Alumni profile - Aniththa Ragunathan

8 July 2020

Why did you study Business Management at Queen Mary? I wanted to study something that has multiple career options and that is not just limited to one specific field. This degree allows me to work in multiple areas as opposed to just one.

What aspects of your degree did you find most enjoyable? What modules did you like learning about and was there anything that surprised you in your studies? I like the fact that this degree is split into many modules and each of them are really useful to understand how the competitive world of business works. Since I have a passion in HR, I enjoyed studying Human Resource Management, as well as Marketing related modules such as Persuasive Strategies.

Why did you choose to study at Queen Mary in particular? Because of its diversity and cultural environment. When I visited Queen Mary for an open day I immediately knew that it was the right university for me. Queen Mary has a lot of students from different backgrounds and cultures which was very interesting for me. Being able to socialise with international and national students was a great experience. In addition, Queen Mary also has a very comfortable study environment. Not only does it excel in teaching quality, but also the opportunity to socialise with a variety of students across different degrees.

Can you describe your career path up to date and touch on your current role as Recruitment Coordinator at Amazon? My first ever job was in retail - I worked there part-time alongside my studies. However, a few months after, thanks to QMentoring, I received a job offer as Lead Generation at TOPdesk, which is an IT company. I worked there alongside my studies to gain office experience and to learn how to effectively manage my time. It was a hard journey but I thoroughly enjoyed it and it has definitely improved my skills and capabilities. After my first year at university, I completed a short internship in Recruitment to get an insight into this field. After my second year, I did a summer internship as a Recruitment Admissions Officer at Kaplan to further develop my skills. These experiences have added significant value to my competencies.

In terms of my current role at Amazon - after working in an IT industry for two years I knew that a fast-paced environment was suitable for me. I came across the Recruitment Coordinator role at Amazon and applied immediately. After completing several interviews, I succeeded in this application and finally got the role. I received this opportunity just before graduation and I was so happy about it. I started this role in August, and I am still enjoying it.

What does a typical working day look like for you? What skills and attributes do you look for when recruiting new talent to join Amazon? As Jeff Bezos says, every day is Day 1. My working day is different every day with a lot of challenges and opportunities. In essence, my role involves scheduling and conducting interviews across multiple Fulfilment Centres in Germany, Spain, France and the UK. Since I am a German speaker I am working with a lot of candidates in Germany. I work very closely with many recruiters and candidates, thus building relationships with both sides. It’s a candidate focused role and I am enjoying it so far. I really love my role since it has many challenges, rapid changes and opportunities. To become an Amazonian you need to be customer-centric, a leader and an innovator. Our aim is to be Earth’s most customer-centric company. If you have a passion for customers and think you can contribute to our mission, then you should consider applying to Amazon.

What is it like working for such a globally renowned company? How does it feel to be part of a company that is used frequently by such a large percentage of the world? Amazing. I don’t think there is any other word that can describe how it feels to work for such a great company. Amazon is full of opportunity - it is a great place to work and to learn something new every day. I have always used Amazon to purchase products but I never knew how it felt to actually be part of Amazon. After joining Amazon, I realised that there is a much bigger picture that shaped the way Amazon is now. From FC associates working hard to make customers happy to us recruiting great talents to work for Amazon - we are all working as part of a team and I love it.

How did your time and study at Queen Mary help your career and development? Queen Mary has helped me a lot and has definitely played a part in my success. Apart from educational studies a lot of developmental activities are also provided by Queen Mary. One useful program is QMentoring - my mentor helped me to improve my CV and also assisted me in finding an office based role. Further support I received was the opportunity to learn PRINCE2. This helped me to gain project management skills which is really useful for my current role at Amazon. Apart from that, there were many more opportunities such as QTaster, CV and Interview workshops that improved my career development.

Is there any advice you would give to current students or recent graduates considering their career options? I would definitely say to be very active. Alongside studies, students should seek opportunities that can add valuable skills - whether it’s volunteering, mentoring, participating in small projects or even a part time role. You will develop professionally whilst also studying your degree. When it comes to internships and graduate schemes, I would definitely say to start applying early. But also to keep your options open and not just limit yourself to one field. Gaining experience in one field will definitely help you in another field.

Were you involved in any extracurricular activities and societies during your time at Queen Mary? I was a Student Ambassador for the School of Business and Management throughout my studies. I also became a PASS Mentor and participated in small projects such as the Gender & Diversity focus group. Outside Queen Mary, I was also an ambassador for TARGET.

What was so special about your time at Queen Mary? My friends, teachers and the brilliant people who I had the opportunity to learn with. There were a lot of memorable moments but definitely the most memorable ones involved working as an Ambassador alongside my friends during Open days. It was really fun and we loved talking to students.

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