"My time at the School gave me a very valuable network of talented and driven people"
As a management consultant at Avanti Corporate Development, Josefine Gillbrand works in the financial sector. In her role, she helps financial institutions and companies to improve their operations. At the School, Josefine studied the Bachelor's Programme in Business and Economics and then the Master's programme in Accounting and Financial Management.
What do you do at work?
-As a management consultant in financial services, you act as a professional advisor helping financial institutions and companies in the financial sector to improve their operations. The projects you are part of can include analysing and evaluating companies' processes, strategies, and systems to identify efficiency improvements and cost savings. At Avanti, we also often work on conducting market analyses, developing business strategies, optimising IT systems, and helping customers make informed decisions to maximise profitability.
How was the transition from study to work for you?
-Fast! I applied for a job via LinkedIn's job function. I had a total of two days off between submitting my master's thesis and my first day at work. In retrospect, I regret a little that I did not take the summer off to recuperate before my first day at work..
How has your programme at the School of Business, Economics and Law helped you in your career?
-The master's programme in Accounting and Financial Management gave me an incredible amount of practical, useful knowledge that I benefit greatly from in working life today, which I think is unique as programmes can generally be very theoretical. In addition, I feel that this programme weighs very heavily on the CV if you are looking for a career in finance or management consulting. The programme and my time at the School also gave me a very valuable network of talented and driven people. At the School, I also had the opportunity to develop my cooperation skills, problem-solving skills, perseverance, and time management, i.e. my ability to divide my time between different tasks in a reasonable way and also critical thinking.
What was the highlight of your time as a student at the School?
-The opportunity to get involved in the organisation was a highlight! Then the entire master's programme was a highlight in itself as it became more serious and exciting in a different way. It began to approach working life and my time as a student therefore took on a different meaning. I also ended up in a fantastic class where many of us have become lifelong friends. The Financial Statement Analysis course was also great. An incredibly useful course that I still benefit from today in my working life.
What was your reasoning when you chose your Master's programme?
-I was very keen to choose a specialisation that would give me a lot of practical knowledge to carry with me into working life. Accounting and Financial Management was just the right choice for me, as this programme is very much about understanding how a company creates value, how profitability arises, what different capital structures are optimal, and what different growth strategies exist.
Do you have any advice for a current student?
-My advice is to think about what you would like to work with and try to understand what it means and whether it would actually suit you and your expectations and what you value in a workplace and with your employer. At the same time, you should not feel stressed about the fact that your first job is crucial for the rest of your career. Your first job will most likely not be your last, and it's okay to not know if "you've made the right choice". It's not uncommon to change tracks or directions or to try out new opportunities. But if you enjoy your workplace and feel that you are developing, the rest will work out.