Fun and Games - over 100 Students at Wittenborg’s Bowling Night
Event Provides Opportunities for Relaxing and Socialising
https://www.wittenborg.eu/fun-and-games-over-100-students-wittenborgs-bowling-night.htm
For more than 100 Wittenborg students and staff members, the evening of 23 February was an opportunity to have fun, relax and make new friends. Held at Bowlingcentrum Apeldoorn, the school’s Bowling Night featured 10 reserved lanes for the members of the Wittenborg family from 17:00 to 19:00. It also included free drinks and snacks for participants who had registered prior to the event.
According to External Relations & Events Manager Sophia Faraji, the school is planning other exciting events such as the Karaoke Night in April and the Summer Jam in June. “We encourage all students to participate in these activities because they help with stress relief and promote community building,” she said.
MBM student Kalu Agwu, specialising in Logistics & Trade, said that he enjoyed the Bowling Night a lot, describing it as competitive and interesting.
Floral Design and Entrepreneurship: Lessons Learned from Miranda ter Voorde
Ter Voorde Shares Insights into her Entrepreneurial Journey During Open Lecture
https://www.wittenborg.eu/floral-design-and-entrepreneurship-lessons-learned-miranda-ter-voorde.htm
In an open lecture, floral entrepreneur Miranda ter Voorde offered students and alumni a glimpse into her journey from florist to successful business owner and entrepreneur.
The lecture, held on 29 February in Apeldoorn, saw attendees eager to learn from ter Voorde's wealth of experience.
Ter Voorde, known for her flower arrangements in Rituals Cosmetics stores, shared anecdotes and emphasised the evolution of her skills and mindset over the years.
"I started as a florist, but in the 24 years that I have my company, I started to be also an entrepreneur," ter Voorde explained. "I'm now more an entrepreneur than a florist. It doesn't mean I don't have the passion anymore, but my skills are so developed in the growth of my company that I love being an entrepreneur." Here, she mentioned her company based in Apeldoorn, Meesterlijk Geschikt, of which she is owner and creative director. Apart from creating flower arrangements for various occasions, ter Voorde and her team at Meesterlijk Geschikt also engage in concept development, event organisation and more. The company has a rich history of organising events, one notable example being the creation of a boat for the coronation of the King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander.
Ter Voorde also talked about her book, published in 2010, called 'Celebrations'. In this book, she touches on a world of different festivities (birthdays, bridal showers, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and more) framed with flowers to show how powerful a floral emotion can be.
How to Create the Perfect Pitch - Guest Lecturer Discusses with Students
Udo Neufeglise Offers Valuable Insights to Bachelor’s Students
https://www.wittenborg.eu/how-create-perfect-pitch-guest-lecturer-discusses-students.htm
In today’s highly connected and digital world, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have both opportunities and challenges to stand out in the global market. One key element of success is the sales pitch, which was the topic of the guest lecture delivered by Udo Neufeglise to a group of Wittenborg bachelor’s students on 17 January.
Neufeglise, who is vastly experienced in different areas including sales, customer service, account management and operations, discussed how to create a perfect sales pitch and the importance of it for companies. Moreover, he shared good and bad examples of sales pitches and delved into his personal experiences and reflections on work in sales.
According to the guest lecturer, in view of globalisation, international marketing is no longer only important for big companies, but also for SMEs. Neufeglise highlights that, just like in the case of other professions, people get better at sales with experience.
During the lecture, he emphasised the importance of the values that make up a great pitch, such as expertise in the subject, confidence, trust and conciseness. On the other hand, the activity also addressed attitudes that should be avoided by people when they are pitching, including poor preparation, not leaving time for a response, talking too much about oneself and lack of communication skills.
“One very important aspect of it is trust, which needs to be built by your natural and authentic behaviour. By staying close to your core values and representing your brand in a consistent way, you will connect with people and deliver a great pitch,” he said.
Strategic Board of Stedendriehoek Considers Region's Identity and Ambitions
Wittenborg CEO and Stakeholders Discuss the Stedendriehoek's Branding
Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, was among the attendees at a meeting hosted by the Strategic Network Apeldoorn, focused on shaping the future of Deventer, Lochem, Voorst, Epe, Brummen, Zutphen, Heerde and Apeldoorn, referred to as the Stedendriehoek region.
