along the way. We're excited to see you there!