Leonie Frenkel MSc Management, 2008

National Accounts Coordinator, Estee Lauder

Having studied Management at postgraduate level, I feel much more confident working at Estee Lauder as I had learned so many things which in practice turned out to be exactly as the theory presented to us by our teachers.

I decided to pursue an MSc in Management as I believed that a Masters degree would significantly increase my chances in the employment market and because I wanted to go on studying. My first degree was in Political Science in Munich and in Paris. I wanted to experience the higher education system in the UK, which is very different to those in Germany and France. It was also very hard to find a Masters degree in Management in Germany.

Since I am not a UK citizen I was not entitled to a loan from a UK institution. In Germany, Banks usually do not give loans to students, but this is changing and I managed to find a Bank which offered me a loan for a study abroad.

Living in Southampton was very new to me because I was used to big cities. But very soon there are so many things to do (writing essays, preparing for examinations, meeting and getting to know new friends) that it did not matter in which city I was… I just felt great. The University was my life – and this is exactly what I expected from studying there.

Doing an MSc in Management at the School of Management, besides increasing my chances on the employment market, broadened my knowledge in many ways (intellectually, emotionally); I got to knew myself better. I was able to consider new career options I have not thought of before. It moved the focus from my studies of something very specific (Politics) to something broader (Management). I guess, it helped me to justify why I wanted to pursue a career in Marketing.

On graduation for the University I started training at Estee Lauder Companies in London and became a Marketing Assistant.. This was the first place I applied for during my Masters degree (in December). I got accepted in July and started the training two days after I submitted my dissertation.

It is an international company with great brands. It took three interviews to show them that I am better than my competitors.. Working in the Marketing department was very exciting. One year ago I joined the Sales Team and I have been working as a National Accounts Coordinator. This means that I am working very closely with our Business Analyst but at the same time I am also working closely with our customers. I am very happy in my current role.

Having studied Management at postgraduate level, I feel much more confident working there as I had learned so many things which in practice turned out to be exactly as the theory presented to us by our teachers. To my surprise, one of my first tasks at work was to write an out-of-stock report. I had no problems coping with words like FIFO or LIFO etc. I learned all this in class.