“Sometimes, being international is a superpower,” says Ghina Filiana.

She is an Indonesian graduate of Aarhus BSS, who went all in on networking while studying. It paid off, and while finding a job was not necessarily easy for Ghina – networking was her way into the Danish job market.

Studies at Aarhus BSS and Denmark

Why did you come to Denmark to study?

Denmark was not my first thought when I decided to go abroad for my graduate degree. I had never even heard of Aarhus until my mentor approached me and suggested it. I did my research and decided to open my chances up wide and applied to two programmes at Aarhus BSS.

I was over the moon when I received my acceptance letter! The day after I even received a full scholarship. In the end, I picked Aarhus BSS over other universities that also offered me scholarships.

I decided on Aarhus BSS for different reasons. First, Denmark is not a mainstream country to go to for students from Indonesia – and I thought there might be good opportunities to build a life here. Secondly, I was offered a full scholarship and it removed the financial burden of tuition. Lastly, the master’s programme was a 2-year programme and I considered it to be an advantage that I could stay in the same place for two years and having the time to settle and enjoy life a bit.

How did you experience your time at Aarhus BSS?

The study programme was much more relaxed than I was used to. There was less pressure on me since the Danish culture is less competitive than Asian culture. It gave me more time to reflect on my learning. The programme was also more relaxed in terms of how you progressed in your education. It is okay to make mistakes and do better next time.

I was positively surprised that during classes and lectures you can ask all the stupid questions you have – and it is okay to ask them. It was encouraging that I could raise my concerns or questions. But the large number of students in lectures was a big change for me.

The hardest part for me was the social part. I am happy that I joined the Buddy program! I was paired with a Danish student and it helped me adjust to the Danish culture, get to know the city, as well as to get into that Danish community – which can be a bit difficult to get into.

How did you prepare for your career during your studies?

It was not originally my intention to stay in Denmark. I was not much into professional networking, but I thought, “Why not try networking?” – and so I threw myself out there.

I then joined pretty much all the career-related events at Aarhus BSS that I could. I put myself in all the networking events, joined the events where you meet companies, and participated actively in case competitions. Joining the Youth Goodwill Ambassador Corps was also advantageous. Those are excellent opportunities to stand out and grow a network!

As an international, you need to put more effort into finding a job; it is not always easy finding a job, I will not lie about that. That being said, make an effort and go book someone for a coffee. Network means a lot in Denmark.

>> Learn about the Aarhus BSS Career Centre and their events here

Honestly, sometimes, being international is a superpower! I was the only international in my department, so it gave me an edge and helped me secure the job.

Career and first job

How did you get your first job after graduating from Aarhus BSS?

I often feel like many graduates say, “It is easy for others to find a job.” But for me it was not easy; if I did not get a job within 6 months I had to go home (due to state regulations). It was such a pressure. I was so worried and even started looking for PhD positions to seek out all opportunities. I applied for hundreds of student jobs and jobs in the regular way, but my job ended up coming out of networking.

At Graduate Night, a career event at Aarhus BSS, I talked to the program manager from Grundfos. I was not really looking for a job at that point in time, but I was curious and asked questions. Fast forward in time, and the program manager called me for an interview for an internship – they remembered me from the Graduate Night, and that was why they called me in. I was writing my thesis at the time, but I had nothing to lose by going to that interview. I ended up as an intern for three months and then became a student employee.

When I graduated from Aarhus BSS, I got another interview at Grundfos and got hired for a 6-month project, and that was my first job after graduating.

Honestly, sometimes, being international is a superpower! I was the only international in my department, so it gave me an edge and helped me secure the job.

What surprised you the most, working full-time in Denmark?

The work-life balance gets mentioned a lot, but I did not really understand the importance of it before having a child myself. I was very surprised that you, for example, can leave at 3 pm. In Asian cultures you work very long days. Here, people manage their time wisely in the day, and then work in the evening or how it suits their way of life. This is great, but very surprising! In my job, I do not clock in and out but instead I simply must deliver on my tasks.

Also, managers listen to you instead of just telling you what to do. The sole focus is not always on the tasks but also on developing the employee. I really appreciate this, and I feel very lucky with my managers.

It took me some time to figure out that here in Denmark, colleagues are colleagues, and not always friends. That is different from where I am from.

Being an international in Denmark

Tips and advice to international graduates?

My advice is to put yourself out there! If you are looking for a job, do not think about getting rejected. I got rejected from hundreds of applications. If you get rejected, you might just not be the perfect fit. It can be tough, but it is not impossible to land a job.

I would not have changed anything on my journey here. Nothing is perfect, but I still would not change anything.