The meeting aimed to address important questions about the region's identity, vision for the future, and shared ambitions, with the ultimate goal being threefold: What values fit the region? What is the vision of the region in 2050 and what is the ambition?
The meeting, held on 5 February, brought together key stakeholders, at Kruiskerk in Eerbeek, including Ton Heerts, the Strategic Board Chairman, and Alex van Hedel, Mayor of the Municipality of Brummen. The Strategic Board invited Erik Braun, Associate Professor of Marketing at Copenhagen and Erasmus University, to give a presentation on what he calls "regional thinking".
Braun referenced an article from The Guardian, which highlights Denmark's efforts to rebrand part of Sweden as 'Greater Copenhagen' eight years ago. Braun said that "a region functions as a brand in shaping its image. This image can be influenced, and it is beneficial to manage a region as a brand."
For Feng, this was quite interesting. "Greater Copenhagen now extends to neighbouring areas of Sweden. It just shows that the region is a wider concept and one should not think that because we have the Ijssel River dividing up Apeldoorn, Deventer, and Zutphen, we cannot be a region."
Mental Health Support: Wittenborg's Commitment to Student Well-being
https://www.wittenborg.eu/mental-health-support-wittenborgs-commitment-student-well-being.htm
Wittenborg's Ongoing Dedication to Student Well-being: Continuing the Dialogue on Mental Health
Did you know? After numerous discussions about mental health over the last couple of years during the Student and Staff Conference Day, Wittenborg introduced a comprehensive support system in 2023 to address personal and confidential issues.
On 5 March, Wittenborg's Student and Staff Conference Day kicked off in Apeldoorn once again. During the morning session, students and staff gathered separately to discuss the workplace structure and environment. Topics included teaching techniques, social gatherings and additional training. The meeting, headed by staff representative Dadi Chen, was hybrid, allowing participation from faculty and staff working remotely, as well as student representatives from Amsterdam.
Following this, the Programme Committee meeting took place with the outcomes of these discussions presented and further deliberated over during the Plenary Feedback session in the afternoon.
Guest Lecture Takes Closer Look at EU Law and the Chocolate Directive
Ezgi Arık's EU Law Lecture at Wittenborg Engages BBA Students in Chocolate Directive Role-Play
https://www.wittenborg.eu/guest-lecture-takes-closer-look-eu-law-and-chocolate-directive.htm
This January, students on Wittenborg's Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme in Apeldoorn had the unique opportunity to delve into EU (European Union) law-making processes with a guest lecture by Ezgi Arık.
Arık is a PhD candidate at Leiden University's Institute for Tax Law and Economics. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law from Koc University, Istanbul. Before joining Leiden University, she worked as a research and teaching assistant in the Tax Law Department of Koc University Law School. She is also a certified lawyer in Turkey.
The theme of the lecture, 'Business Contract Negotiations in the International Arena,' took students on a journey through the complexities of EU law, with a special focus on the 'free movement of goods'. The session commenced with an introduction to key EU institutions such as the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union, and the vital role they play in shaping legislation.
"The rest of the lecture was devoted to a 'role-play game' on the EU Chocolate Directive," Arık explained. This directive harmonises the labelling of cocoa and chocolate products, establishing definitions for these products to enable consumers to make informed choices.
"The main message was clear: addressing the difficulties in the EU's law-making processes, as each member state might have different interests, and it is not always easy to reach a common decision. Additionally, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union must reach a common decision as co-legislators, which is not always easy either."
MBA Thesis Analyses Experiences of U.S. Students in Dutch Higher Education
Research by Daria Zelenukhina Focuses on Students’ One-Semester Experiences
https://www.wittenborg.eu/mba-thesis-analyses-experiences-us-students-dutch-higher-education.ht
Having worked for several years in the international education sector, Wittenborg graduate Daria Zelenukhina decided to focus her thesis research on the experiences of US study-abroad students in Dutch higher education institutions. Zelenukhina, who recently completed an MBA (Master of Business Administration) in Education, is originally from Russia but also lived in Singapore before moving to the Netherlands.
She highlights that the chosen theme aligns with her professional interests and expertise. “I have gained experience working with various US-based study-abroad providers that offer diverse programmes to US students. While reflecting on what to research, I discovered a knowledge gap, as the majority of researchers tend to focus on the experience of international students in English-speaking environments, including the United States. My thesis, in contrast, centres on the reverse perspective – that is, the experience of US students doing one semester abroad.”
