Profile: Mona Bani, Phil/Theol, conference coordinating
Print versionWhich degree did you do (BA/MA) and when did you graduate?
I started a Philosophy and Theology BA in 2005 and graduated in 2008.
What are you doing now and how did you get there?
My first job was with an International School in Cambridge where I ran a mentoring programme that helped the children who arrived into the country with limited English and who needed help integrating both socially and academically into the new schooling system. This job started from tutoring work and then developed into more organisational roles and I eventually helped run the school's activities programme.
Alongside this job I also started volunteering with Macmillan Cancer Support and the British Heart Foundation as I knew I wanted to develop a career in the third sector.
From a combination of the job and the volunteering roles (especially event management volunteering) I was offered a managing assistant role at the Centre for Commonwealth Education at the University of Cambridge. This research centre worked on advising best practice for school leadership, with specific focus on Africa.
Following these roles I had a short break where I studied French in Paris and then I started a 3-month internship at Demos think tank in London, which involved socio-political research for publications, as well as a lot of events work.
I am now doing conference coordinating work for the University of Cambridge again, but am working in getting more experience in the third sector.
Alongside this job I also started volunteering with Macmillan Cancer Support and the British Heart Foundation as I knew I wanted to develop a career in the third sector.
From a combination of the job and the volunteering roles (especially event management volunteering) I was offered a managing assistant role at the Centre for Commonwealth Education at the University of Cambridge. This research centre worked on advising best practice for school leadership, with specific focus on Africa.
Following these roles I had a short break where I studied French in Paris and then I started a 3-month internship at Demos think tank in London, which involved socio-political research for publications, as well as a lot of events work.
I am now doing conference coordinating work for the University of Cambridge again, but am working in getting more experience in the third sector.
How has your degree helped you?
Where the philosophy degree has definitely helped has been in the research work I did and the ethical, social and political awareness that this work required. Also, the skills you learn, such as writing, reading complicated literature, compiling quick and succinct arguments and being able to present ideas well have come in handy a great deal, especially for report writing, brief writing etc.
Where I feel the degree is a hindrance is when you feel that more vocational skills are required and where a very abstract, general background doesn't always qualify you for the specific objectives of a job.
However, all in all, people seem to respect it as a strong academic discipline and employers do tend to view it as a sign that you are competent and have a strong analytical mind. More than the subject matter, the importance is how well you do at it and the fact that you've learnt to work to deadlines, meet assessment requirements, write well and develop intellectual and analytical capacities, as well as having shown a commitment to something for 3 years.
Where I feel the degree is a hindrance is when you feel that more vocational skills are required and where a very abstract, general background doesn't always qualify you for the specific objectives of a job.
However, all in all, people seem to respect it as a strong academic discipline and employers do tend to view it as a sign that you are competent and have a strong analytical mind. More than the subject matter, the importance is how well you do at it and the fact that you've learnt to work to deadlines, meet assessment requirements, write well and develop intellectual and analytical capacities, as well as having shown a commitment to something for 3 years.
