I Got Hired: Naomi

Posted on: 3 March 2025 by Richard Finch in Class of 2023

Naomi Bayliss is a Class of 2023 MSc Biological Sciences graduate who is now working as a Scientific Project Coordinator at Helios Medical Communications.

How did you hear about your role and decide to apply for it?

I heard about it through my university, during Employability Week. I really thought the jobs they offered and the sector they were in would suit me and my skills, especially since I didn’t want to go into lab or research work but still wanted to make use of my scientific background.

How did you get to where you are now?

I submitted my CV and cover letter and was then asked to complete a writing test. This involved summarising two papers into a newsletter and creating a presentation. After passing that stage, I was invited to a virtual interview. The interview was split into four parts: a 45-minute interview with my prospective team, a 45-minute interview with the senior management team, a 15-minute presentation (the one I created in the first stage), and finally a 15-minute call with the recruitment team to discuss my expectations and the next steps.

I was then offered the job and got to choose my start date. During the interview process, I highlighted my experience as a social sec for the trampolining club and how I’d had to plan a lot of events in that role.

Your favourite experience in your role?

Getting to write content and develop slides and presentations. Every day is different, and the variety of work is great. The team really makes sure you get experience in all aspects of the job.

The most challenging part of your graduate journey?

Having to be flexible with your time. Sometimes last-minute tasks come in that you have to prioritise, so it’s important to be adaptable and have good time management skills. Learning your capacity and how much you can take on is a key part of succeeding in this role.

Top 3 tips for current students and graduates?

The 3 main things I would advise graduates and students to do is to:

1. Look for jobs outside your main sector or area of interest. There are so many roles out there that you might not have heard of, but could end up being exactly what you're looking for.
2. Personalise your cover letter for each job. I had a standard one that I used, and then I’d tweak specific parts to fit the role—like including a statement about the company's ethos. This is a simple way to tailor your application without rewriting the whole thing. Personalisation is important because it shows the company you’re genuinely interested and have done your research.
3. Ask questions in interviews. Come prepared with a few different ones, even if you already know the answers. It shows your interest in the role, the company, and the team. Good ones to ask include: what training and personal development is available for new starters; what their favourite and least favourite parts of the job are; what a typical day looks like; and how they help new starters integrate into the company or what the company’s social life is like

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