By Ali Tanvir, GC Business Finance
I’m part of the Women’s EDI network, which is a great network to be a part of, it’s a very supportive. It’s made up of colleagues from different parts of GC, and since I’ve joined i’ve felt like it’s an open space to talk about any issue and get great impartial advice without being judged. I’m pretty sure the rest of the networks at GC are similar.
A while back, I was thinking of applying for a role as an underwriter in GC Business Finance - I had absolutely no experience in this area, but I really wanted to apply as it aligned with my interests. I enjoyed the role I had at the time as a Business Advisor in Education and Skills, but for a while I’d considered moving into a more finance related role, as it’s an area I’ve long held an interest in.
I was unsure if I should apply though, as I thought I would never get the role. I spoke to the network, where I felt like I could have an honest conversation with them about my goals and experiences. They helped me realise that my existing soft skills are just as important as technical and academic skills, and if I highlighted them correctly there was no reason why I shouldn’t be able to interview and succeed.
My career journey
My career journey got off to a rocky start when at 17 I decided to leave my A levels mid-way to start an engineering apprenticeship. When ill health, hospital stays, and a longer recovery meant I felt I couldn’t continue I resigned with a heavy heart from the apprenticeship. This meant however, that I could focus on my health and wellbeing.
Once I felt better and able to work, I got a job in a call centre full time, but started to feel abit lost about what my future held. I felt it wasn’t the direction I wanted for my life, but I decided I could only move forward and make the best of my situation. I’d always wanted to go to university and when I was able to secure a place at Teesside University to study English, I was over the moon as I hadn’t thought it would be possible. Whilst studying I worked in several temp jobs, from restaurants to office work.
I was building up experience alongside my education, which really helped because all these experiences helped me to secure a graduate job, working for a company that specialised in graduate and senior sales, training and recruitment. It was a great experience, they were all about upskilling and development, so when I suggested they do more work on retaining existing clients I was promoted and led this area of work. I left this company a few years later to work in Tech recruitment, and that’s how I ended up with a career in sales and recruitment for approximately 10 years.
In 2023 when I was made redundant, I took a few months off to find a job I liked and that’s how I came to work at GC. I love working at GC, it’s one of the best places I’ve ever worked at. My role focused on accessing Engineering apprenticeships - funny because I started off as an engineering apprentice and then years later, I was on the other side helping people get into engineering apprenticeships.
How my culture has helped me
I was a natural at sales and client facing work, and my culture has helped a lot with that, being of a Pakistani background. I know that my upbringing has enabled me to speak to a variety of different people, using different styles of communication, which has meant that I’ve always been confident within myself. When we used to have guests over, as the eldest daughter, it was my responsibility to converse with them and always present my best self and I’ve used that skill in the real world. I also used to help my dad at his petrol stations, and that gave me a real-life experience and a strong work ethic, and this has set me in good stead in my workplaces. It’s interesting when you think about how your experiences shape who you are, and realising early on that I could utilise these experiences in the world of work has been extremely helpful.
What the future holds
When I applied, I was nervous and didn’t think I’d get called for an interview. But I did and I got the job. I’ve been able to shift my career and go from working in apprenticeship sales to being an Underwriter for GC Business Finance – and this is all thanks to the support and confidence the network gave me to apply. I have pivoted my career at 29 years old, and now it’s moving in a whole new direction, and I can’t wait to see what it leads to.
My mum always used to say to me there is no point in holding out for a plan when the world changes every day - You have to be fluid and move with the situation you are in. She was right, and looking back I’ve nearly always in my career made the best of the jobs I’ve held.
I don’t know what the future holds for me because right now I’m just enjoying my role. I love what I’m doing, I want to stay at GC and see what it leads to. My only goal now is to be better than I was yesterday and become the best at what I’m doing now.
This is one of the reasons I suggested to the Women’s network that we hold this event during National Inclusion Week, so other colleagues can see that life sometimes throws curveballs and all sorts of challenges that can derail your plans, but that’s life, and its up to us to make the best of the opportunities presented to us.
Join us on Tuesday 24th September for the Choose your own journey webinar, and hear from the Women’s, Age, Parent & Carers as well as the Health and Wellbeing networks as we explore the challenges we face and how to overcome these.