Sabrina Kirchholtes. M.Sc.

What‘s your nicest memory of Braunschweig and do you have a favorite place?

As a native of Braunschweig, the city and its many beautiful corners are very close to my heart. One of my fondest memories is a pleasant summer evening when I enjoyed the sunset over Braunschweig from what is probably the most beautiful roof top terrace in the city - a moment full of tranquillity, vision and a sense of home. But sporting successes, whether on the pitch or indoors, are also deeply anchored in my memory - "einmal Eintracht (Braunschweig), immer Eintracht!" My favorite place? That's hard to tell with so many possibilities, but the glistening Oker in the sunlight or one of the many green islands in the middle of the city always invite me to linger, take a deep breath and enjoy.

Reasons why Braunschweig is a great place to study:

The short distances - whether to university, the city or the countryside, everything can be easily reached by bike. This not only creates flexibility in everyday life, but also conveys a feeling of closeness and community. The city also offers a good mix of student life, cultural activities and plenty of nature.

Which contents of your studies can you still use in your career today?

Actually, I can still apply valuable background knowledge from many areas of my studies in my day-to-day work. Knowledge from marketing and economics helps me to better classify and evaluate structures in my company. Surprisingly, however, it is the legal subjects - which were not necessarily my favorites during my studies - that I particularly remember. Patent law, in particular, always plays a role in my work with start-ups. Overall, I benefit greatly from the diversity of the course content, as the teams I am allowed to supervise come from very different industries and a broad background knowledge often makes all the difference.

Are you still in touch with former fellow students? Do you see each other and if so, how often?

As it happens, I have a few former fellow students in my professional environment. Apart from that, however, there are no more connections.

What advice would you give current students for their personal career planning?

1. Don't underestimate the power of networking: Relationships are often crucial - whether you're just starting out in your career or as your career progresses. Vitamin B helps more than you might think. Building up a network early on, whether through fellow students, internships or events, can open doors that you didn't know about before.
2. Practice creates clarity: Use practical semesters or internships to find out whether a certain area of work really interests you. Theory is one thing - but it is often only in practice that you realize what suits you (and what doesn't).
3. Career paths are individual: there is no “right” recipe for the perfect job. Reflect on what's important to you - the work location, the salary, the subject matter your dealing with, the people? You determine the priorities. The more clearly you know your own parameters, the more targeted your search can be - and the more satisfied you will be when you arrive.