The Believers Early Careers
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Connecting the career stories of Muslim Professionals to Young Muslims to build belief, confidence and inspiration in the next generation.
22 Episodes
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In this episode we talk about an exciting new tool Dilwoar Hussain is building called Track Progress to help you track your career progress!
We take a deep dive into Dilwoar's Career journey from the beginning to working in a Start Up and progressing towards becoming a Chief Technology Officer to moving to Government Digital Service (GDS) and what in between that time caused him to start this project.
We discuss:
- His interests in tinkering with things from childhood
- The struggles of purchasing software as a kid!
- The first (unusual) tech role interview experience
- Working in a start up vs working in government
- How Track Progress came about
- Imposter Syndrome
- Why you should track your progress to help your own development
- What can people use the Track Progress software for
Published December 24th 2021
To follow the work of Track Progress check out:
Website - TrackProgress.io
Twitter - @Track_Progress
You'll also find Dilwoar available on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Twitter: @DilwoarHussain
Starting with discussing 10 things I've learned doing a podcast that have benefited me and that would benefit you!
7 Struggles of Managing a Podcast
Why Inspiration isn't enough to drive development
Published September 26th 2020
We speak to Mohammad Taher AKA Mo T - The Airport Guy in this episode!
Mo T has recently completed the Heathrow's Graduate Engineering scheme and his official job title is Aerodrome Systems Specialist.
We talk about
- Mo T's Career Journey
- His confidence, building it from 0
- His Philosophy with growth and embracing mistakes and how you can adopt this
- The world of Heathrow Airport
- Overview of the assessment centre & much more!
***Salary Information***
Starting on salary on scheme - 28-30k
End of Scheme - 35-37k
Salary progression afterwards - The Sky is the Limit (Mo T's words not mine!)
Mo T has an amazing IG and TikTok Channel where he brings you real insight into the day to day life at Heathrow, check it out!
IG - mo_t_ivate
TikTok - mo_t_ivate_official
Published September 8th 2021
You can also find him on LinkedIn!
We speak to Sahar Beg who is the founder of MindWorks UK and has several years of experience in the world of Psychotherapy Counselling, she also founded and runs the Tooting Community Kitchen. We talk in detail about her career journey going back to University and get a great insight into the different roles she does in Psychotherapy Counselling.
We discuss:
- MindWorks UK and the Tooting Community Kitchen
- What led her to the role of psychotherapy counselling, how it all started and how finding Islam played a key part
- Mental Health in the Muslim Community and why this issue is so important
- What a typical day looks like and the different roles she does
- The different types of therapy
- Putting your self care first so you can truly help and lead others
- Different routes to becoming Psychotherapy Counselling and resources to help you
- Advice to Young Muslims thinking about a career in this field and what to really consider & much more!
You can find & connect with Sahar on LinkedIn.
Published April 18th 2021
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We speak to Abdul Malik who is a Hospital Pharmacist. We talk in detail about his career journey beginning from college & we get a real insight into what it's like working in Pharmacy and the different types of it you can get into.
We discuss:
- Abdul Malik's career journey starting from college, facing the cultural expectations, a setback at AS Level to getting into the Pharmacy role he was aiming for!
- We give a shout out to exam solutions
- The different type of Pharmacy roles there are from Community to Hospital
- What a day to day life of a Pharmacist looks like before and during COVID-19
- The importance of compassion and being able to code switch when speaking to different people
- Viewing careers holistically as a Muslim and seeing the bigger picture
- Advice and insight to young Muslims on the journey to securing their first role and potential future changes to the process & Much more
You can find & connect with Abdul Malik through the Jollof After Jummah Podcast Channels.
Published March 20th 2020
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We speak to Cylina Addai who is a Resourcing Business Partner at Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). We talk in detail about her career journey starting from living in Pakistan! We get a real insight into what it's like working in recruitment.
We discuss:
- Cylina's career journey starting starting from going to an international school in Pakistan to coming to the UK
- Why she opted to go for a career in recruitment and how she got started and what a typical day/week looks like
- Her approach to recruiting and combining it with her marketing knowledge
- The importance of self promotion
- Balancing work with her family life
- Advice on CV's and personal statements
- Careers advice to Young Muslims, resources for our sisters & much more!
You can find & connect with Cylina on LinkedIn, she's a big advocate of it!
