Social mobility and how it has impacted my life

Jul 8, 2024 2:47:50 PM

We are joining the #socialmobilityday campaign to encourage open conversations and to educate others on what social mobility is, why it is important, and ways that organisations can bring around positive change.

The aim of Social Mobility Awareness Day is to bring people together in the fight against social inequality and to empower communities and individuals to push for a brighter future. Through raising awareness about this event, people from different backgrounds can gain knowledge about social mobility and learn ways to take action to support this cause.

In this blog, Leenaa Khan, HR and Resourcing Administrator at Moore Insight, reveals the challenges she has faced in relation to her education and career, as well as how she has managed to get to where she is today:

What direction did you take once you had left school?

Lacking support in school, I failed my GCSEs and opted to go to college to resit them. With minimal guidance from educators, I was uncertain about which direction to take next. My working-class family were also unable to advise me, as they had worked in the same jobs for many years. I decided to study a range of subjects including Business, Accounting, and Health & Social Care, to help me identify what area I wanted to pursue a career in.

At this point in my life, I would never have guessed that I would have the opportunity and be accepted to attend university, but I got there in the end and achieved a first-class degree in Business and Human Resource Management.

What challenges have you had to overcome?

For me, it has always been the challenge of not having a network or anyone to talk to about my career aspirations.

Coming from a working-class background, no one in my family knew how to advise me on university or office jobs, so I felt like it was hard to push through these barriers. But I did! With a lot of hard work, I am proud to share that I am the first woman in my family to have attended university and secure a professional role.

I am grateful for the careers departments at college and university, as they were always there to provide answers to my questions and provide support and encouragement.

What advice would you give to someone thinking about their career choices once they finish school?

Network and speak to as many people as possible. Try to get involved in a society that is related to your career, we had a great HR society at university, and it had so many benefits to my personal and professional development.

If you do not have someone close to you, speak to a teacher, lecturer, or student advisor, or perhaps try and find a mentor. This is what I had to do, and the help was invaluable!

Did any specific educational or professional opportunities help propel your career and increase your social mobility?

Before having a degree, I did not receive many opportunities and would often not even get a response to job applications. Having a degree in a related field helped kickstart my career in HR, as well as my HR placement year. As soon as I posted about my education on my LinkedIn, I started getting job offers. For me, this has really helped me overcome the challenges I have faced, and I have learnt so much in my current HR role.

How did your connections and networks impact your ability to achieve the career you have now?

Most of the people I surrounded myself with were from the same background as me, so I did not have a network or individual to support me in building my career. However, the professional relationships I have developed since starting a graduate role at Moore Insight have continued to support me in developing my career.

Take part in the campaign!

To learn more about this cause and join the #socialmobilityday campaign, click here.