From Part-Time Gigs to Full-Time Success: My UK Education Journey

I’m Naiya Sehgal, and I’m currently a Marketing Manager with Lumi SKN in the UK. ?I got into this after pursuing my Business with Marketing degree at the Warwick Business School 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: What led you to pursue a master's degree in Marketing?

I was born and brought up in Delhi. I studied engineering in IT at Northern India Engineering College (NIEC) under IP University in Delhi and graduated in 2020. During my bachelor's, I did several internships and started my own blog and pushed content on social media platforms, which sparked my interest in marketing. I became really fascinated by the opportunities in this field and realized studying abroad could open up new possibilities.

Q: Why study abroad? And how did you choose your destination??

I created an Excel sheet listing down all the colleges and countries. The UK appealed to me for several reasons - it's relatively close to India, offers one-year courses with a two-year post-study work visa, and I was fascinated by European culture. While I considered Paris too, the language barrier made me focus solely on the UK to avoid confusion.

Q: What was your strategy for selecting universities??

I ranked universities based on their strength in marketing and business courses, not just overall reputation. Instead of applying everywhere, I went one by one. I started with Edinburgh because their deadline was earlier, then applied to Warwick, which had been my dream choice. I got into both but chose Warwick for their Masters in Business with Marketing program, which aligned perfectly with my goals. I started in September 2022.

Q: Could you break down the costs and how you managed them?

"The total investment was quite substantial. My course fees were around 30,000 pounds (approximately 30 lakhs), accommodation cost 5-6 lakhs, and other expenses like travel and food were about 3-4 lakhs. I financed this through a 50-50 split - half from my savings from working and half through a student loan.

Q: How was it studying in the UK?

Despite the intensive one-year master's schedule, I joined several societies. I became a marketing executive in TEDx Warwick and marketing director of London Consulting Summit. I also joined VORIC Entrepreneurs. These positions significantly boosted my LinkedIn profile and led to part-time opportunities. The key is to start building your profile immediately - don't wait until your course is ending.

Q: What was your approach to finding part-time work??

I started applying in my first week at Warwick. By mid-October, I had secured my first role as a digital marketing assistant through networking with other students. By the first week of November, I found a second part-time job through Indeed. Both were marketing-related roles, each 10 hours per week - one remote and one on-site. My advice is to look for roles that add relevant skills to your CV, not just ones that pay well.

Q: How did you approach CV preparation for the UK market??

I created different versions of my CV for different types of companies. It's crucial to include keywords from job descriptions since UK companies often use AI systems to scan CVs. Keep it to one page if you're a recent graduate, two pages if you're experienced. Warwick's career services helped me understand how to highlight my experiences effectively for the UK market.

Q: How did you find your full-time job?

I started planning for full-time roles early. While some students focus on grad roles that open in September-October, I targeted experienced positions due to my prior work history. I maintained my part-time marketing roles and internships during studies to stay relevant. My transition strategy had three parts: leveraging my previous experience in India's beauty industry, showcasing my master's degree specialized knowledge, and demonstrating UK market experience through my part-time roles. This combination made me an attractive candidate - companies could see I had both theoretical knowledge and practical experience. I secured my first full-time role in October 2023.

Actually networking was absolutely crucial. At an event I was covering for my part-time role, I met a CEO and connected with her on LinkedIn. When she posted a job opening, I quickly applied and referenced our meeting. But networking isn't just about job hunting - I joined societies like TEDx Warwick and London Consulting Summit, attended industry events, and stayed active on LinkedIn. Even casual conversations at university events sometimes led to opportunities.

Q: What's your advice for students planning to study and work in the UK??

Oh I have lots of it. First, be strategic in your planning. Create detailed timelines for everything - university applications, visa processes, accommodation search, and job applications. Second, start building your profile from day one through societies, relevant part-time work, and networking. Don't limit yourself to just studying.

Third, manage your finances carefully. Beyond tuition and accommodation, budget for professional development activities, networking events, and emergency funds. Fourth, be proactive in career development - use university resources, attend career events, and constantly update your CV.

Finally, and most importantly, be open to opportunities. Don't just stick to your comfort zone or Indian community. The real value of studying abroad comes from embracing new experiences and connections. Remember, nobody will push you to do these things - you have to take initiative. Every small opportunity can lead to something bigger, so grab them all!