Manjeevan is a Mechanical Engineering student from the University of Kent. He secured a graduate role as a Graduate Mechanical Engineer at Network Rail in Birmingham, through Bright Network. 
First, please tell us a little bit about yourself.
"I've always wanted to be an engineer because of my passion for building and being creative, especially when I was younger playing around with LEGOs and toy trains.
I knew uni would be the best option to develop my basic understanding of engineering principles as I didn't have the opportunity to do so at school."
What motivated you to apply for the role?
"I was motivated to apply for the role because Network Rail is known by everyone in the industry as one of the best companies to work for!
The opportunity to work on HS2 as well as other projects across the country is exciting and I was drawn to the clear development prospects and progression too."
What was your application journey like?
"The application process was really smooth – from sending my application, completing a questionnaire, to the video and in-person interviews.
I had no issues, and I think that was because I made sure to research the company and their commitment to sustainable working, which ended up being my specialist subject in the interview.
I was told after my interview that I came across as incredibly knowledgable and thorough in my research."
How did Bright Network help you secure your role?
"I found Bright Network's career advice page incredibly helpful. It has very comprehensive and had lots of useful information on it, especially the CV and assessment centre tips and tricks."
What are you most proud of about your journey?
"I'm most proud of my resilience. I really thought I would struggle to get any sort of graduate job with the amount of rejections I was getting, but the pure elation when I found out I got the job was amazing!"
What are your tips for people looking to follow in your footsteps?
"I think my main tip would be to make sure you're building your network. I've found that people who actively network, especially with professionals, are always learning new ideas that can help them in the process and beyond. It's worth exploring your institution and their resources as they will no doubt be useful."
Tell us about the future. What's next?
"I'm looking forward to obtaining recognition as an Incorporated Engineering and eventually obtaining Chartership! Through a mix of practical work and more relevant learning, I'm looking forward to eventually becoming a professional in the industry."
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