Negin Alam

The story of my success.

‘It’s never too late to switch and go for what you want’

When Negin Alam was approaching the end of her MSc in International Finance at another university she was feeling very unsure about her career path and, although she had developed research skills, she was not well-equipped with practical skills to take to market. ‘My course was mostly theory,’ she explains. ‘I’d finished a one-year programme in Business and Administration in Norway and wanted to learn useful skills that I could apply in my career but instead, I was left feeling confused, lost and unconfident that I had the right practical skills to enter the workforce.’

That’s when she came across the new Masters in Finance and Financial Technology (FinTech) at Henley Business School. ‘Getting exposure to tech in finance before entering the market was the big appeal for me,’ she reveals. 'It was a scary decision and a big risk – another year of investing my time and money – but it has definitely been worth it.'

During the programme, Negin learned key skills and had plenty of hands-on experience. ‘I developed commercial awareness through networking with people from the heart of the financial market. I also learned important problem-solving and team-working skills that I knew I could immediately apply in my career.’

“It was a scary decision and a big risk – another year of investing my time and money – but it has definitely been worth it.”

The course gave Negin the confidence she needed to apply for jobs and, after a short stint contracting as a business analyst, she is now working as an Analyst for Genesis, an exciting global FinTech start-up in London, and is happy to have finally found her niche. ‘It has been a long journey but my Masters at Henley was so relevant and connected to the financial market, it prepared me for the real world. It was an eye-opening experience that taught me where I could fit in the financial market. I learned a lot and can now see a clear career path in the FinTech industry – it’s the future of finance.’

Having been brave enough to pivot in her studies, Negin has one key piece of advice: ‘If you’re not happy, make a change. Even if it feels scary and risky, just do it. It’s never too late to switch and go for what you want.’

If Negin's story resonates with you, try our career workout to discover the best strategy for your next career move.