To gather information for her research, Zelenukhina contacted four organisations that offer study-abroad programmes in the Netherlands for US students, out of which three companies are based in Amsterdam and one in Maastricht. The programmes offered are conducted in three well-known Dutch public universities. In addition to asking the service providers permission to administer an online survey to their former clients, the researcher also used social media channels to get in touch with some of these students individually.
Understanding the Strength of Brands: MBM Students Attend Guest Lecture by Expert
Eirini Bazaki Sheds Light on How Successful Brand Campaigns are Built
https://www.wittenborg.eu/understanding-strength-brands-mbm-students-attend-guest-lecture-expert.htm
What makes a strong brand, and what are the lessons that successful brand campaigns can teach us?
These were the questions that Eirini Bazaki sought to answer in her guest lecture ‘How Brand Elements Are Communicated Through a Campaign’, delivered to a group of Wittenborg MBM students in Apeldoorn on 11 January.
Bazaki is the Programme Leader for the popular Master of Arts in Fashion Marketing & Branding at the Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton. In addition to her academic career, she is a digital marketing and brand strategist, author and consultant.
At the start of her session, she presented examples of strong brands and discussed the elements that make a strong brand identity. Next, the lecture addressed the concept of brand equity, as well as its multiple dimensions and proposed ways to enhance it.
“We also talked about the importance of the 3Ps – brand promise, brand positioning, brand performance – and the role of communications in realising them. Finally, we closed the activity by discussing examples of successful brand campaigns. We looked at the concept behind each campaign, its aims, the importance of the audience and of the campaign message, how brand identity was carried out through and successful multi-channel marketing actions,” Bazaki highlighted.
Wittenborg and AnyforSoft Join Forces for Webinar on Website Enhancement
Peter Birdsall and Stan Tymoshenko Discuss Wittenborg's Recent Website Revamp in Detail
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-and-anyforsoft-join-forces-webinar-website-enhancement.htm
On 14 February, Wittenborg and the software development company AnyforSoft teamed up to host a webinar focusing on crafting exceptional websites.
Wittenborg President, Peter Birdsall, and AnyforSoft's Head of Sales, Stan Tymoshenko, discussed their recent collaboration aimed at enhancing Wittenborg's website under the theme 'Revolutionising Business School Websites'. The project, initiated in July and concluded in early November 2023, included not only visual changes but also a focused effort towards technical upgrades to meet modern web development standards.
After their introductions, Birdsall noted the importance of reaching a global audience due to Wittenborg's diverse student body, emphasising the need for an academic and research-focused profile, and explained that Wittenborg's first website version was created around 2002:
"It is not that long ago when schools and companies did not have websites. If they did, it would have been just a few pages. A lot of those were hard-coded and written in HTML."
Birdsall went on to underscore the importance of differentiating international education from traditional business websites, stating, "You want to make it attractive so that it recruits new students, but it should not be a hard-sell website."
Wittenborg Graduate: 'AI-Generated CVs and Cover Letters Aren't Doing You Any Favours'
Laura Serrano Reveals the Pitfalls of CVs and Cover Letters in Today's Job Market
The world of job applications has witnessed a surge in AI-generated CVs and cover letters. A discerning graduate from Wittenborg has taken a stand against this trend, shedding light on the consequences of mass-produced applications that lack authenticity. Laura Serrano, a Department Manager within the H&M Group, shared her insights in an interview, urging job seekers not to rely on AI applications when writing their CVs or cover letters.
Serrano, who pursued her HBA (Hospitality Business Administration) degree from 2019 to 2022 at Wittenborg, expressed her concerns within the Wittenborg alumni group on Facebook. She later shared more details about the overwhelming number of cover letters crossing her desk, all saying the exact same thing.
"Our teachers at Wittenborg work hard against plagiarism; using AI-generated cover letters is a real-life type of plagiarism. The consequences aren't necessarily for the company but for job seekers because this can lead to an automatic disqualification, even if the person possesses the skills needed for the job."
Be authentic and creative
Serrano observed a significant increase in AI-generated content in the CVs at her workplace, expressing disappointment at the lack of authenticity and effort from applicants, particularly university students. She stressed the importance of authenticity and creativity, noting that it reflects an applicant's genuine interest in the company, the job description and alignment with company values.
