I Got Hired: Research Executive at DJS Research

Posted on: 20 January 2023 by Samantha Riella in Graduate stories

Olivia-Lily Holt is a Class of 2021 Psychology graduate, now working as a Research Executive at DJS Research.

How did you hear about the role?

Upon graduating, I knew I wanted to pursue a career within research, but I wasn't entirely sure whether I wanted to pursue academic research or more client-based research. I had been applying for a few graduate jobs both academic and client based before I became aware of DJS, but nothing really felt like the right fit for me. I coincidently came across DJS after reading their research findings from a project that they had conducted within the utilities space for United Utilities. At the time, looking at the careers section of the DJS website they were not advertising for any roles I felt applied to me or the work I wanted to be doing, but despite this I thought it was worth sending over my CV and cover letter as the variety of clientele DJS worked with really appealed to me.

How did you get to where you are now?

Both my undergraduate and master’s degree were heavily research based and this really helped with giving me a sound understanding of different methodologies and analysis techniques. Alongside university, with the help of the careers team I had also completed various research internships, these varied from positions within the universities psychology department to posts within the marketing space. I spent time at Agent marketing as part of their Agent Academy programme and also interned with the Liverpool Combined Authority. Both these positions aided me in learning how to adapt and develop the skills I had learnt on my course to the real world and subsequently I felt in a good position to be able to apply these to my role at DJS.

What has been your favourite experience as part of your role?

My favourite experience as part of my role as a research executive at DJS is definitely the variety of projects that I get to work on and be a part of. This element was a key contributing factor in my decision to pursue a career within client-based research over academic research. At DJS I'm often working on multiple projects at one time, and I enjoy the fact that each project is different and presents its own set of challenges. As well as a variety of projects I also enjoy working with a variety of projects I also enjoy working with a variety of clients, to date I've worked with clients from The Canal and River Trust, Untied Utilities, Energy Saving Trust, UKRI and Severn Trent to name a few. The turnover of projects definitely keeps the job fresh and exciting for me.

What was the most challenging part of your graduate journey? 

The most challenging part of my graduate journey was definitely trying to work out what career path I wanted to take after graduating. Sometimes, the alternative career paths associated with completing a psychology degree aren't talked about enough and it can feel overwhelming to not know what direction you want to go in after finishing your degree. I remember thinking that the only options available to me were academic research and clinical practice or roles that lead up to clinical practice. It wasn't really until I started applying for graduate jobs that I realised how applicable my degree was to a variety of roles and in particular how valuable it could be within the client-based research space.of clients, to date I've worked with clients from The Canal and River Trust, Unitied Utilities, Energy Saving Trust, UKRI and Severn Trent to name a few. The turnover of projects definitely keeps the job fresh and exciting for me.

What are your top three tips for students and graduates?

1. Don't be disheartened by rejections, it happens to the best of us, and it is in no way a reflection of you as a person. I found I took rejections personally when I first started job hunting, but the reality is it's not personal - graduate jobs are highly competitive!
2. Be selective in the companies you are applying to. With the end of university comes the pressures of finding a job and it can be easy to slip into the habit of applying to graduate jobs for the sake of applying. It's important to apply to companies you feel represent your values as a person, it's a place you're going to spend a lot of your time at, and you want to ensure you will be happy there.
3. Sell yourself! Don't be afraid to tell companies what you've already achieved or what you're good at. It can be difficult to talk about yourself to employers, but this does get easier with practice. When I started applying for graduate jobs, I always found it easier to write out answers in the STAR format prior to interviews or assessment days.