Dan is a Mechanical Engineering student from the University of Leeds. He secured a Industrial Placement as a Placement Mechanical Engineer at Crux Product Design in Bristol, through Bright Network. 
First, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
“I'm a third-year mechanical engineering student at the University of Leeds. I've always wanted to pursue a challenging career which involves lots of problem solving to make things happen in the real world, so engineering was a natural fit. I also got inspired by the TV show Mythbusters but hopefully will cause fewer explosions in my career.
I've directed my career experiences towards medical engineering because of the real impact it has on healthcare practices and treatment outcomes. Beyond my course I'm a huge rock climber and can massively vouch for climbing as a great sport to try if you like chatting, being adventurous and getting outdoors!”
What motivated you to apply for the role?
“The company works at the forefront of medical tech and is one of only a few medical device consultancy firms in the UK.
Beyond their unique role in the industry, they have a brilliant focus on their people, with what seems like a great social life and networking opportunities.”
What was the application process like?
“As they are a smaller company, they had fewer hoops to jump through than other application processes, so no online aptitude tests, AI video interviews, or lengthy questionnaires.
I was selected for a first technical interview, which I prepared for quite intensely and then a personal experiences and working styles second round. I was nervous for the second interview especially, but I had a lovely phone call after the first interview with a recruiter who really reassured me that I had communicated myself well, which was very nice to hear.”
How did Bright Network help you secure your role?
“Bright Network’s easy-to-use job search and filtering helped me to find placements that suited my needs, such as being located near student hubs and in relevant industries.”
What surprised you most about applications?
“I was surprised at how long most companies took to respond to my applications. Patience is key! Once you do get a response and are considered for a role, things can happen very quickly.”
What are you most proud of about your role?
“I’m most proud of getting through the interview stage, as they’re always an emotionally challenging experience. I found that after making it through my first-round technical interview, I was unexpectedly even more nervous for the second round.
It felt like I was closer than ever to getting an offer and because of that I now had something to lose. The nerves made me realise how much I wanted this role and in the end, I was able to direct that nervous energy into enthusiasm!”
What are your tips for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
“My advice would be to cast a wide net and apply to lots of opportunities. You never know which companies will like the look of your CV on paper more than others when they have thousands of applicants, so taking chances is really important.
For interviews, prepare lots of insightful questions to ask your potential employers. This goes a very long way to show you're invested in the opportunity and have done your research.”
Tell us about the future. What’s next?
“I’m excited to get into my new role and move to Bristol for a year.
Fingers crossed, it'll be a great experience and company culture, and they might even offer graduate opportunities to those who they get along with best, so who knows!”
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