Published March 4th 2021
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We speak to Hafsa Ali who is on the Morrisons Retail Degree Apprenticeship Programme. We talk in detail about her experience on the scheme, going from doing A levels to managing a store! We get a real insight into what it's like being a degree apprentice at Morrisons, a career pathway that traditionally wouldn't come to mind.
We discuss:
- Hafsa's career journey starting from college, simply finding about degree apprenticeships through a lecturer mentioning it to then applying for them
- Why she opted to go for a career in retail - a career pathway that can often come with a negative association
- Her willingness to take on challenges and want to grow
- The importance of a positive support structure
- The various roles involved managing a store
- The running of the programme and how it works
- The experience during COVID and pre COVID
- The importance of confidence and viewing challenges as learning opportunities
- Overview of the application process
- Careers advice to Young Muslims, what skills to focus on & much more!
This episode was recorded during National Apprenticeship Week.
Published February 18th 2021
You can find & connect with Hafsa on LinkedIn.
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We speak to Shaheer Atif who is on the Dyson Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Programme (Dyson - the company that produces those amazing fancy vacuum cleaners we see on TV!) . We talk in detail about his experience on the scheme, living away from home and get a real insight into what it's like being a degree apprentice at Dyson and the interesting experiences he's had on this particular programme.
We discuss:
- His career journey starting from his experience at secondary school to applying for Medicine then suddenly leaving his Medicine application
- Exploring the different engineering degree options at Uni and what led him to apply for the Dyson engineering degree apprenticeship which combines different elements of engineering
- The transition and experience of leaving college and leaving the diverse area of East London to the not so diverse town of Malmesbury
- The running of the 4 year programme and how it works
- Machine Learning Engineering and what that is
- Building a routine around salah
- The different cool things he's been up to at Dyson
- Overview of the application process
- Careers advice to Young Muslims, what skills to focus on & much more!
You can find & connect with Shaheer on LinkedIn.
Published - February 11th 2021
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1In this Episode we talk through an actual competency/behaviour interview that was recorded to give you a real insight into an interview for a Civil Service SEO grade role. We go through and review each example and the scores given as well as useful practical tips to give you a real idea of how to approach an interview and build on this real life example to increase your chances of success at interviews.
From preparation to the interview questions to post interview question we cover:
Preparation:
- Analysing Job spec to get an idea of what questions could come up
- Set up
- Conversation/Break the ice
Following competencies/behaviour/motivation questions:
- What you are currently doing and the why question
- Changing and improving
- Communicating and influencing
- Working together
- Developing yourself and others
Strength questions:
- Team player
- Motivator
- Influencing
- Leadership/Decision making
Questions to ask and requesting feedback
This is not an exhaustive list of things you can do to be best prepped for an interview, this episode however is a walkthrough a real life interview which will give you plenty of useful insight and advice to work with.
Published - January 2nd 2021
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We speak to Haseeb Irfan who is on the BT Chartered Management Degree Apprenticeship Programme. We talk in detail about his experience on the scheme and get a real insight into what it's like being a management degree apprentice at BT on this particular programme.
We discuss:
- Being the 10th Guest we've interviewed!
- His initial interest in becoming a pilot
- Going all out applying for degree apprenticeships as soon as he discovered there was such a thing
- How the programme works and discussing beginning a role in management as an Apprentice which isn't the usual pathway one takes
- Transitioning to corporate life and figuring things out like the dress code and asking for things
- Importance of Muslims in management roles and having that representation
- Day to day life at BT, his role and the support and opportunities offered on the programme
- Practical tips on what to expect at assessment centres including video interviews and general interview questions
- Careers advice to Young Muslims, what to focus on when applying for apprenticeships & advice on how to make the most of an apprenticeship & much more!
You can find & connect with Haseeb on LinkedIn Please like, subscribe & share to support the work!
Published December 16th 2020
We speak to Zain Nazar who is on the BT Network Engineer/Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Programme. We talk in detail about his experience on the scheme and get a real insight into what it's like being a degree apprentice at BT on this particular programme.
We discuss:
- A relative of his who's previously been on the podcast!
