Internship at the Danish Embassy in London

WITH

JAKOB NØRGAARD

Are you interested in diplomacy and foreign affairs, or are you thinking about doing an internship during your bachelor of IBP? Jakob Nørgaard is currently studying a MSc in IBP. As part of his BSc in IBP, he did an internship at the Danish Embassy in London. He shares his thoughts, experiences, and tips for students who are interested in becoming an intern themselves. He gives insight into his day-to-day life at the Danish Embassy and how it is to live in a city like London. If you are curious about how to make friends in a foreign city or want to hear the best application tips first-hand – so read along.

By Helen Hummel

Why did you choose to do an internship at the Danish Embassy in London during your IBP bachelor?

Right from the beginning of my studies at CBS, I have been excited about the possibility to go abroad. Such experience would fit perfectly into the IBP profile that I was seeking. Thus, I applied for exchange on my bachelor’s. I got offered a spot in Melbourne, but then it got cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I was extremely frustrated and thought about my possibilities at hand going forward. I became aware of peers who were interning Danish representations around the world and got inspired to follow suit. I ended up postponing the hand-in of my bachelor project as enrolment at a university is required to be eligible for becoming an intern at a Danish Embassy. I really wanted to pursue this experience, so I ended up applying for multiple internship positions around the world. I got an offer from the Danish Embassy in London which was fantastic. Besides the experience abroad that I had been seeking for some time, the internship was also a unique possibility to apply my knowledge from IBP in an exciting and relevant work environment, which was very motivating.

How was the application procedure for you?

Since I knew that I really wanted to become an intern at a Danish Embassy, I was quite structured about the process and started out by looking at a world map showing the different locations of Danish representations. Based on this map, I was asking myself which representations I found parti- cularly interesting and went to the respective website to find the job post. For example, I went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ website for the United Kingdom to find information about the internship positions at the representation in London (link). As it usually works, I submitted my application and got invited to an interview for an internship position in London. The virtual interview only lasted for 30 minutes by which I got the opportunity to hear more about the organisation/position and elaborate on my motivation. The day after the interview, they called me and offered the position.

Life Science Conference, Innovate Finance Global Conference and London Fintech Week. It was really cool to experience different venues in London, and meeting some of the smartest people in the world. My workload varied quite a lot since some periods were busy with several activities going on at the same time. On average, however, my working hours were primarily from 9am to 5pm.

What expectations did you have going into this internship?

I knew it was going to be a once in a lifetime experience, and since I had never tried anything like this before I was possessing an open mindset. Although, to be a bit more concrete, I was expecting a steep learning curve by becoming an integrated part of the organisation and work on real (business) cases. I knew it was going to be an incredible experience, so I had high expectations about learning a lot both professionally and personally.

How was it to live in a city like London? Did you have a hard time settling in and finding friends? Especially the housing situation in London is known to be tough. How did you manage to find a place to live?

Can you describe your day-to-day life at the Danish Embassy in London?

At the embassy, I was part of the department Invest in Denmark (IDK), which is Denmark’s national investment promotion agency. IDK is assisting foreign companies looking to set up or expand business or research activities in Denmark. I worked across a number of key industries including life science, food, defense, tech and cleantech where I assisted full-time Investment Managers. My working tasks were to identify potential investors, attend virtual and physical meetings with investors, write minutes of meetings, prepare benchmark analysis, organize round tables and events in the Ambassador’s residence among other things. Sometimes I also got the possibility to attend conferences in London including the Anglonordic

It was amazing to live in London. I loved it. I never got bored because so much was happening all the time. It was not hard finding friends because we were a group of eight interns at the Danish Embassy in London, and we did all sorts of things together. For example, we went to pubs, concerts, museums, restaurants, football, tennis and trips to Edinburgh and Cardiff together, and it was a blast. Since I also wanted to meet locals, I decided to play badminton in a club in London. The people in the badminton club were very welcoming and I ended up hanging out with them outside the court as well. The housing market in London is indeed messy. It is incredibly expensive to find something decent. However, I was lucky in the sense that I overtook a room from a former intern. It is always a good idea to seek advice from someone who has tried something similar before. If you end up in a similar situation, I can only advise you to reach out and ask how they managed to find a place to live.

What was your favourite moment during the internship?

One of my favourite moments during the internship was to participate in the event London Fintech Week. It was very inspiring to be listening to some of the brightest minds talking about how their Fintech solutions could solve the problems of tomorrow. The venue was gorgeous, and the entire experience reminded me of the British culture. Something I will not forget. If I should mention other incredible moments, it would be the guided tour of the British Parliament as well as all the different cultural events in and around London such as concerts, football, Wimbledon, etc. Altogether, it was just super exciting to be part of the embassy because so much was going on all the time.

With the knowledge you have now, would you still choose to take the internship position today if given the chance?

Anytime. It has been one of the most rewarding times in my life. I have learnt so much from the internship position in London. And most importantly, I have made friendships for life.

If you could give one piece of advice to other students wanting to apply at the Danish Embassy in London, what would it be?

Ask yourself why you want to become an intern at the Danish Embassy in London. It is important to be driven because it is a long process that requires a lot of research. The application deadline is usually five months prior to the internship as some time is needed to get all kind of things sorted such as the required security clearance. Be organised about the whole process and talk to people who have some sort of experience. Inputs would help you better understand what you are going into and shape your profile to increase the likelihood of being selected.

Can you see yourself working in a job like this after you finished your studies?

Yes, absolutely. It was super meaningful to assist foreign companies getting a foothold in Denmark. Therefore, I applied for a student assistant position in IDK at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Denmark, where I am currently part of the tech team. I really enjoy my current position and in the future, I want to become a diplomat.

Last but not least, what is your biggest takeaway?

It was just surreal to be living in London for half a year. Besides all the learnings that I have gotten from the experience, my biggest takeaway is a new perspective on life. If you are motivated to become an intern at a Danish Embassy in London, I would be happy to elaborate on some of my answers or reply to more specific questions you might have. Moreover, if you are looking for recommendations in London, I would also be happy to share my list of great places to visit. Feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn (link).