Hira Sabri

What is the most useful piece of career advice you got as a student, and who gave it to you?

I wish someone had given me career advice while I was a student. I had to learn it the hard way and stumbled through various options before finally realizing my calling.

When you were a student, did you do anything outside of school to build skills or get knowledge that has helped your career?

While I was at university, I started freelance writing as a way to earn a bit of pocket money but it helped me improve my writing and communication skills. It also helped me build confidence that there is someone out there who recognizes my work and is willing to pay for my skills.

What is the one piece of career advice you wish someone gave you when you were younger?

One career advice I wish I had received earlier is to set boundaries at work, understand your roles and responsibilities, and learn to say no. It's essential to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

When did you get your first Big Break? How did you get it? How did it go?

Seven months after graduating, I landed my first full-time job and loved every bit of it. I worked with that company for 3.5 years and found an amazing mentor for life before moving on to the next opportunity.

In layperson terms, what do you actually do at work?

I work with developers, UI/UX team, quality engineers, and business analysts to deliver web design and development projects for our customers.

How did you pick your career? Did you know all along?

Originally, I wanted to be a doctor and for the longest time that was my passion. However, the circumstances didn't favour that idea which led me to pursue computer engineering which, ultimately, opened a path for me to work as a business analyst in the IT industry. This is how I found my calling.