Lauren
You don’t always know immediately what you want to do after graduating—and that’s okay. Sometimes, you don’t even need to work in the same field as your degree. We’ve invited Lauren to share her career journey since graduating from The University of Manchester.
Tell us about yourself!
My name is Lauren Rosegreen. I graduated with a Law LLB (Hons) in 2016. Unlike most of my friends, I didn’t jump straight into a graduate job but instead moved back home, got a role in a call centre and saved to go travelling around Australia. It was during this year-long trip that I began to uncover what I was actually passionate about and started to identify the values that matter most to me in my work. This realisation ultimately led me to a career I love and still enjoy today.
Over the past few years I have led teams in a range of roles within the charitable sector. From supporting those affected by homelessness, to influencing policy in Manchester, I now lead a team as the Senior Project Manager for Inclusion and Climate Justice at SOS-UK (Students Organising for Sustainability).
What did you do after finishing university?
After graduating, I packed my bags and headed out to Australia on a working holiday visa. The plan was to do this for six months before returning in September to start my LPC (legal practice course) to become a solicitor. So there I was after finishing the best four years of my life, moving back to my mum and stepdads house and working three jobs to save for my big adventure. That Christmas, I left cold England to cross to the other side of the world where I found a job working for a cancer research charity. Alternating between this and serving brunch in a café on the beach, I soon began to realise that I wouldn’t be coming back for September as planned.
Traveling and meeting people from all walks of life reminded me why I wanted to study law in the first place—to help people. And even though I’d spent four years getting the degree, I realised that I didn’t need to become a lawyer to do that. There were other ways I could make a difference, and maybe the traditional legal path wasn’t the right route for me after all.
Ultimately, I decided to pursue a career in the non-profit sector. I’m so glad that I took the leap to step away from academia and the fast pace of life in the UK. I’m aware of the immense privilege I had to even consider this trip as an option. But saving up, working hard and spending a year so far away from home allowed me to explore, reflect, and figure out what I truly wanted.
What skills did you gain during this time that helped you in your first graduate role?
It helped me discover my passion for the non-profit sector while developing essential transferrable skills like communication, collaboration and adaptability. When you’re so far away from your friends and family, you have to step out of your comfort zone and speak to people. I learnt how to communicate with others from all walks of life, and made friends and built relationships that will last a lifetime.
The trip also made me realise the value of aligning my work with personal purpose. When I returned to the UK, I led Invisible (Manchester), a project to train people with lived experience of homelessness to become tour guides. This role is what I’d consider to be my first graduate role after finishing university, as it was the first role that aligned my purpose and career aspirations.
I felt equipped with a broad range of skills which enabled me to champion voices often excluded from conversations and decision-making processes. This is something I value highly and will continue to do throughout my professional journey.
What did you learn from your first graduate role?
In my first graduate role, I gained autonomy and decision-making power, which taught me how to thrive under pressure while advocating for underrepresented groups. However, being the only mixed-race young woman in many professional spaces was challenging. Despite the difficulties, these experiences strengthened my determination to create opportunities for others and paved the way for my continued focus on inclusion and justice.
What do you know now that you wish you knew when you finished university/started your first graduate job?
I wish I had known that no one truly has everything figured out! Almost everyone experiences a bit of imposter syndrome, and the key is not to let it hold you back. I’ve also learned the importance of not comparing yourself to others because everyone’s journey is unique. Whether it’s pursuing further studies, getting married, or travelling the world there’s no “right” way, and life isn’t linear. Just go with your gut and don't be afraid to take whatever leap you feel is right!
Are you still in the same sector today? If not, why did you change roles?
I’m now still in the non-profit sector, but my career has evolved over time. Following the pandemic, I worked extensively in the homelessness sector while taking on multiple volunteer roles, such as chairing the Greater Manchester Homelessness Action Network, becoming the youngest-ever Trustee of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity, joining the GM4Women committee and being elected as Charity Director for JCI Manchester.
These positions gave me a sense of purpose and recognition, but to be perfectly honest, the amount and intensity of my commitments began to take a toll. I am a firm believer that if you begin to feel even slightly desensitised to the issues you’re working on in the non-profit sector, it’s time to pause and reflect.
So I made the decision to have another reset – like my post-graduation trip to Australia. I started learning Spanish, increased the amount I added to my savings each month and wrapped up all of my projects. Once I’d saved enough, I took a 6-month career break to go backpacking around South and Central America, immersing myself in the culture (and putting those Spanish lessons to good use!). This break allowed me to fully switch off. It gave me time to reconnect with my passion, and figure out what I wanted to do next.
Last summer, I returned to London with a fresh perspective, ready to explore new opportunities in a new city. I landed my current role as Senior Project Manager for Inclusion and Climate Justice at SOS-UK where I work to get more people from the racially underrepresented groups into the climate sector.
What are you doing now?
In my role at SOS-UK, I focus on increasing representation of racially underrepresented groups in the environmental sector. My team lead a number of projects ensuring that social justice is central to climate solutions. We believe that tackling the climate crisis requires centring the voices of those most affected by it, as impactful change can only happen when we address the intersection of climate and social justice issues.
How did you find this opportunity?
I found my current role through CharityJob, and it was a highly competitive process. I was particularly impressed by SOS-UK’s inclusive hiring practices, such as anonymised applications and guaranteed interviews for underrepresented groups. These practices highlighted their commitment to equity and anti-racism, which resonated deeply with me and further motivated me to secure the role.
What advice would you give to a current student who isn’t sure what to do after graduation?
My first piece of advice is to follow your gut and take risks. Whether it’s trying something new, pursuing a passion, or exploring unconventional paths.
And second… GO TRAVELLING! If you’ve ever had the urge to travel, I’d highly recommend you do everything you can to make it happen. I recognise that having a UK passport is a privilege that opens many doors, and for some people it may be more complex to go abroad for long periods of time. Money is always the thing that people ask me about, but I didn’t have anyone funding my journey. I saved up and didn’t book my flight until I had enough in my bank account (if you set your mind to it you can do it too!).
A working holiday visa is a great way to help with budgeting, as finding a job whilst your out there is ideal to continue funding your travels whilst you’re gaining life-changing experiences. The friends you meet and the memories you create along the way really will last a lifetime. And I be you also return with a new way of looking at your career!
If you could go back, would you do anything differently?
If I could go back, I would be kinder to myself and embrace mistakes as valuable learning opportunities. I used to be overly critical of myself, but I’ve learned that making mistakes is a natural part of growth and should be seen as stepping stones rather than setbacks.
Finishing university is a strange period of time. You go from a whole community of people around you doing the same thing, to everything changing almost overnight. So don’t be too hard on yourself. Take it step by step. And who knows, one day you could be contacted by the university to share your graduate story. (And maybe, like me, you’ll be answering these questions with a smile thinking “wow, look at what I’ve achieved! I really wouldn’t change a thing”).
