Internships
A stepping stone to an international career
Sabina Krøigaard
- BSc International Business ‘04
- MSc Management of Innovation and Business Development ‘07
- Currently working as Commercial Specialist at the American Embassy
Sabina Krøigaard did an internship in 2006 at the American Embassy in Copenhagen. She has set up a programme that gives two students from the BSc. in International Business and BSc. in International Business and Politics programmes the opportunity to take a three to six months part-time internship at the embassy.
How did you end up working at the American Embassy?
I found an advertisement for a three-months internship at the American Embassy posted on e-campus (CBS' intranet), applied and received an offer.
After this, I started an internship programme with the programme coordinators from the BSc in International Business and BSc in International Business and Politics programmes. The students have the opportunity to transfer the internship into 15 ECTS credits towards their degree.
What were your tasks and responsibilities during your internship?
I had a variety of tasks ranging from market research to match-making services, event coordination and export counselling.
The internship is a great opportunity to gain more in-depth knowledge of different industries and to get better at networking. Examples could be performing partner searches for an American company, looking for a strategic alliance or a distribution partner in Denmark, and setting up meetings with the American company and potential Danish counterparts.
What were the most challenging and rewarding aspects of your internship?
The most challenging and rewarding aspect was dealing with companies in real life situations. The internship and various events made me realise the importance of networks and social relations between business partners. Conducting market research enabled me to learn a great deal about different industries and companies This is of course good for anyone in the process of deciding, what direction their career should take after finishing their studies.
Did your studies in IB help you during the internship?
In general terms I used a lot of what I learned in the classroom – in the sense that I often kept the framework of a model in the back of my mind while, for example, performing analyses. I could use Porter’s Five Competitive Forces from Marketing when doing market research, as well as the 4 P’s model. Industrial Organisation theory has also come in handy, and it gave me a good understanding of market mechanisms. In terms of International Business Law, it is important to know the legal requirements for products to be sold in Denmark. International Business Strategy can be applied when thinking about the best way for an American company to enter a new market.
What you learn from the IB programme is a new way of thinking, which enables you to act in real life business settings. Interacting with people from different cultures is also something you learn in the programme and which you will be faced with in a job such as this one.
Marjo Pitkanen
Last updated by Andrew Arnold 05/12/2008
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.
