Maren Herbst studied mathematics first at the Free University of Berlin, then at the Technical University of Berlin, and graduated with a master's degree in 2021. She is currently working as a senior consultant at EY ifb in the Technical Consulting field (test management & testing as well as regulatory & reporting in the banking environment).

What knowledge or skills did you acquire in your studies that you didn't think you'd ever need?

I think it's open and honest to say when you don't know something, to follow up on a question and the answer before giving false or only partially correct answers.

Why did you decide on your current career?

The decision for my current career choice was actually a long process that slowly crystallized over the course of my entire studies. Given my mathematical background, I knew that I would like to have a profession later where I can bring in general skills like analytical thinking, but also special skills like programming knowledge. At the same time, I had various student assistant positions inside and outside the university, which did not require a mathematical background and where I was sometimes able to take sole responsibility for certain areas of work or had to deal with different groups of people, which I also enjoyed.

After attending various job fairs during my studies and participating in different offers from the Career Service with external companies, I eventually came across the field of consulting and my interest was piqued. Through internet research, I learned what a consultant's daily life is like and what topics are involved in consulting, and it was clear to me that this career field combines everything I enjoyed doing during my studies. Interdisciplinary work, various projects with diverse customer groups, as well as the application of analytical skills or solving complex issues are just a few points that I encounter during my work as a consultant. It is the varied project work that makes my job the most fun.

What recommendations do you have for students who want to complete their studies in a timely manner?

It helped me in my career entry during my studies to occasionally look at what particularly excited me within the scope of my mathematics studies and/or my side jobs as a student assistant, which competencies I acquired in the individual areas and where my strengths and weaknesses lay. That took some time, but it gave me a first idea and allowed me to adjust my career aspirations if necessary. At the same time, having an overview by the end of my studies was a great help in more specifically searching for suitable career paths that were a good fit for me. Of course, going to job fairs early on during my studies and participating in various formats of the Career Service with external companies was also very helpful in getting an initial idea of various career fields, asking questions, and possibly making initial contacts.