Sophie Imer Klysner
How did you start at the BEC Graduate Programme? Where did you first hear about it?
I had been a teaching assistant in several courses at IT-Universitetet, and we had a guest lecturer from BEC Financial Technologies. He presented a part of what the company did, and I felt I had a lot of the competencies the job would require – I thought it would meet my demands and challenge me, so I reached out to the lecturer.
➔ Hiring! BEC are hiring graduates right now. Click here for more details on the programme.
Independent of my contact with him, a recruiter from BEC reached out to me as they found my profile interesting. Usually, as Master’s degree students, a lot of people get contacted by recruiting agencies – but I asked around, and no one else received an email from BEC. That’s when I realized that an actual recruiter looked into my LinkedIn profile and found me interesting. I applied – and got a place in the graduate program.
What attracted you to BEC?
BEC Financial Technologies is moving in a very customer-centric direction. I saw a company that really wanted to be innovative in the way they did business, but also integrate enterprise architecture with service design, which I thought was a really interesting perspective and I had courses on these topics.
When applying, I saw that BEC really makes an effort to ensure that a graduate is well trained and acquainted with the organization before going into their teams. I liked that the graduate program wasn’t really a temporary period – you are a graduate for a year, and then you just continue as a Business Analyst, for instance.
Plus, the fintech industry as a whole is really appealing to me because it’s changing and complex, so I expected a steep learning curve. But you need somebody to catch you when you fall and teach you the basics, and I felt like BEC was ready to do that. When you’re a Master’s student, of course, you have a lot of things in your tool belt. But you also need to be included in the culture and the way they use those tools to work. I think BEC has done that to perfection.
The fintech industry as a whole is really appealing to me because it's changing and complex, so I expected a steep learning curve. But you need somebody to catch you when you fall and teach you the basics, and I felt like BEC was ready to do that.
Why did you want to join a graduate programme?
Originally, I didn’t feel my profile as a mother of two and my background was a good fit. I felt I had a lot of things going against me and I had a lot of talks with my husband about whether I should waste my energy on applying for graduate programmes where 400 people apply for every position.
But when the recruiter from BEC contacted me, I told myself to apply at least for BEC’s graduate programme. And when I got the email with an invitation to an assessment day, I felt it was a boost about my CV – there is something interesting in it.
What has surprised you the most about working at BEC?
It surprised me how much I can use my education, that what I’ve been taught at university is applicable to a business situation.
I was also surprised about the level of engagement from the company itself. I expected to feel welcomed and needed in BEC, but not to such a degree. Furthermore, when I entered my team, I got straight to work and from day one, my opinion and ideas mattered to my team.
What has been your biggest challenge as a graduate?
It’s been challenging – mixing finance and technology makes a complex field. There has been a steep learning curve with many aspects of the job to deal with. You are not only a Business Analyst solving a problem, but you also test out the solution, acquire a high level of technical knowledge, and need to communicate to stakeholders effectively to ensure that the product being developed remains on track.
BEC Financial Technologies is moving in a very customer-centric direction. I saw a company that really wanted to be innovative in the way they did business.
How do you see your future with BEC?
I definitely see a future as BEC is a great company. They are willing to teach you whatever you would like to do, as long as it fits some business needs. There are many paths I could take – perfecting being a Business Analyst or going down a more technical route. But the thing that I’m currently concentrating on is just becoming better and better at what I’m doing.
I would love to go in a business process route and be on projects that have the bank users’ satisfaction as an end goal. That is where I see BEC going. For B2C projects, my motivation is to help the banks win new customers by providing them with solutions that fit the users of today. It’s my little personal mission for BEC to be even more user-centric.
Do you have any advice for other applicants?
Don’t be afraid to show who you are and bring your skills to the table. Don’t sell yourself too short. Don’t give up before you apply. If I followed what my bad thoughts suggested about me having too many things going against me, I wouldn’t be here.
I’ve attended career events with BEC to talk to students about the graduate programme, and encouraged them to apply because it’s worth it. Please, put your best foot forward and believe that you have something to give.
➔ Hiring! BEC are hiring graduates right now. Click here for more details on the programme.
