Employability support at UCL helped to narrow down my career options

Interview with UCL Alum, Joonsoo Yi, MA in History and Politics, shares how UCL Careers' helped him find his current role.

How did you get to where you are now in your career?

I think I’ve always been a ‘problem solver and someone who likes to mediate, rather than to escalate a conflict.

I also love learning about different people (and different cultures), which compelled me to study political science and to work in public service thereafter. 

Without knowing anyone in Washington D.C., I had to network with over 70 people before securing an internship and another 200 or so people (staffers, elected officials, etc.) before finding a job. It’s tough, but it goes to show that you can form your own network from scratch.

“ UCL’s resources helped me narrow down my options and think about the things I’m most passionate about.”

What skills are involved in your current role?

Integrity and hard work. There are a lot of hard and soft skills involved too, like research and writing skills, social intelligence, etc.

But at the end of the day, I think it comes down to believing in what you’re fighting for. And because staffers must be knowledgeable about a wide variety of issue areas and there’s always a lot to do, they need to be inquisitive and diligent.

How did UCL Careers help you?

Like many people, I didn’t have a clear idea as to what I wanted to do after graduation. UCL’s resources helped me narrow down my options and think about the things I’m most passionate about.