Maddy's success story: Securing a graduate role at British Airways

Maddy is a Politics graduate from Newcastle University. She secured a role as a Commercial Business Graduate at British Airways through Bright Network.  

First, please tell us a little bit about yourself and your background.

“I was born and raised in South East London, which is a part of my identity I’m proud of. I’m very sociable and spend the majority of my time with friends. During Covid, I spent time considering where I wanted to go to university, which led me to head 282 miles north to Newcastle – I wanted to see what the ‘northern hype’ was all about!

I decided I wanted to do a placement year and was lucky enough to get one at GSK in the external communications team, who specialise in HIV. This was an amazing year and I had some great opportunities along the way.

After finishing my placement, it was time to head back to Newcastle – not before an impromptu two months in Australia! Final year was challenging, trying to balance university work, job applications and a social life. During this time, I’d go cold swimming in the North Sea every week with my housemates, which helped bring focus to my life.

All of this paid off in the end, as I graduated from Newcastle University with First Class Honours in Politics. The cherry on top was securing a job at British Airways earlier in the year for a role I had been looking at since applications opened.”

What is your role and what elements are you most looking forward to?

“I will be joining BA as a Commercial Business Graduate. I’ve always been drawn to humanities subjects and projects, so I’m looking forward to gaining experience in a new sector and developing the skills I already have, whilst picking up some new ones along the way.”

What stood out to you about British Airways?

“I’ve always lived under the Heathrow flight path and used to guess where planes had come from with my dad. Seeing BA fly over me every day as a child meant the company has always been something I recognised.

When I saw the opportunity to apply to BA, it really felt like a full-circle moment!”

What does working for BA mean to you personally or professionally?

“Personally, working for BA is a great opportunity to meet new people, build my network and hopefully have some good social experiences.

Professionally, I’m excited to work on projects in line with BA’s commercial strategy. This is something I don’t know much about, so I’m keen to understand it further.”

How does this role fit into your longer-term career ambitions?

“Being part of the BA recruitment process meant I saw how collaborative the company is.

Although I may not have a full understanding of my long-term plans, I know I want to be part of an inclusive and supportive team, and I think BA is the perfect company to pursue this within.”

What was the application process like to join British Airways?

“The British Airways application was laid out very clearly from the start, so I felt supported at every stage and reassured that they weren’t trying to catch me out or throw in any last-minute surprises.

To start, there was an initial application asking for some basic personal details, followed by a game-style simulation and then a virtual interview where you would film your responses.

We were given unlimited time to prepare these responses, meaning we could really engage properly with the questions and think of relevant examples. The questions asked felt both relevant and challenging, which encouraged confident responses.

The assessment centre was really enjoyable. Being able to interact with other applicants made me feel reassured and relaxed, and again, each stage of the interview felt relevant to the role and gave me a good understanding of what the job would look like day to day.”

How did Bright Network help you secure your role?

“Bright Network clearly lays out deadlines and expectations for the role, so you feel informed throughout the process.

The information listed for the role matches what is listed on BA’s website, so everything feels accurate.”

What would you say to someone who’s unsure about applying?

“It sounds cliché, but just go for it! I have no commercial experience and my degree is in politics, so it has nothing to do with business, economics or commercial strategy.

The application is so well laid out, and it is incredibly easy to get hold of the team at BA if you have any questions or issues with your application. It really felt like the BA team wanted you to succeed and show up as your best self at every stage.

If, like me, you do not have any commercial experience, the best thing you can do is talk about the experience you do have. There will always be something you can draw on, whether from school, a part-time job or a hobby, to help support your application.”

What tips would you give to Bright Network members looking to follow in your footsteps?

“My first piece of advice would be to save the information from the Bright Network advert onto a separate document, so that even after the ad has expired, you still have all the information to refer back to throughout the process.

I’d recommend looking up the role you want on LinkedIn to see the sort of backgrounds current graduates have, as this reassured me that my experience could still be relevant.

Finally, have fun with your application. What you may lack in experience, you can definitely make up for in personality. Trust yourself and the process!”