Fun and Games - over 100 Students at Wittenborg’s Bowling Night
Event Provides Opportunities for Relaxing and Socialising
https://www.wittenborg.eu/fun-and-games-over-100-students-wittenborgs-bowling-night.htm
For more than 100 Wittenborg students and staff members, the evening of 23 February was an opportunity to have fun, relax and make new friends. Held at Bowlingcentrum Apeldoorn, the school’s Bowling Night featured 10 reserved lanes for the members of the Wittenborg family from 17:00 to 19:00. It also included free drinks and snacks for participants who had registered prior to the event.
According to External Relations & Events Manager Sophia Faraji, the school is planning other exciting events such as the Karaoke Night in April and the Summer Jam in June. “We encourage all students to participate in these activities because they help with stress relief and promote community building,” she said.
MBM student Kalu Agwu, specialising in Logistics & Trade, said that he enjoyed the Bowling Night a lot, describing it as competitive and interesting.
Floral Design and Entrepreneurship: Lessons Learned from Miranda ter Voorde
Ter Voorde Shares Insights into her Entrepreneurial Journey During Open Lecture
https://www.wittenborg.eu/floral-design-and-entrepreneurship-lessons-learned-miranda-ter-voorde.htm
In an open lecture, floral entrepreneur Miranda ter Voorde offered students and alumni a glimpse into her journey from florist to successful business owner and entrepreneur.
The lecture, held on 29 February in Apeldoorn, saw attendees eager to learn from ter Voorde's wealth of experience.
Ter Voorde, known for her flower arrangements in Rituals Cosmetics stores, shared anecdotes and emphasised the evolution of her skills and mindset over the years.
"I started as a florist, but in the 24 years that I have my company, I started to be also an entrepreneur," ter Voorde explained. "I'm now more an entrepreneur than a florist. It doesn't mean I don't have the passion anymore, but my skills are so developed in the growth of my company that I love being an entrepreneur." Here, she mentioned her company based in Apeldoorn, Meesterlijk Geschikt, of which she is owner and creative director. Apart from creating flower arrangements for various occasions, ter Voorde and her team at Meesterlijk Geschikt also engage in concept development, event organisation and more. The company has a rich history of organising events, one notable example being the creation of a boat for the coronation of the King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander.
Ter Voorde also talked about her book, published in 2010, called 'Celebrations'. In this book, she touches on a world of different festivities (birthdays, bridal showers, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and more) framed with flowers to show how powerful a floral emotion can be.
How to Create the Perfect Pitch - Guest Lecturer Discusses with Students
Udo Neufeglise Offers Valuable Insights to Bachelor’s Students
https://www.wittenborg.eu/how-create-perfect-pitch-guest-lecturer-discusses-students.htm
In today’s highly connected and digital world, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have both opportunities and challenges to stand out in the global market. One key element of success is the sales pitch, which was the topic of the guest lecture delivered by Udo Neufeglise to a group of Wittenborg bachelor’s students on 17 January.
Neufeglise, who is vastly experienced in different areas including sales, customer service, account management and operations, discussed how to create a perfect sales pitch and the importance of it for companies. Moreover, he shared good and bad examples of sales pitches and delved into his personal experiences and reflections on work in sales.
According to the guest lecturer, in view of globalisation, international marketing is no longer only important for big companies, but also for SMEs. Neufeglise highlights that, just like in the case of other professions, people get better at sales with experience.
During the lecture, he emphasised the importance of the values that make up a great pitch, such as expertise in the subject, confidence, trust and conciseness. On the other hand, the activity also addressed attitudes that should be avoided by people when they are pitching, including poor preparation, not leaving time for a response, talking too much about oneself and lack of communication skills.
“One very important aspect of it is trust, which needs to be built by your natural and authentic behaviour. By staying close to your core values and representing your brand in a consistent way, you will connect with people and deliver a great pitch,” he said.
Strategic Board of Stedendriehoek Considers Region's Identity and Ambitions
Wittenborg CEO and Stakeholders Discuss the Stedendriehoek's Branding
Wittenborg CEO, Maggie Feng, was among the attendees at a meeting hosted by the Strategic Network Apeldoorn, focused on shaping the future of Deventer, Lochem, Voorst, Epe, Brummen, Zutphen, Heerde and Apeldoorn, referred to as the Stedendriehoek region.
