Alumni profile: Thea Sørensen
Product maker at Nokia, IB 2007
http://www.linkedin.com/in/theasorensen
My current career
After graduating from the IB programme, I got admitted into Nokia’s graduate programme as the sole candidate without a master’s degree. I am currently in Helsinki where I’m working with new Nokia products. Previously, I have worked in Beijing, China and Copenhagen, Denmark. Up until now, the position has been extremely interesting and challenging, but most of all a great learning experience.
Why IB?
I chose to apply for the IB programme at CBS because I had a profound interest in business management and wanted to work in an international environment. Furthermore, the IB programme is one of the courses in Denmark with the highest profiles and I knew that IB graduates are in high demand among employers.
How IB prepared me for an international career
I got a thorough understanding of how international firm works, both in a theoretical and a practical sense. Theoretically, I got a great understanding of the concepts and models that most international companies work with. Practically, I learned a lot from studying in the multicultural environment that is IB. Already having an international network before I graduated made it easier to go in to a career in Nokia.
Defining moment on the IB programme
My defining moment on the IB programme was most definitely getting to meet people from all over the world and thereby gaining an insight in different cultures and perspectives on life. Looking back that has proved to be a very rewarding experience.
The typical IB student
The typical IB student has thousand things going on all the time. He or she is outgoing, maybe runs a company beside the studies and most definitely have big dreams for the future.
After IB
Generally you should be curious about the opportunities you have after graduating. If you get a good job offer, do not say no! On the other hand, don’t take it as a defeat if you don’t get a job right after your graduation.
Joachim Meyer Andersen
Last updated by Andrew Arnold 05/05/2009
Banking on a good career
Robin graduated from IB in 2009, where he also took part in the GLOBE programme. Alongside his MSc studies he now works at Saxo Bank as a Research Analyst in the bank's strategy group. He contributes to the bank's research reports and has had several research notes published.
"Studying IB does not only introduce and prepare you for an international career, it also opens doors and gives you opportunities to enter the professional field along with your studies. It is not unusual for students at IB to have jobs. Not just any student job, but positions at true multinational firms that enable you to practice what you have learned in real work-related environments."
A good international mix
"The thing I liked the best about IB was the mix of internationals and Danes - I have lived abroad most of my life so knew I would feel more at home in such a setting," says 2007 graduate Andrew Townsend.
"IB allowed me to meet many more nationalities and cultures than I expected, for one, and, for two, i was given the chance to work in groups a lot more than I was used to from the British system. The case studies were always a blend of local/international/and global firms giving you a perspective of how things interact in the markets."
'Think big and work hard'
That's the advice from IB graduate Ulrik Binzer. He graduated from the IB programme in 2003 and is now studying for an MBA degree at the prestigious Harvard Business School. Before starting his studies at Harvard, he worked as an analyst at McKinsey for two years and then as an associate in the venture capital firm Golden Gate Capital.
An ideal preparation for an international career
Thea Sørensen graduated from the International Business programme in 2007. Since then she has gone on to join Nokia's graduate programme, and has worked in Copenhagen, Beijing and Helsinki. "Practically, I learned a lot from studying in the multicultural environment that is IB. Already having an international network before I graduated made it easier to go in to a career in Nokia," she says.