- Why he was more interested in the practical route of an apprenticeship rather than Uni
- Why putting your eggs all in one basket when applying for apprenticeships isn't the best thing to do
- How applying for other apprenticeships helped Zain to secure his BT Apprenticeship and how he searched for apprenticeships
- Day to day life at BT, his role and the support and opportunities offered on the programme
- Comparing the mindset of an apprentice to somebody who's 5 years down the line in their career
- His experience at the assessment centre and advice on how one can be best prepared for Apprenticeship assessments
- Careers advice to Young Muslims, what to focus on when applying for apprenticeships & advice on how to make the most of an apprenticeship & much more!
You can find & connect with Zain on LinkedIn
Published - December 1st 2020
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We speak to Umayr Tanveer who is on the BT Software Development/Engineering Degree Apprenticeship Programme. We talk in detail about his experience on the scheme and get a real insight into what it's like being a degree apprentice at BT on this particular programme.
We discuss:
- His career journey from the age of 7 moving to Egypt for a few years
- Failing in year 12 and how that gave him the drive to want to succeed
- Degree Apprenticeship - the best of both worlds and why he wasn't interested in Uni
- Why he chose the BT apprenticeship over other options
- The transition from leaving college to employment and adapting to a whole new environment
- His BT induction and getting to pray in the room of a famous sports presenter!
- His day to day at BT pre COVID and during COVID, what a 'sprint' (digital/agile way of working) is actually like
- His experience at the assessment centre and advice on how one can be best prepared for Apprenticeship assessments
- Careers advice to Young Muslims, what skills to focus on for apprenticeships & much more!
You can find & connect with Umayr on LinkedIn and Instagram (UmayrOfficial)
Published - November 17th 2020
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We speak to our first ever guest Osama Qayyum. We talk in detail about his experience on the Summer Diversity Internship Programme (SDIP) and his interesting experience taking a placement year which ended up working in Brussels.
We discuss:
- Osama's new role at No 10!
- What lead him to apply for SDIP
- The difference in experience compared to his placement
- The process of elimination when trying to discover what sort career or role you enjoy
- Leaving his placement early and ending up working in Brussels
- The number of rejections he faced and the importance of Dua and resilience
- Insight into the running of the SDIP programme
- Advice on how to be best prepped for an internship and how to make the most of one and ways to leave a good impression
- Should unpaid internships be considered or avoided?
- Creative way to build experience on your CV and final words of advice from Osama
You can find, connect and ask questions to Osama on LinkedIn.
Published - October 28th 2020
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We speak to Samiha Begum who is on the Social Research Fast Stream. We talk in detail about her experience on the scheme and get a real insight into what it's like working as a Social Researcher in Government.
We discuss:
- Samiha's career journey from college to joining the Fast Stream
- Her passion for politics from a young age and doing work experience at Sadiq Khan's Office
- Interest in politics, sociology and elements of psychology and how they compliment each other in a social research career
- Frustration of politics and being in a role where you can have a real impact on policy
- Having confidence from a young age and the importance of surrounding yourself with positive influences
- What's its actually like as a Social Researcher and what work she does
- Insight into the Stream and how it works
- Important of Muslims in Social Research roles and why it needs more Diversity
- Careers Advice to Young Muslims
You can find & connect with Samiha on LinkedIn.
Published - October 13th 2020
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We speak to Mohamed Hassan who is on the Economist Fast Stream. We talk in detail about his experience on the scheme and get a real insight into what it's like working in an economist environment as an assistant economist.
We discuss:
- How we actually indirectly met two years ago at an Outreach Event organised at short notice!
- Mohamed's career journey from college to joining the Fast Stream
- Touch on social mobility in the community and give an amazing book recommendation!
- Transitioning from education to employment and adapting to a new environment
- Creating questions and curiosity to really learn & absorb information
- What's its actually like as an economist
- Detailed insight into the work he does and the amount of work that goes in behind the scenes that we wouldn't ever perceive
- Electric Scooters
- His experience at the assessment centre and the detailed feedback received (he shares some of it on this episode!)
- Other routes in - economist internship and apprenticeship
- Careers Advice to Young Muslims
You can find & connect with Mohamed on LinkedIn.
Published - October 5th 2020
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We speak to Ashwaaq Hassan who has just recently begun her placement on the Civil Service Fast Stream - Project Delivery Stream. We talk in detail about the different stages of the Fast Stream application process from online tests to the assessment centre and how you can be best prepared for it!
