Student blogs

The past two years at the Master’s in Bioentrepreneurship Programme have been filled with extraordinary experiences and unique opportunities. As my second year at the programme has come to an end, I took some time to reflect on some things I would tell myself two years ago. Although everyone in our class has their individual learnings and reflections on the programme, here I share my 3 main takeaways on the MBE programme.

Small companies may have more potential than big ones ?

Before coming into the programme, I had no idea what a venture capital firm was, the difference between an incubator and an accelerator, or how a startup functions. Interestingly, I learned most of these things not from my courses, but from my classmates and events outside the programme. With that being said, it is important to put yourself out there with an open mind and not be too fixated on one goal. Joining the startup world can be exciting for multiple reasons. First, it is much more flexible and dynamic than large corporations. Although established companies do offer more stability, a promising startup has much more rapid growth potential both for you and the company. Second, can be a great headstart to your career. You could secure a manager role as a fresh graduate and gain invaluable experience rather fast in a small company – something that is unlikely at an established corporation. Third, it is a great way to network and learn from experienced investors and talented founders alike to build a strong connection base. What they say is true, it’s about who you know?.

Social skills are more important than practical skills ?️

☝?This. Practical skills are crucial in a lab setting, but in the business field, you must learn how to sell yourself in a rather elegant way. Here, your presentation and communication skills outweigh your ability to set up a balance sheet for the accounting department. Of course, you must know the basics in order to prepare well for job interviews and case studies. But at the end of the day, you can learn all these things on the job. It is harder to learn social queues and be able to navigate them to your advantage. For instance, in job interviews, you must state your competencies and how they make you more suitable than other candidates without sounding arrogant. This can be tough? That’s why I believe it’s important to seize each opportunity to exit your comfort bubble and become comfortable in networking settings.

You are your own biggest limitation ?️

At times I felt like perhaps I should spend more time studying, applying to internships, being more involved in student-led activities, etc. In other words, I thought that what I am doing is not enough. But the truth is, it was more than enough to land me a competitive position at a great company in Stockholm. It is not the number of things that you do, but the way that you present the things that you do. There will always be applicants who have more on their CV, but that doesn’t mean they have tailored their experiences as well as you can. This is in particular important when writing letters of motivation and in job interviews. In other words, work smarter, not harder. And never compare yourself. As cheesy as it sounds, it is so important to believe in yourself. Apply to jobs that you seem underqualified for. Speak in interviews as if you are overqualified (but be humble). There are truly no limitations unless you build them up for yourself??.

…And of course, don’t forget to enjoy the process. Say “YES” often, travel as much as you can, and enjoy the time with your friends. I oftentimes think that while focusing on “the next best thing”, we forget that life will probably only get more complex from here? So enjoy the student life and make the most of this amazing experience?