The meeting aimed to address important questions about the region's identity, vision for the future, and shared ambitions, with the ultimate goal being threefold: What values fit the region? What is the vision of the region in 2050 and what is the ambition?
The meeting, held on 5 February, brought together key stakeholders, at Kruiskerk in Eerbeek, including Ton Heerts, the Strategic Board Chairman, and Alex van Hedel, Mayor of the Municipality of Brummen. The Strategic Board invited Erik Braun, Associate Professor of Marketing at Copenhagen and Erasmus University, to give a presentation on what he calls "regional thinking".
Braun referenced an article from The Guardian, which highlights Denmark's efforts to rebrand part of Sweden as 'Greater Copenhagen' eight years ago. Braun said that "a region functions as a brand in shaping its image. This image can be influenced, and it is beneficial to manage a region as a brand."
For Feng, this was quite interesting. "Greater Copenhagen now extends to neighbouring areas of Sweden. It just shows that the region is a wider concept and one should not think that because we have the Ijssel River dividing up Apeldoorn, Deventer, and Zutphen, we cannot be a region."
Mental Health Support: Wittenborg's Commitment to Student Well-being
https://www.wittenborg.eu/mental-health-support-wittenborgs-commitment-student-well-being.htm
Wittenborg's Ongoing Dedication to Student Well-being: Continuing the Dialogue on Mental Health
Did you know? After numerous discussions about mental health over the last couple of years during the Student and Staff Conference Day, Wittenborg introduced a comprehensive support system in 2023 to address personal and confidential issues.
On 5 March, Wittenborg's Student and Staff Conference Day kicked off in Apeldoorn once again. During the morning session, students and staff gathered separately to discuss the workplace structure and environment. Topics included teaching techniques, social gatherings and additional training. The meeting, headed by staff representative Dadi Chen, was hybrid, allowing participation from faculty and staff working remotely, as well as student representatives from Amsterdam.
Following this, the Programme Committee meeting took place with the outcomes of these discussions presented and further deliberated over during the Plenary Feedback session in the afternoon.
Guest Lecture Takes Closer Look at EU Law and the Chocolate Directive
Ezgi Arık's EU Law Lecture at Wittenborg Engages BBA Students in Chocolate Directive Role-Play
https://www.wittenborg.eu/guest-lecture-takes-closer-look-eu-law-and-chocolate-directive.htm
This January, students on Wittenborg's Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme in Apeldoorn had the unique opportunity to delve into EU (European Union) law-making processes with a guest lecture by Ezgi Arık.
Arık is a PhD candidate at Leiden University's Institute for Tax Law and Economics. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law from Koc University, Istanbul. Before joining Leiden University, she worked as a research and teaching assistant in the Tax Law Department of Koc University Law School. She is also a certified lawyer in Turkey.
The theme of the lecture, 'Business Contract Negotiations in the International Arena,' took students on a journey through the complexities of EU law, with a special focus on the 'free movement of goods'. The session commenced with an introduction to key EU institutions such as the European Council, the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union, and the vital role they play in shaping legislation.
"The rest of the lecture was devoted to a 'role-play game' on the EU Chocolate Directive," Arık explained. This directive harmonises the labelling of cocoa and chocolate products, establishing definitions for these products to enable consumers to make informed choices.
"The main message was clear: addressing the difficulties in the EU's law-making processes, as each member state might have different interests, and it is not always easy to reach a common decision. Additionally, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union must reach a common decision as co-legislators, which is not always easy either."
MBA Thesis Analyses Experiences of U.S. Students in Dutch Higher Education
Research by Daria Zelenukhina Focuses on Students’ One-Semester Experiences
https://www.wittenborg.eu/mba-thesis-analyses-experiences-us-students-dutch-higher-education.ht
Having worked for several years in the international education sector, Wittenborg graduate Daria Zelenukhina decided to focus her thesis research on the experiences of US study-abroad students in Dutch higher education institutions. Zelenukhina, who recently completed an MBA (Master of Business Administration) in Education, is originally from Russia but also lived in Singapore before moving to the Netherlands.
She highlights that the chosen theme aligns with her professional interests and expertise. “I have gained experience working with various US-based study-abroad providers that offer diverse programmes to US students. While reflecting on what to research, I discovered a knowledge gap, as the majority of researchers tend to focus on the experience of international students in English-speaking environments, including the United States. My thesis, in contrast, centres on the reverse perspective – that is, the experience of US students doing one semester abroad.”
