My year with King's Entrepreneurship Institute

Why did you apply?

You might wonder what drew me, a Psychology student, to a role at the EI. While my passion for Psychology remains strong, my career goals have shifted over the past few years towards business, particularly entrepreneurship. I wanted to gain work experience and develop transferable skills that could enhance my career prospects. This role gave me the perfect opportunity to achieve this. It was also a huge boost to both my academic and professional CV (helping me secure a master’s programmes in management at multiple reputable universities!)

What's involved?

During my time with the EI, I completed a variety of tasks that were both engaging and rewarding. Some of my highlights are:

• Event organisation: I delivered smooth operations at events like the Idea Factory Pitch Night and entrepreneurial training sessions, by setting up venues, registering in guests, and being on hand to answer guests' questions.

• Social Media and Communication: I reached out to ventures founded by King's alumni and created Instagram posts to share their stories with fellow King's students, whilst promoting entrepreneurship. When creating one of the posts, I researched how artificial intelligence could help businesses, which fortunately helped me answer some of the interview questions for my master's!

• Crafts and Creativity: Through FUNmin activities I helped make decorative crafts for the EI's Christmas party and made a poster and riddles for an EI social event! 

Each task pushed me outside my comfort zone and allowed me to develop new skills that I know will be invaluable in my future career.

How did you balance part-time work alongside your studies?

The role is flexible, requiring at least five working hours per month, which allowed me to take up shifts whenever I was available. For me, this was completely manageable. During busy exam periods I was less active, but could take up more shifts when I had more time. The staff at the EI were also very understanding of my academic priorities!

One thing that surprised you?

The level of trust that the staff placed in me. From day one, I was treated as an integral part of the team, and my feedback was valued in decision-making processes and planning discussions. This experience not only boosted my confidence but also made me feel valued as a member of the team.

What would you say to future Associates?

The role will challenge you, teach you a variety of transferable skills that are beneficial across all fields, and allow you to make meaningful and valued contributions. It’s not only a fantastic opportunity to grow personally, but also looks good on your CV! Lastly, for the interview, don’t panic! The staff are incredibly friendly and all you have to do is be as genuine as possible. Also, make sure you sound enthusiastic about the role!

Wrapping up

My year with the EI was a transformative experience and I would highly recommend it to any student looking to expand their horizons. It was challenging, rewarding, and above all, an incredible learning journey that has prepared me for future endeavours. If you're up for the challenge and eager to grow, I say go for it!

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The Entrepreneurship Institute offers lots of opportunities for students at King's to grow their entrepreneurial skills and experience. If you're a current King's student and interested in becoming an Associate, find out more on the website, or sign-up to our monthly newsletter to find out about similar opportunities.