Here at OMBS we have a long history of producing first class graduates who move up the career ladder. As part of our Graduate Careers features we caught up with Alice Arbuthnot, who studied at OMBS back in 2005.
Following graduation Alice moved to Sydney in Australia, where she secured a role working for a global business. She then transitioned into the interior design sector and is now the co-founder of start-up recruitment company Arbuthnot & Wheeler.
Here she gives us the lowdown on her varied and successful career…
When did you graduate from OMBS?
I graduated from OMBS in 2005!
What is your current job role title, company name and sector, and where are you working in terms of location?
I’m the Co-founder and Director of Arbuthnot & Wheeler Limited (‘A&W’). We are a boutique recruitment agency specialising in Interior Design roles, in London and across the UK.
I work from home in Wandsworth, London and my business partner Chelsea works from home in Banbury, Oxfordshire. This is wonderful in terms of helping to juggle family and work life, but sometimes I miss going into an office every day!
What are the highlights of your career to date?
My first job after finishing OMBS was a Team Administration role for global brand Price Waterhouse Cooper in Sydney. I was so grateful to have the experience. I have always felt that having such a large, global company at the start of my career on my CV set me up for future roles.
Starting up Arbuthnot & Wheeler has been an exciting process and the highlight of my career to date. Having worked for several high-profile designers in the industry, placing candidates for the brands I have worked with and admire is very rewarding.
I know what companies in this sector are looking for, so I can spot a good fit when I meet a candidate.
What do you love most about your current role or industry sector?
It is hugely rewarding to find excellent candidates and match them up with a company and role where they will thrive. I also love that I am working with companies that I have admired throughout my career.
The interior design sector is in growth! I love learning about the new brands launching as well as keeping up with well-established companies. The UK, and London in particular, is a real hotbed of creativity, attracting top designers from all around the world wanting to work in such an established but also dynamic industry.
What skills learnt at OMBS have you found most beneficial to you in your position?
The IT skills I learned were essential. I could type extremely fast and I’ve since never been afraid of Excel. I have always felt confident when given an ‘admin’ task by an employer.
Having the IT skills listed on my CV also secured me the interviews to start with, without these I think I would have struggled to get my foot in the door!
How did studying with OMBS help you feel confident about your early career and getting your first role?
I had a really fun 9 months at OMBS, making friends and feeling like I had the ‘uni’ experience but without a massive student loan. I gained a lot of confidence, which meant I interviewed well and secured the roles I was going for.
What advice would you give an OMBS student?
Especially early on in your career, be proactive. If you are not busy, ask for a new task. Your boss will notice it.
Also, no matter how mundane the task is, whether it be data entry, making the tea, cutting fabric samples etc, be upbeat and always helpful and you will go far.
Also, before you send any email or document to a boss, colleague or client, use spellcheck!
If you’d like to find out more about the Professional Business Diploma curriculum, please contact our Director of Admissions.