Richard Hill BA History

Production Secretary, BBC

At job interviews, people often ask me why having studied an undergraduate degree, I chose to then study a masters degree. I explain that it was because I became very interested in that particular area of history at Southampton. I think they’re impressed by the qualifications, they’re a ‘gold standard’ of achievement.

Richard works as a production secretary for BBC Comedy. He is also a keen historian as he followed his first degree in Southampton with a masters in Chinese history.

“At job interviews, people often ask me why having studied an undergraduate degree, I chose to then study a masters degree. I explain it was because I became very interested in that particular area of history at Southampton. I think they’re impressed by the qualifications, they’re a ‘gold standard’ of achievement.”

Richard worked his way up to his current job after a series of short contracts working as runners or location assistants on a wide range of programmes such as the comedies Green Green Grass and Have I Got News For You .

“My degrees came in useful because of the research skills I learned at university," he says. "I often have to use those techniques to make sure everything works well and filming happens with no hitches.”