Thinking of applying to the 2016 Undergraduate of the Year Awards? Read our Future Business Leader winner's experience!

Secret from a Scottie…

Here’s my thinking… “Of the 350,000+ graduates throughout the UK that successfully graduate the class of 2015, how am I going to differentiate myself? How am I going to make myself more attractive to future employers and achieve my ambitious career goals?” I bet I'm not the first or last person to think this rather daunting thought.

With the highest level of competition ever in the workplace, it’s tough to carve out your career these days and if I could pass on one secret it would be this.

Enter ‘The Undergraduate of the Year Awards’...

Back in November 2014 I received an email from TARGETjobs outlining the competition. The titles were daunting but they intrigued me. How could they really decide out of all these 350,000+ people who was the winner? Well firstly, not all 350,000+ would apply ,only 3,000 would make the effort. This already greatly improves my chances of winning but that’s still not great odds. Next I questioned, ‘what is the difference between myself, Lynne Howie, right now and the winner in April 2015? What do they have that I don’t?’

I didn’t know the answer but I was going to give myself the opportunity to be that person, so I took a chance and applied. Keeping the application very quiet, I put it in a box to the back of my mind to avoid jinxing myself and tentatively awaited a reply. The day came when I received the phone call from Mars. Taken a little by surprise and without much preparation I threw myself into the call and with delighted success an invitation shortly followed to visit their London HQ. The whole process was a whirlwind of excitement and when I realised I was in the running, my attitude completely changed. I realised just how valuable the title and experience of ‘Undergraduate of the Year - Future Business Leader’ could be to my career moving forward.

With a trip to Dubai and the opportunity to intern at Mars up for grabs there was really no stopping me, I had the desire to see the process to the end. When the congratulatory email pinged into my inbox I was absolutely elated to be a finalist. Making a phone call home to my parents that evening was one of the best feelings I’ve ever had! Considering they didn’t even know I’d entered, let alone been flown London and interviewed.

The ceremony was held in April at the stunning Winter Gardens in Canary Wharf, London. There was a buzz in the room, I was so excited to be part of it and relieved to have taken the time to enter in the first place. We were so lucky to have Fiona Bruce present the award ceremony and when she called out the winner of ‘Future Business Leader’ as ‘Lynne Howie’ I honestly took a moment to realise that was me! It was such a privilege to be chosen by Mars and I am forever thankful for the journey. It was a memory I will keep with me, pushing me onwards and upwards in my business career.

So when you wonder how you could make yourself stand out when it comes your turn to enter the labour market, perhaps use the secret of a Scottie…& make a small effort which might just make a massive difference.

"Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn’t work hard.”

Apply for the 2016 Undergraduate of the Year awards today! 

Baran Ceylan won the 2014 Future Business Leader Undergraduate of the Year Award with Mars and what an incredible year it has been...

Wow – what an incredible year this has been. The year 2014 has flown by and writing this blog has probably been the only opportunity that I have had to glance over the past 9 months and absorb all the events that have taken place. This year I have pitched to investors, launched a business, won national competitions and had the opportunity to learn from global business leaders, whilst juggling exams and university life.

The extraordinary experience I have had at Wrigley this summer, in both their UK and Chicago offices, has made me realise what a privilege it was to win TARGETjobs’ ‘Future Business Leader of the Year’ award. Working in the confections division at Wrigley’s UK office I was fortunate to be given the responsibility to lead a European strategy project for a new product. Through this role I was able to gain a deeper understanding about the full scale of the business because I was interacting and meeting individuals across different departments. The whole process was a rare opportunity to explore the steps needed to launch a brand from the designers in Chicago to manufacturing, marketing and developing a strategy. The breadth of freedom, though overwhelming at times, was highly rewarding. Having enjoyed the dynamic and diverse culture at Wrigley I was looking forward to my time in Chicago in mid-July.

I had never been to Chicago before and so could not wait to explore its renowned museums, art and music scene. The Wrigley team in Chicago welcomed me with great generosity and treated me to a downtown hotel, whilst taking my American friends to watch a baseball game with the Chicago Cubs fully immersed me in the city’s culture. Despite the Cubs’ heavy loss, Chicago won on the culinary front, as I was able to eat at some amazing restaurants. However, the real highlight of my trip was my time spent with both the global CEO and global CMO of Wrigley. This is because the priceless opportunity to hear advice from such prominent figures within the business will help me continue to develop and grow. 

Since completing my internship at Wrigley, leaving with a job offer for 2015, I have moved to London with my twin brother, and have been focusing on my business, Wordme. Wordme is a producer of greetings cards, stationary and notebooks, based around our unique wordsearch design. Since the Future Business Leader competition, I have secured an investor and am working in our office in Park Lane, London. We also have recently been named Royal Dutch Shells UK Start-up of the month and the ‘Hot 48’ Start-ups of the year. We are currently expanding our range to over 45 designs and formats, and are set to launch our new designs by the end of this week, in time for the Christmas rush! Feel free to visit our website www.wordme.co.uk to discover our awesome ranges (and hopefully order some Christmas cards too!).

To sum it all up, my 2014 has been exhilarating! Winning the ‘Future Business Leader of the Year’ has truly opened many doors. I will now be enjoying my time in London, fitting in some trips abroad, before starting work in 2015.

Baran Ceylan, Future Business Leader Undergraduate of the Year Award

University of Bath, Business and Administrative Studies

Think this could be you for 2015? Enter the Awards here: undergraduateoftheyear.com/leader