Michaela Todd

My role involves gathering and organising information and data about various aspects of the European Union, including policy-making, member state dynamics, EU law and CJEU litigation. Such research is ongoing and will ultimately contribute to the publishing of a book about the EU. The position requires attention to detail, independence and solid organisational skills.

I was responsible for a group of first-year students at Leiden University. My responsibilities included arranging regular meetings, whereby I offered advice and support and a safe space in which each student felt a sense of belonging. The role required me to be organised, highly communicative and reliable and has thus strengthened these, as well as my interpersonal skills.

I wrote weekly current events articles and monthly reports (longer pieces) focusing on conflict prevention, peace-keeping or related content. These were published on the organisation’s website. The position entailed the use of WordPress and social media platforms to promote articles. It also required solid research skills, attention to detail and a good command of English. It has strengthened my writing skills and ability to work efficiently, independently and according to strict deadlines.

I was hired as a student research assistant for a project which focused on attacks on Nigeria's educational institutions over a set period. I was required to gather information from the database Factiva and code it using Excel. The job required attention to detail, effective communication with the Professor undertaking the project and good planning and time-management skills in order to meet the final deadline. Working alongside two other students strengthened my teamwork skills whilst working independently.

My tasks included general administration such as approving company invoices, email correspondence and organising/monitoring ongoing company tasks. I gained important organisation and time-management skills and learned to work independently within a larger team. Use of Trello, Microsoft Word, as well as Excel, was necessary.