To gather information for her research, Zelenukhina contacted four organisations that offer study-abroad programmes in the Netherlands for US students, out of which three companies are based in Amsterdam and one in Maastricht. The programmes offered are conducted in three well-known Dutch public universities. In addition to asking the service providers permission to administer an online survey to their former clients, the researcher also used social media channels to get in touch with some of these students individually.
Understanding the Strength of Brands: MBM Students Attend Guest Lecture by Expert
Eirini Bazaki Sheds Light on How Successful Brand Campaigns are Built
https://www.wittenborg.eu/understanding-strength-brands-mbm-students-attend-guest-lecture-expert.htm
What makes a strong brand, and what are the lessons that successful brand campaigns can teach us?
These were the questions that Eirini Bazaki sought to answer in her guest lecture ‘How Brand Elements Are Communicated Through a Campaign’, delivered to a group of Wittenborg MBM students in Apeldoorn on 11 January.
Bazaki is the Programme Leader for the popular Master of Arts in Fashion Marketing & Branding at the Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton. In addition to her academic career, she is a digital marketing and brand strategist, author and consultant.
At the start of her session, she presented examples of strong brands and discussed the elements that make a strong brand identity. Next, the lecture addressed the concept of brand equity, as well as its multiple dimensions and proposed ways to enhance it.
“We also talked about the importance of the 3Ps – brand promise, brand positioning, brand performance – and the role of communications in realising them. Finally, we closed the activity by discussing examples of successful brand campaigns. We looked at the concept behind each campaign, its aims, the importance of the audience and of the campaign message, how brand identity was carried out through and successful multi-channel marketing actions,” Bazaki highlighted.
Wittenborg and AnyforSoft Join Forces for Webinar on Website Enhancement
Peter Birdsall and Stan Tymoshenko Discuss Wittenborg's Recent Website Revamp in Detail
https://www.wittenborg.eu/wittenborg-and-anyforsoft-join-forces-webinar-website-enhancement.htm
On 14 February, Wittenborg and the software development company AnyforSoft teamed up to host a webinar focusing on crafting exceptional websites.
Wittenborg President, Peter Birdsall, and AnyforSoft's Head of Sales, Stan Tymoshenko, discussed their recent collaboration aimed at enhancing Wittenborg's website under the theme 'Revolutionising Business School Websites'. The project, initiated in July and concluded in early November 2023, included not only visual changes but also a focused effort towards technical upgrades to meet modern web development standards.
After their introductions, Birdsall noted the importance of reaching a global audience due to Wittenborg's diverse student body, emphasising the need for an academic and research-focused profile, and explained that Wittenborg's first website version was created around 2002:
"It is not that long ago when schools and companies did not have websites. If they did, it would have been just a few pages. A lot of those were hard-coded and written in HTML."
Birdsall went on to underscore the importance of differentiating international education from traditional business websites, stating, "You want to make it attractive so that it recruits new students, but it should not be a hard-sell website."
Wittenborg Graduate: 'AI-Generated CVs and Cover Letters Aren't Doing You Any Favours'
Laura Serrano Reveals the Pitfalls of CVs and Cover Letters in Today's Job Market
The world of job applications has witnessed a surge in AI-generated CVs and cover letters. A discerning graduate from Wittenborg has taken a stand against this trend, shedding light on the consequences of mass-produced applications that lack authenticity. Laura Serrano, a Department Manager within the H&M Group, shared her insights in an interview, urging job seekers not to rely on AI applications when writing their CVs or cover letters.
Serrano, who pursued her HBA (Hospitality Business Administration) degree from 2019 to 2022 at Wittenborg, expressed her concerns within the Wittenborg alumni group on Facebook. She later shared more details about the overwhelming number of cover letters crossing her desk, all saying the exact same thing.
"Our teachers at Wittenborg work hard against plagiarism; using AI-generated cover letters is a real-life type of plagiarism. The consequences aren't necessarily for the company but for job seekers because this can lead to an automatic disqualification, even if the person possesses the skills needed for the job."
Be authentic and creative
Serrano observed a significant increase in AI-generated content in the CVs at her workplace, expressing disappointment at the lack of authenticity and effort from applicants, particularly university students. She stressed the importance of authenticity and creativity, noting that it reflects an applicant's genuine interest in the company, the job description and alignment with company values.