Kareem Harb graduated from the University of Salford with an undergraduate degree in Accounting and Finance in 2017. He’s now working within the finance industry as a Senior Asset and Liability Finance Analyst at a specialist lender company called Together Money.
The Salford Business School Experience
My Salford journey started by applying to study accounting and finance through Clearing. After researching all my options, it seemed like Salford University was the best option as I had seen good reviews of the business school particularly
I knew Salford was the place for me quite quickly, probably in the first semester of my first year. After a couple of weeks of attending lectures and seminars, I realised quickly the quality of teaching and support was exactly what I needed throughout my degree.
Salford Business School provided excellent support. This was reflected in the quality of teaching, the lecturers had a plethora of experience working both in industry and academia. We were also prepared from the modules we studied. Especially in my 2nd and final years at university, the modules I studied are directly applicable to the work I do now. We also studied modules such as professional development, which was an excellent way to develop many important skills that you need in industry, such as interview skills, CV building and networking etc.
I also found the fact my course offered many exemptions for many professional accountancy qualifications very appealing and useful. This helped massively when I was doing interviews, as many companies will often offer support to graduates to complete their accountancy qualifications, so telling them that I already was exempt from the maximum number of professional exams made me a very desirable candidate to them.
Salford were very good at offering extracurricular activities that increase employability and helped me get ahead in my career, such as regular workshops where employers would come in and give talks, giving us a chance to network. Lecturers also offered additional support outside of regular teaching times, to help us cement our knowledge and also help us with any other requests.
Life in Industry after Graduation
After graduating I started working at the Co-operative Group head office in Manchester city centre, in a bank reconciliation role. I stayed with the Co-op for 4 and a half years, progressing to a senior role within the same bank reconciliation team, and then finally moving on to a Financial Planning Analyst role. After this I moved to the financial services sector, working at a specialist lender company called Together Money based in Cheadle. This is my current role which is a Senior Asset and Liability Finance Analyst.
My role includes various responsibilities, some of which are more regular and structured such as producing financial reporting packs that are distributed to directors and execs of the company, and some which are more ad-hoc. Currently, I am working on producing a Capital Risk Appetite for the company, where I am analysing the company’s capital resources and assessing the types of risk that the business is willing to accept or avoid, in order to achieve our business objectives. It also sets internal triggers in line with the Bank of England Capital Requirements and regulations.
One of the main things I enjoy about my role is how much I am learning. It is definitely challenging, but I believe you will not learn or progress without being challenged! The work I am doing provides real value and insight to the business as it is viewed by senior management and directors, which makes me appreciate the work I do.
Advice For Future Salford Business School Students
Utilise all the resources that the university has to offer. It is very easy to get distracted at university and plough along with your regular lectures and just sit exams for the sake of it. I can honestly say that if you take advantage of all the extra tutorial sessions, workshops and networking events Salford offers, and learn from the experienced lecturers, you will learn a lot and it will make you stand out from other candidates in the future.
Final Thoughts
My time at Salford University was invaluable. I made a lot of friends, the majority of whom I am still friends with. It opened the door to my current career and allowed me to have a clear indication of my future career path. I enjoyed all 3 years and it definitely shaped a big part of who I am today!
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