Class of 2023 graduate Alex Berei tells us more about his journey from Business Management with a Year in Industry to a Masters in Research Management graduate.
Can you share some insights into your undergraduate degree at the University of Liverpool Management School?
I thoroughly enjoyed my four-year undergraduate experience studying Business Management with a Year in Industry at the University of Liverpool Management School.
The Management School is close to Liverpool city centre, which allowed me to experience the city’s vibrancy at its fullest.
There is always an event happening - you will never get bored! I was able to manage my workload and assignments but also enjoy my personal interests which included attending events happening in Liverpool and joining the Futsal, Romanian and Salsa Societies.
What made you want to pursue a postgraduate degree after completing your undergraduate studies?
What specifically influenced my career choice was the placement year during my third year at the Renault Group Headquarters in London, in which I was a Product Assistant within the Marketing Department.
During this work experience, I was responsible for weekly competitor analysis and independently provided presentations to my team regarding any price or equipment changes. This experience raised my interest towards research and independent work.
I also secured a part-time job as an Online Tutor on the My Tutor platform, for which I underwent teaching training before leading 149 lessons throughout the year, supporting young students, ranging from Year 7 to Year 13, to work towards their target grades.
This experience developed my interpersonal skills as I was interacting with a diverse set of students, and it gave me an insight into the different approaches to teaching. It also helped me strengthen my interest in a teaching career, specifically one that involves pedagogical innovation, and problem-based learning.
Additionally, the constant interactions with PhD students through the Writing@Liverpool Programme on the University’s Library website, in which you can book a 1-on-1 session with a PhD student to discuss or ask for guidance on your assignments.
Being able to listen to their experiences and decisions to follow an academic route fully resonated with my career aspirations. All of this led me to pursue a Masters in Research Management (MRes) and later to apply for a PhD!
You are currently also self-employed as a Memorable Living Coach, what does this involve and how did you first get started in your entrepreneurial ventures?
I am passionate about having a direct impact on the people I interact with.
My individual coaching sessions are a way to help people who feel “stuck”, whether this is a career moment, a business decision or finding clarity on the latest twists and turns in their life.
In a coaching session, I explore what is getting in my client’s way and identify what may be holding them back. This industry offers me the opportunity to feel fulfilled, helping people achieve their goals and supporting them in any area of their life in which they might feel “stuck”.
I have completed an Accredited Coaching Course and networked with the right people in this industry, which has helped open doors including being invited to talk about what coaching is really about on a TV Programme in my home country, Romania!
Looking ahead, how do you see your experiences shaping your educational and professional goals?
Before I started my undergraduate degree, I was hoping to be a consultant as part of a big corporate firm such as one of the Big Four.
Five years later, I am striving to stay away from the corporate world, as I am planning to focus on my education by gaining a PhD, and help everyone around me; not just academically as a professor, but also as a mentor for students, and also as a coach to offer guidance and support for people’s personal objectives.