Nominations for the Leadership Elections 2022 have been open for 2 weeks now. You might be weighing up your options; you have lots. Grad schemes, undertaking further study, having some time off, or even travelling - these are all great options. But have you taken the time to consider how running for a position in the Leadership Elections might benefit you in the long run?
Over the next couple of weeks, we'll be catching up with previous Officer Trustees to see how their time in office has impacted their career trajectory.
Shervin Sabeghi, Deputy President (Welfare) 2019-21
After I let the PhD dream die towards the end of my Physics degree, I wasn't too sure what would come next. I'd been heavily involved in the Union for a while and felt there was a lot I wanted to improve to help the student body so ran for Deputy President (Welfare) and won. Fast forward 2 years and one pandemic, I felt I'd achieved giving to the students but, what I didn't realise was how much I'd get back myself.
I've stayed in the university welfare sphere and now work as Senior Student Transition Officer at King's College where I manage projects to support students transition into and through university. My time as DPW really helped accelerate me to this position; my interviewers were really impressed by my broad knowledge of university issues, experience leading complex projects (for example, my Liberation & Community Reform), and approach to stakeholder management. When I was applying to jobs at the end of my tenure, I really didn't struggle to come up with examples to meet person specifications and as an Officer Trustee you're granted special careers support from Imperial.
There's no other grad job where you're immediately thrust into senior leadership, entrusted with decision making, given space to create and lead, and able to build individual partnerships with your most senior stakeholders. I felt really at ease starting my new job safe in the knowledge that I'd probably already confronted bigger issues than what I would in the new job.
Finally, and maybe most importantly, the connections you can make as an Officer Trustee are invaluable. You have the opportunity to form close relationships with very senior academics at a place like Imperial who, if they like you, will go out of their way to support you even after you've left Imperial. Having them in your corner will help you wherever you want to go to next.