From Harley Davidson Intern to Amazon London: Breaking into Marketing Without a Background

I’m Daksh Bagga , and I’ve just started at Amazon in London as a management intern. I got into this after pursuing my Masters in International Marketing Management from the University of Leeds, in the UK.

I spoke with Leap about my journey for their expert student series—Indians who had studied abroad recently and are still in that country pursuing their dreams—because I want to help others wanting to take the same career jump that I made.

Q: Could you tell us about your background??

I'm originally from Delhi, though I was born in Ahmedabad. I grew up across several countries including Bahrain, Maldives, and Dubai, doing my schooling in these places. For my higher education, I first completed an engineering degree from Manipal University in India.

Q: What led you to marketing despite studying engineering??

It actually started during my first internship with Harley Davidson when I was 19, in my second year of engineering. I set up a collaboration between Harley Davidson and Flying Beast, which introduced me to the world of marketing. After that, even though I was studying engineering, I deliberately sought marketing internships with companies like MG and BMW. This experience eventually led to a full-time marketing role at Unacademy for about two years. I also completed a digital marketing degree from London Business School, and now I'm joining Amazon as a management intern.

Q: Why did you choose the UK, and specifically Leeds, for your Master’s in Marketing??

I was focused on the UK mainly because of their more lenient visa rules compared to countries like the US. In the UK, you're guaranteed a two-year stay after graduation to look for a job, which isn't the case in the US. Let's say you spend 50 lakhs on a degree - you cannot recover that in India because no company will pay you that much starting out. You need to have a job outside India to recover that 50 lakhs because salaries outside India are at least 2-3x compared to India. As for Leeds, it's not as big or crowded as London, not as unsafe, yet you have everything you'd want in terms of food, restaurants, and entertainment.

Q: How was studying in the UK??

Studying in the UK was nice, though the weather isn't very nice! The course was quite intensive, yet very easy. The first semester is usually hard, but from the second semester onwards, you have a lot of spare time. In the third semester, you have about 60 to 90 days with just four classes because it's your dissertation period, where you write a 12,000-word dissertation. As long as you study regularly and don't leave everything for the end like most engineers do, you're actually sorted.

Q: Could you break down the monthly expenses in Leeds?

I had a decent accommodation that cost about 800-900 pounds a month, but I think most people, especially if you haven’t worked before, can manage for less. For personal expenses, if you want to live nicely and have fun but exclude partying, it's about 300-400 pounds a month. If you want to include partying, you can pretty much double it. So roughly, I needed 1,200-1,300 pounds a month, but I think you can manage well in less too.

Q: How was your job search experience in the UK??

Currently, the job market in the UK is very competitive with limited positions. The key is to start early - I began applying about 5-6 months before finishing my course. When you get rejected, email the employer asking why they rejected you. Only one out of ten will reply, but that feedback can help improve your CV or cover letter for your next application.

Q: What's your advice on networking and reaching out to people??

I did a lot of networking offline in the city through apps like Eventbrite, which hosts many free events. You can meet successful, well-established people, build rapport over 2-3 meetings, and they'll become your friends. On LinkedIn, you can usually figure out who the hiring manager is. Never ask "can you please select me?" Instead, ask "How can I strengthen my application?" or "What can I do to make myself fit better for this role?"

Q: What resources are available for CV and interview preparation??

Every university has career services that help with CVs, cover letters, and interview prep. Professors are also very helpful - most of them are away from their family, and in the UK it's a very slow and dull city. So if you're somebody who's come alone and away from home, you have a lot of time. These professors, especially those from your country of origin, are happy to help with CVs, recommendations, and mock interviews.

Q: Any final advice for students planning to study in the UK??

The most important thing that 99% of people miss is being careful about who you make friends with. You need to make sure you're fraternizing with the right kind of people. Unlike India, laws in the UK are strict and proper rules are followed. You might think "chalo yaar pehli baar main UK aaya hoon, thoda masti karta hoon," but you need to know your limits because it's not India.