Ex-Officer Testimonies

I’m Rachel Holland and I was elected President of Leicester Students’ Union twice - firstly in 2015, then in 2016. I’d been involved in the SU for a few years before putting my name forward, so deciding to stand was an easy decision for me. The election was a complete whirlwind - no matter how prepared I thought I was, all that went out the window as soon as campaigning began! One thing I was really keen on doing was creating engaging, shareable online content for students, which inadvertently led to creating a viral YouTube video and getting a shoutout on BBC Radio 1. I look back on my elections with fond memories and no matter the outcome, it’s an experience that stays with you for life.

Being an SU Officer taught me so many things. It can feel like a bit of a steep learning curve to start with, but there’s a great support network of staff to help you make sense of what’s happening, and by the end of my time I was proud that we made some real, tangible changes to students the University of Leicester.  The skills I learned during my time have absolutely made a difference to my career now. I learned how to negotiate, how to communicate with different groups of people, how to project manage, and how to build great working relationships with people. I still use examples from my time as an Officer in job interviews!

To anyone who is thinking of running, I’d say that if you have some great ideas to make the Union and the University a better place, then do it! I’d also suggest finding something that makes you stick out from the other candidates - to get people to vote for you, they need to remember you and your campaign. You don’t have long to make an impression, so take advantage of every opportunity to speak with students and tell them why they should vote for you. Good luck!

I was Education Officer in 2013-14 and then President from 2014-15. I loved my time as a Sabbatical Officer, representing 20,000 students and advocating to make things better for them, was an incredible, once in a lifetime, opportunity. I know that it has also benefited me in my career, giving me skills and experiences which I otherwise never would’ve had at such a young age. The variety of different issues you deal with on a daily basis as an Officer sets you up well for the realities of the workplace.

I really enjoyed the election itself - it’s an intense time but also a lot of fun, you have to throw yourself into it! My top tips are try to make sure you have polices that will tangibly improve things for students, that’s the most important way to get people interested in your campaign. It sounds obvious, but do everything you can to speak to as many students as possible, be creative. Every vote counts!

Your Background? I studied Modern Languages with Management at the Uni. I studied abroad in Paris and Zaragoza for a year. I was President of the Modern Languages Society and member of Union Parliament. I was elected Academic Affairs Officer (Education Officer) in 2012, I was then re-elected as President in 2013.

Your experience of running in an election? It was a really fun week – I spoke to lots of students and learnt a lot about myself. I development my confidence, public speaking and communication skills. I am still good friends with people that I met during the campaign week.

Your reflections of been an Officer? It is the best first job in the world. It is a cliché to say that no two days are the same as an Officer, but it really is true. One day, you could be an important University committee making decisions on how the University should improve, the next you could be involved with a campaign on tuition fees, the next you could be having fun at the Freshers welcome party. I met so many brilliant people at Leicester and nationally too. It was such a great insight into the world of working in HE.

How has it impacted on your Career Progression? I was planning to go into teaching after my time as officer. However, working as an officer meant that I really loved working in a university setting and supporting students. I went on to work in Student Engagement at the University of Nottingham and now work as Associate Head of College Student Recruitment and Marketing here at UoL. I loved being at the uni so much that I stayed!

Your top tip/s to anyone who is thinking of running? Do it. Get out of your comfort zone. If you have some good ideas, put yourself forward and do it. You will not regret it.

Your Background? I studied BA Media, Communications and Society between 2006- 2009. During my third year in 2009, I ran for the Welfare & International officer position. I was re-elected in 2010 and did two consecutive years as a Sabbatical officer. I lived in Bowder Court in my first year and in Clarendon Park in my second two years of studying and stayed there whilst I was a sabb.

Your experience of running in an election? Running an election is a lot of work but highly rewarding. I recommend recruiting as many of your friends to help you out, especially as winter elections can mean standing around in the cold. I seem to recall it snowed during one of our campaign weeks!

I suggest getting as organised as possible before campaigning starts. Draw yourself a calendar and plan where and where you want to campaign, and who will help you with this. I also recommend working on your manifesto in advance so that you have a really clear odea of what ideas you want to base your campaign on.

Your reflections of been an Officer? Being a sabbatical officer was one of the best 2 years. It was fantastic to work together in a team (there were 5 full time officers when I was a sabb) and work on changing important aspects and improving student life. It was also a wonderful stepping stone between finishing my degree and entering the world of work.

Not only are you working full time hours but you are also networking with lots of professionals in the university and learning how to conduct yourself in a professional environment. This is teamed with continuing to lead an involved student life, in terms of attending events and activities, seeing your friends and remaining involved in Student Union life.

I met some of my best friends during this time and I’m still friends with some of those people today. I was even bridesmaid at one of their weddings!

How has it impacted on your Career Progression? Being a sabbatical officer has been hugely influential in my career. It helped me develop great self confidence and helped me move forwards with my career. One of the best skills I learned whilst being a sabbatical was public speaking. This is often something that not many people love, but whilst being a sabb I learned to hone my public speaking skills. It became very easy to address a lecture hall full of students or a committee filled with university staff.

The responsibility of the position also helped on my CV in terms of transferable skills. For every job that I applied for after leaving the Union, I was able to successfully relate my skills from being an officer to that current job.

I am currently a family law solicitor and truly believe that the organisation, communication and professional skills I developed whilst being a sabbatical led to me successfully obtaining work experience, a training contact and becoming a successful lawyer.

Your top tip/s to anyone who is thinking of running? If you are interested in running, I would highly recommend you put yourself forwards. It may seem scary but it is a hugely rewarding experience. Think about the ideas that you wish to progress in your campaign and pursue if elected. You probably only need 5 or 6 really good ideas.

Talk to students to find out what the current issues are. Get involved in the Students Union- the student union council is always a good way to get involved in SU life to begin with, and you can attend even if you are not elected.