Welcome back to another issue of Girl Economics! Today we have an interview with Sammy Parry, an Associate at PwC, as well as an opportunity for you to provide feedback on a potential new Girl Economics Initiative…

An Interview with… Sammy Parry

What drew you towards a degree in political science?

I was quite fortunate that politics was offered as an A Level subject at my sixth form. I wasn’t sure what A Levels to do and, initially, my plan was to take Maths, Biology, and English. I went to taster days and realised that maths was definitely not for me so I went to the politics taster. My parents are very apolitical and it’s not something that would be talked about around the dinner table but I always had an interest in politics. I was very argumentative and opinionated as a child and just loved to dig deeper and understand the world around me.

I went to a very underperforming state school where half of top set maths were doing foundation level and I was the only one who took GCSE further maths. This was a slight point of alienation, I would say, which carried through into sixth form and even university. I do think that seeing inequalities and having that desire to strive for more is something that pushed me into an interest in politics.

I’m sure you’re aware of some of the stereotypes of Durham University. I’d come from a state school where I felt alienated for wanting to do well and for being academic, and then I got to university and felt like an imposter all over again. I used to have a really thick Manchester accent, was the first person in my family to go to university, and I struggled to fit in. It is this sense of identity, injustice, and experiencing difficulties that drove me towards politics.

Being the first in you’re family to go to university, how did you find the application process?

It was very much guided by myself and I remember googling ‘top universities for politics’ because there just wasn’t much guidance offered to me. If you read my personal statement, it had everything you are not meant to put on a personal statement; I started with a Gandhi quote which is the main thing you’re told not to do! And because no one in my family had ever gone to university, I didn’t have that personal guidance. When I got to university, I found that I really didn’t understand much of the language: I didn’t know what a seminar or a lecture was because no one around me had done that before.

One thing that I have found throughout my journey is that it is fantastic that there is a real drive and focus on social mobility in terms of getting people into university but then it just stops once you’re in. The main way that you drive social change is the careers and jobs that people have access to after university and it seems like much of the effort is only focused on getting you through the door rather than helping you once you’re there.

How did you come to apply to PwC?

I initially applied because it is a Big Four firm, but then reading around the firm during the application process lead me to find it even more interesting. They are the top social mobility employer in the UK and are a very purpose-driven organisation. What I really love while working for them is that I am given the time to, as well as work on my professional development, also focus on causes that are interesting to me so I do a lot of social mobility outreach. I tutor and give professional advice to students from disadvantaged backgrounds who are applying to university.

What is your day-to-day job like?

I am part of the Graduate Business Scheme which is a rotational program across the different lines of service at PwC. I’ve done audit in busy season which was quite a baptism of fire! At the moment I’m working in student recruitment for a few months, helping and guiding students applying for PwC programs. I’ve also done work in risk which I found very interesting because there is such a big focus on ESG at the moment and lots of companies had set 2030 net zero targets. As 2030 is quite quickly approaching firms are realising they actually have to hit these targets so it was interesting working with them and seeing how much of an emerging business area this ESG consulting really is. I’m about 1/3 of my way through the ACA qualifications so by the end of the grad scheme I will also be a chartered accountant.

Tell us a bit more about the application process for the graduate scheme?

I did an initial maths assessment and then a gamification program with lots of mini games to test skills like risk aversion and concentration. One thing that I did notice was that I did not submit my CV at all, and PwC have taken away the 2:1 degree requirement to focus more on personality which I do think really helps them get the best people on their teams. I also had a video interview and an assessment centre, as well as an in-person interview with a recruiter. I actually really enjoyed the whole process because I went into it thinking that I had no chance since I’d never done an internship or professional work experience.

Would you have any advice for young people starting to think about what they might be interested in doing after university?

First of all, it is okay to panic! Speak to your friends about it because they will be feeling the exact same thing! Give yourself the time to sit down and think about what your skills are, what you would enjoy doing, and where you see yourself in 10/15 years time. As disheartening as getting rejections can be, if you’re not the right fit for a firm, they are not the right fit for you! Interviews go both ways and you need to be the right fit for a workplace culture so rejections really aren’t something to be afraid of!

Tell us more about your involvement in the 93% Club

It was the first place that I felt really welcomed at Durham. The 93% Club not only worked as a vehicle for getting towards your career aspirations, but it had an incredible community and it was an opportunity for me to speak to people who were in similar situations to me! The Club has grown so much more than when I initially joined; it currently puts on events like career fairs, networking events, and lots of social opportunities.

Is there someone who is a particular inspiration to you?

My constant inspiration since I was 16 has been Grace Beverly. I think she is fantastic and I have such a soft spot in my heart for her. First of all, she is a fantastic speaker; the way she narrates her journey and is aware of both her difficulties and her privileges is so inspiring. I love that she now shows the behind the scenes of her business, and I love the focus that she puts on ethics and sustainability.

🌟 FEEDBACK 🌟 

After meeting some of you on coffee chats last week, I was regularly asked about providing more content geared towards upcoming A Level economics exams. With this in mind (and thanks to the brilliant Erica for suggesting this!) I would love to run a couple of short online revision sessions with myself and a few of the girls who have previously been interviewed.

We’d cover micro and macro in general, as well as some of the areas that people tend to dislike including financial and behavioural economics.

Thanks so much for your feedback! See you tomorrow- Erin McGurk