My time at Queen Mary taught me how to work well within diverse teams, how to solve complex problems, and how to do the right research, but it also challenged me to tackle topics I had never previously studied.
As an international student, what was it that attracted you to London and Queen Mary in particular?
During my bachelor degree, I had to choose a location to travel to for an internship. I chose London over my hometown, Vienna, and ended up working with the Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS) in Hackney, East London. Since then, I have been fascinated by the city, its culture, its people and its rhythm. I applied for many postgraduate courses with some of London’s best universities, but I hoped to get into Queen Mary because it felt like a perfect match – the location, the history and the course. Overall, it was exactly what I had been looking for.
What aspects of your MSc in International Business did you find most enjoyable and was there anything that surprised you in your studies?
My favorite subject was Behavioural Finance. With my social and psychological background, I was fascinated from the very beginning. The combination of financial aspects and human behaviour was extraordinary and added a little more complexity to some financial topics.
I was most surprised by the statistics course. Our teacher simplified it and made it understandable – if that is even possible when it comes to statistics! Prior to this, it was always my least favourite topic.
Can you describe your career path up to date and your current role?
After my studies, I had some trouble choosing an industry or a company where I could see myself working. I therefore decided to work for a consultancy firm. In my opinion, if your knowledge of business and finance is more general, starting your career in consultancy is the best route to go down because you can gain knowledge in a variety of sectors, with every size of company, and your learning curve is tremendous. After two years working for one of the Big Four firms, I got the opportunity to work as a Corporate Development Manager, which meant having my own projects and being more self-directed. Within a year, I was promoted to Head of Talent Acquisition & Development. With my corporate development position, I gained so many insights about the company and my psychological and social background meant I was suitable for the new position.
How did your time and study at Queen Mary help your career and development?
What is the most exciting thing about what you do?
I am responsible for two different departments within the human resources department for two different companies. As a result, every day is different. The most exciting thing about my work is empowering my teammates to do their best. I love strategic planning, working on new hiring concepts, setting new standards within employer branding and improving employee motivation, job satisfaction and corporate culture.
What are your hopes for your career going forwards?
Our world is changing so fast and, looking back, my interests over the last five years have changed so much that I no longer have an exact plan or goal for where I want to be in the next couple of years. The only thing I know is that I want to become an executive coach, but I am open minded, so if that changes, I am also completely fine with that.
What was special about your time at Queen Mary? Can you give one or two examples of your most memorable moments?
I had the opportunity to meet so many international students and so many inspiring people. I have to admit I don’t have memorable moments, my whole time living in London is memorable.
Do you have a favourite spot on campus? If so, where is it and why?
I am a bookworm so my favourite spot would have to be the library.
Is there any advice you would give to current students or recent graduates considering their career options?
I want to point out that there are two sides for me. On the one hand, if you have always known what you want to be since you were a child, then go for it and do not let other people get in your way; believe in yourself and your skills. But on the other hand, if you are more like me, then you have to be open minded and take every opportunity that you are given. Do not be afraid if you have not found the right path yet; take your time and at some point, everything will make sense.
Can you give 3 reasons why you’d recommend Queen Mary to prospective students hoping to study an MSc in International Business?
Firstly, Queen Mary has a great combination of inspiring teachers and interesting topics. Secondly, for a young person, London is one of the best cities in Europe to study and live in. Finally, even though the campus is huge, you never feel like a number; teachers, university staff and other students welcome you with a warm heart.