A mixture of experience and theory has contributed towards Olga's success in her career since graduating with an MA Psychology in 2014 Name Olga Szewczyk Degree MA Psychology Year of Graduation 2014 Tell us about your current role and the path you have taken since leaving Edinburgh After graduating from Edinburgh, I completed an MSc in Business Analysis and Consulting at the University of Strathclyde. During my masters, I was accepted to Heineken’s International Graduate Programme, a 1.5-year long traineeship consisting of 3 rotations around the world. I was working in the Netherlands, Myanmar and Mexico. Following the graduate programme, I came back to the Netherlands and started a job within sustainability where I’m responsible for establishing the sustainability agenda within the procurement department of Heineken. My main job is project management, including collaboration with suppliers of packaging to reduce CO2 emissions. Currently, I am preparing for my next role as Procurement Operations Manager in Brazil. Tell us how your degree and student experiences have contributed towards your current role and shaped your career A degree in psychology has been helpful in less direct ways in my work. A lot of theories regarding group think, motivation, judgement and behaviour have been useful for explaining situations encountered in the work-life, allowing deeper understanding, but also empathy for colleagues. Additionally, if leadership positions where people development is your aim, having the knowledge of personality styles and cognition can be of great help. In more trivial ways, having the knowledge of perception and memory is a big advantage during presentations, idea pitching and even negotiations. I believe it has been a mixture of experiences that helped me develop my career. I think it’s important to identify overlaps in the different pieces of what you have been doing through schooling, work and free-time activities. Some of my biggest learnings came from participating in entrepreneurial programmes, involvement in a student-run journal, as well as the always-dreaded group work. Apart from this, a summer internship between my 3rd and 4th year was a valuable experience. Can you provide some advice for those interested in a similar area of work? Add some business-related experience through internships, placements or education for easier entry. Analyse overlaps and learning that can be transferred from your experiences to a specific job, there are always many! Contact people in jobs you want to apply for and ask what they think are the most important characteristics of an applicant to see if this is something for you, but also help prepare for an interview. Alumni Wisdom Follow your true interests, and do not only rely on rational thinking. Additionally, don’t let the stress of exams, job search and thesis get the better of you – it will all fall into place in the end. Related Links Psychology at Edinburgh This article was published on 2024-10-14
