Arran Hobday BA History and Spanish, 2011

Investigation Specialist, Amazon UK

Hi, I'm Arran Hobday and I studied BA History and Spanish within History at the University of Southampton.

As a member of the anti-fraud team for European websites, Spanish is vital and the communication skills I gained from my history degree enable me to put my point across effectively to both managers and directors.

What was your degree when you studied at Southampton and when did you graduate?

BA History and Spanish, 2011

Why did you choose to study at Southampton?

Primarily I chose the University for its great reputation and as I thought it was head and shoulders above the others in the South. It rated very highly when looking at individual subjects, specifically modern languages.

Where do you work and what is your job role?

I work for Amazon in risk management, which is a sub section of the operations department. I am a member of the anti-fraud team for the European websites. Amazon has sites in German, French, Italian and Spanish so language skills are essential.

What aspects of your degree do you use in your day-to-day job?

Spanish language is vital and also the communication skills from my history degree enable me to put my point across concisely and effectively in both written and verbal form on a day to day basis to both managers and directors.

Did you enjoy your time at Southampton - what memories stand out from your time here?

I know it’s a cliché but it really was the ‘best experience of my life’. Both the University and the city are great. While I was there I also worked at Southampton football club on match days, which integrated me into the area outside university and gave me variety.

How did the University help you prepare for employment?

I was very happy with the help and careers advice provided by the University. I knew my career path in the final year, so made an effort to visit the careers service and book appointments for advice on CV writing and also to talk through my options. All of this enabled me to channel my thoughts and decide what I wanted to do in the long term. My personal tutor was also very helpful.

What advice would you give to current students in order to help them get one step ahead of the competition?

The more experience the better! It doesn’t have to be relevant but the key is to show that you’ve worked alongside your studies - which also shows time management skills - and then to tailor these accumulated skills into job applications.