Tilburg University Career Week: Why you should participate | ‘I now know better why I need to learn something. That’s good motivation’
Are you already thinking about what you want to do after graduation? Or does it sound like a remote thing to you? Your future is closer than you think. From April 19 until 22, Tilburg University Career Week will be held. What’s in it for you? Third-year student International Business Administration Simone Huitenga explains. “Thanks to the Big Four Accountancy Experience event, I landed an awesome internship.”
It was not difficult for Simone to choose a study program. “I wanted to do ‘something’ with business and management so I looked for a broad program. I didn’t have any idea of what I wanted to be later on. In fact, I didn’t want my future job to be cast in concrete and it is a reassuring idea that I can make other choices as well after I graduate.” When Simone had to devote hours to career orientation as part of her Bachelor's degree, she ended up at the Economic Business weeks Tilburg (EBT).
“In Tilburg, a lot is offered in the way of career orientation activities that you can participate in. I went to some events that I found interesting, including EBT. Especially the Big Four Accountancy Experience event was a big hit. It was a fun event where a number of large companies gave presentations and afterwards the recruiters answered questions. They proved to be nice and accessible people. You immediately get a feel for the company, its core business, and whether its culture would be a good fit for you.”
Different image
“I discovered that the image I had of accountancy was wrong,” she continues. “At first I was more interested in Supply Chain Management and Information Management. The event sparked my interest in accountancy. A recruiter talked about a really cool internship at KPMG. I was certainly interested! This contact eventually led to a work experience internship in my second year. It was a welcome change from all the online classes and in that sense it came my way at the right moment. In addition I learned that accountancy involves much more than I had always thought. I worked in the Audit department and discovered that, to carry out a proper audit, you need to know how an enterprise operates. You learn all sorts of things about processes and structure.”
Do what you enjoy doing
“Thanks to the EBT I secured an internship that has deepened my appreciation of what I learn at university,” Simone says. “For me, knowing that this is what I'm studying for is a great motivator, because nothing beats doing what you enjoy doing. The idea is that I will do my thesis internship at KPMG too. And I also see myself working there.” In addition to the Big Four Accountancy Experience, Simone also went to a couple of company presentations. “Per company, two or three people working there give information for about an hour about what the company does and what their own role within it is. Afterwards you receive contact details in case you are interested in an internship or a job. These companies included Albert Heijn, Unilever, and Shell.”
Investing in yourself
Would you recommend other students to participate in the activities during the Tilburg University Career Week? Simone: “What’s a good reason not to participate? There is something for everyone, all year round. In fact, it is hard to keep track of what’s on when. I advise other students to register for the activities during the Tilburg University Career Week, for instance, for the Company Days of EBT. It gives you low-threshold access to a lot of companies. Yes, you need to invest time, but it is investing in yourself and in your future. It is such a helpful way of discovering what you are really interested in.”
Not too seriously
“Another tip,” Simone concludes. “Also check out the activities of the study associations. They often have fun activities, that are not as dull and serious as they seem. As a student, you may think that the business sector is very formal, but it’s not as bad as you may think. That is what you can discover during these events. I’m not so frightened of the ‘adult world’ anymore.”
