Stefanie Hummel grew up in the district of Hollabrunn. After her A-levels, she completed a bachelor degree in Unternehmensführung with top marks, followed by a master in Marketing and Sales (now: Marketing) – both at IMC Krems.
Alongside her studies, starting with an internship, she worked for several years in marketing at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. It took only a few years for her to progress from a marketing intern at Bayer in Vienna to a product manager at Bayer in Zurich. However, to have the flexibility to write a doctoral thesis while working full-time, she decided to take a job with more autonomy. This is why she now works in sales at Stryker, an American giant in the innovative medical technology sector.
The University of Bern and the Old Farmhouse in the Swiss Alps
After moving to Switzerland at the end of 2018, Stefanie soon began looking for a doctorate supervisor in the field of marketing and thus found her way to the University of Bern.
Stefanie is very connected to nature and lives in a Swiss holiday destination in the middle of the mountains. She enjoys her creative hobbies and is particularly looking forward to the birth of her child in autumn 2024. As soon as one project is finished, she is already onto the next. Right now, she and her partner are in the process of buying and renovating an old farmhouse in the Swiss Alps.
I Always Had the Big Goal in Mind
Why did you want to pursue a PhD at the University of Bern after your Master's, and how difficult was it to get a “place” there?
An inner drive showed me that my education was not yet complete after my Master degree. As a graduate of an Austrian University of Applied Sciences, there are some hurdles to overcome, as Swiss universities require a university Master degree. Some Master courses were recognised, others were not. But this detour should not discourage or cause one to give up. I always had the big goal in mind. One of the motivations behind the doctorate was to return to IMC Krems as a guest lecturer – the future will tell.
Career Tips for Young People
What advice would you give to young people aspiring to a career in marketing? Are there any particular skills or experiences that you consider especially important?
In the field of marketing within dynamic large companies, there is a risk of trying to solve everything perfectly. Perfectionism can hinder you from reaching your goals because it is not feasible in a fast-paced industry. A mentor once told me, “80% is enough.” It took me years to understand this sentence, given that society often communicates that everything should be perfect.
Nowadays, I am very focused and pragmatic, knowing the priorities. This was the only way I could manage to combine a full-time job and a doctorate programme while still enjoying a wonderful private life with sports, friends, travel, and hobbies.
