In 2019, as an undergraduate student in Malaysia, I was searching for summer internships like many others and was fortunate to land an opportunity at a Malaysian tech startup. Their focus was a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) enabled e-commerce marketplace that facilitates bulk online buying and selling for businesses.
Although I was studying economics, I was eager to explore different career paths, so I successfully applied for a social media content intern role because I enjoyed designing and marketing. Despite having little experience in social media content creation and marketing, I was enthusiastic and excited to learn on the job. In fact, this experience helped me decide on a career path in marketing and played a role in my decision to pursue further education at the University of Edinburgh Business School.
What I enjoyed most about working at a startup was the freedom it provides to explore different aspects of working within a business and the ability to learn new things on the job. Within those three months, I saw myself taking on new responsibilities, taking the initiative to develop my skills and seeking out opportunities to enhance my professional experience. One unique thing I noticed about working in a startup is that you get to see the impact of your contributions in real-time, which makes you feel like your contributions play a valuable part in the company's growth.
For those who enjoy challenges and innovative thinking, working in a startup company offers a great opportunity for you to grow. I would highly recommend students attend the TechStar Startup Weekend happening from Friday 3 March to Sunday 5 March at the Business School if you are interested in exploring what it's like to work in a startup environment. You will meet like-minded individuals, receive advice from experienced mentors, and acquire valuable skills that can improve your future employability.
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Thin Myat is an MSc Marketing & Business Analysis student (2022-23)