Name: Ying Xu
Job: Data Strategist at Precis Digital
Programme: Computational Social Science, graduated in 2021.
The search for a job and how things are now
After I graduated, I sent job applications to different companies, and Precis Digital invited me to an interview that got me the job I have now. My main task is to help my clients promote their business online and a typical week’s work consists of meeting clients, checking dashboards, setting up tests and writing scripts, which all helps me to get insight into the business that I’m assisting.
Why LiU?
I chose LiU due to the programme being new, and it sounded interesting to me, so I thought it would be nice to check it out. The programme is in Norrköping, so I spent quite a lot of time there, and I would say that it was time well spent. The studying was very intense with lots of reading and assignments, and the combination of data science and social science has provided me with a good skill set for the industry. I liked that the people are more equal here, regardless of title or superiority, which is quite beneficial.
Some good advice for potential future students
The advice I have for Chinese students is to give yourself a rest from studying before coming here and get some experience working. It will help you understand what suits you and what you really want, which will help you through difficult times. As Chinese students are really taken care of in China, the change of identity to employee rather than student will be very hard. Adding moving abroad to this makes things even more difficult, so be bit better prepared before challenging yourself.