Chi Cuong Tran

• Year of graduation: 2024
• Current job title: Resident Services Assistant
• Current employer: Unite Students
• Industry sector: Hospitality

I chose the MSc International Marketing Strategy course at the University of Northampton because I wanted to build on my business management background and develop more specialist knowledge of international marketing, consumer behaviour and research. I was particularly interested in how customers from different cultural backgrounds respond to services and marketing, and the course gave me the opportunity to explore these interests in greater depth while studying in the UK.

I enjoyed the Global Marketing Strategy module and the dissertation because they allowed me to connect marketing theory with real consumer behaviour. My dissertation compared customer satisfaction in online food delivery services in the UK and Vietnam, so I was able to explore a topic that was both international and personally meaningful. I also enjoyed developing practical research skills in survey design, SPSS analysis and interpreting data, as well as learning from different perspectives within an international cohort.

The course strengthened my abilities within critical thinking, research, communication, and problem-solving. Completing an independent research project and graduating with Distinction gave me greater confidence in managing complex work, from initial ideas through to analysis and conclusions. It also taught me how to turn academic concepts into practical insights, which has been valuable in customer-facing and service-based roles.

The most useful skills I gained on my degree are consumer behaviour, marketing communication, cross-cultural awareness and research skills. In my current role, I speak with students and families from many different backgrounds, so understanding customer needs and adapting how I communicate is very important. The analytical mindset I developed during my studies also helps me identify patterns in customer enquiries, understand what matters to prospective residents and make more evidence-based decisions when supporting sales and service delivery.

My career has developed across higher education, customer experience and commercial operations. I began as a Student Affairs Officer at the University of Greenwich Vietnam, where I supported students academically and worked closely with lecturers and university services.

After completing the MSc in International Marketing Strategy at the University of Northampton, I joined Unite Students, where my responsibilities have expanded across sales, customer experience, finance, operational coordination and resident support. This has given me valuable experience of working with a large and diverse customer base while contributing to both service quality and commercial performance.

In the future, I plan to undertake a PhD in Marketing and develop a long-term career in academia, with the aim of contributing to research and eventually teaching at university level. One of the main challenges of this will be making the transition from professional practice into an academic career and building a strong research and publication profile, but I see this as an important next stage in my development.

While studying at UON, I contributed to an Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) research initiative evaluating the top 100 companies in Northamptonshire and was recognised as an ESG Researcher for my contribution. This gave me an opportunity to apply research skills outside my assessed coursework and engage with a project connected to real organisations in the local area. The project strengthened my ability to evaluate information, work to a research brief, and apply academic skills to a real-world context. It also gave me additional evidence of research experience beyond my dissertation, which has been useful when presenting my skills for both professional and academic opportunities.

The advice I would give to undergraduates interested in this career path would be don’t be afraid to take calculated risks, step outside your comfort zone, or try something new – some of the most rewarding career experiences can come from taking a chance on an uncertain path.

My UON experience was challenging, supportive and transformative, with opportunities that strengthened my ambitions.