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Careers Spotlight: Sophie Odenthal

5 February 2021 - All

Careers Spotlight: Civil Service - Sophie Odenthal

This week, LV – UVI pupils welcomed Wycombe Abbey Senior and Senior Strategy Advisor at HM Treasury, Sophie Odenthal, for a Careers Spotlight lecture. In this talk Sophie talked about her life in the Civil Service and working for the Government.

Victoria (LVI) shares her thoughts about the online talk.

On Tuesday 2 February, the Careers department held one of their Careers Spotlights, a series of talks with the aim of allowing Wycombe pupils to gain insight into various careers. The speaker at this event was Sophie Odenthal, a Wycombe Senior who now works in the civil service. Sophie spoke at first about her path into working in the civil service, from her A Levels to one of her first jobs as a graduate working for a Hungarian oil start-up, until applying and being accepted on the Civil Service Fast Stream. Explaining her work with many departments within the civil service from transport and driverless cars to now working in the Treasury, we were able to gain a thorough understanding of the rich variety of work a career in the civil service can offer.

Sophie also provided helpful advice, advocating for being a yes person and making sure you take all opportunities that are available to you. She stressed the importance of taking an interest in extracurricular activities that demonstrate the personal qualities one has to offer.

As someone who is very interested in a career in the civil service, I was able to learn a great deal about how fulfilling this career could be as Sophie explained her involvement in big issues, even as someone who is more junior. I was able to understand the work with its emphasis on work-life balance and personal development. Overall, hearing from Sophie was an incredibly worthwhile and fascinating experience that I found very helpful in further developing my career aspirations.

Our series of Careers Spotlight events invite inspiring speakers to share real-life accounts of their experiences: the highs, the lows, and some tips for success. The talks give the girls the opportunity to ask questions in an informal environment which they may use to cement the choices they have made or perhaps steer them towards a profession they had not considered.