We discuss:
- Ashwaaq's career journey from college to joining the Fast Stream
- Going from studying Law to wanting to finding an interest in project delivery- Transitioning from education to employment
-Widening participation - the importance of it and why the Muslims community needs to be more engaged with it
- Soft skills - why its crucial and how you can start building it
Insight into Ashwaaq's experience of the Fast Stream Application:
- First and second stages of the online tests
- Video Interview - plus my own experience with it!
- Assessment centre: group, analysis and leadership exercise & final selection board
- Advice on how you can prep for each stage and what good practices to follow (can be applied to other assessment centres)
- Ashwaaq's advice to young Muslims & much more!
Published - September 29th 2020
You can find & connect with Ashwaaq on LinkedIn. Please like, subscribe & share to support the work!
We speak to Zeeshan Nazar who is currently on the BT Commercial Graduate Scheme to provide real insight into a commercial role & career (a career pathway that doesn't usually come to mind) and what it's actually like.
We discuss:
- Zeeshan's career journey from college to joining BT
- Going from studying Psychology to wanting to do Commercial & how he started researching into grad schemes and figuring out what opportunities are out there
- Transitioning from education to employment
- Being a hard worker and taking the initiative
- Importance of networking
- Overview of how the commercial grad scheme works
- Insight into the variety of work involved working in commercial and what it's actually like
- Overview of the application and assessment process
- Importance of thinking about careers outside of the traditional career pathways we usually consider
- Zeeshan's advice to young Muslims & much more!
You can find & connect with Zeeshan on LinkedIn.
Published - September 23rd 2020
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We speak to Monshur Ahmed, a former Digital, Data & Technology Fast Streamer and now a senior interaction/UX designer to provide real insight into the DDaT Fast Stream and what it's actually like.
We discuss:
- Monshur's career journey from college to joining Fast Stream
- Not wanting to go to University but ended up studying Law
- Going from Law to Project Management & facing redundancy
- Importance of knowing about careers in Government and having Muslim representation
- Working in Job Centre & Importance of DDaT work in supporting the most vulnerable people
- Government having to cater for all users
- Work life balance in Government and Working in Government as a Muslim
- Fast Stream placements across a number of different departments from roles such as delivery manager to business analyst to user researcher
- What a typical day/week looks like working in Digital Government roles
- Non technical roles in tech
- Fast Stream Assessment Centre's - Monshur's experience and advice on the different stages & Much more!
You can connect with Monshur on Twitter - @ItsPronouncedMo
Published - August 31st 2020
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We speak to the founder of Muslim Mastery and Muslim CEO Mohammad Arshad to discuss focusing on excellence as Muslims, reconnecting to our Muslim identity and how we should be aiming to achieve great things.
We discuss:
- Background - Mohammad's career journey starting from going to a school in Pakistan at the age of 15 to coming back to the UK for university to his getting his first job, to why he started the work of Muslim Mastery & Muslim CEO.
- Learning value of education in Pakistan
- Figuring out what to do after university and starting to think about purpose
- His first job and the culture shock
- The process - are we expecting too much too soon with careers and life!
- How to approach work with the right mindset
- Muslim mastery - How we should view jobs and careers
- Importance of key skills such as:
- Communication,
- Decision making
- Leadership
- Confidence
- How they can be built and once developed how it can be the anchor to your success
- Islam and Personal Development - a lesson from Karate Kid!
& Much more
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Published - August 17th 2020
Find out more about the great work Mohammad Arshad does and get access to more gems through Muslim Mastery and Muslim CEO which you can subscribe to on YouTube or follow on social media channels.
We speak to the Author of the Productive Muslim book and CEO of the Productive Muslim Company Mohammed A. Faris to discuss the concept of barakah culture and the way we as Muslim s should view a career from a barakah lens and to get away from the hustle culture paradigm and move into a barakah culture one.
We discuss:
- Background - Mohammed's career journey from University to how the Productive Muslim work started
- Where does Islam talk about productivity
- Value of trying new things to grow & develop
- Value of family support
- Workism - has work become the new religion we centre our lives around?
- Barakah Culture vs Hustle Culture
- Fusing barakah into everything we do
- Making use of the barakah of the early hours
- Routines
- Productivity tips with a view of barakah in mind that will change your trajectory
- Setting a routine and the importance of having a structure
- Barakah manifesto & much more!
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Published - August 17th 2020
Find out more about the Productive Muslim work at productivemuslim.com or through their social media channels. We also recommend the Productive Muslim book as a great handbook to help you instil barakah and productivity in your life.
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