Business preparation

Pre-arrival orientation course

We look forward to welcoming you on campus and we know you too are excited on taking this next step to study with us. To help with supporting this transition, the pre-arrival orientation course provides information about our campus and community as well as explores the transition between prior educational experience and the skills set needed to get you started on this journey. 

What we recommend

Whether you study business management, accounting and finance or have chosen a particular specialist pathway, there are five things we recommend you do before starting your exciting journey at Surrey Business School. It is important that you are open to the latest developments in business, management and the wider economy. You should be highly visible as a future professional and ready to engage with the world around you. Here are our five tips you can start doing today to get off to a great start at Surrey Business School (SBS).

1. Create a LinkedIn account

We strongly recommend you build your profile on LinkedIn to engage with the latest trends, opportunities and ensure you are connecting with the right people. Employers use this platform to find candidates. It is where you can present your professional face to the world. There are many tools available to help you to create a quality profile, but make sure you:

• Use a profile picture that reflects your professional nature.
• Connect with University of Surrey academics, institutes and Surrey Business School.

2. Read newspapers regularly

Staying on top of events in the world of business and the wider economy is essential. Reading a quality newspaper allows you to place many of the theories you will learn in a practical context – allowing you to advance business ideas and contribute in an informed manner. 

Whether you sign up to newsletters, read online (possibly using the library subscription service) or even buy a physical newspaper or magazine, make sure you dedicate time to expand your knowledge and reflect on what you have read. You might also want to focus on particular companies you aspire working for and see how they are portrayed in the media or maybe find new companies or topics that spark your interest.

• Financial Times
• Forbes
• The Economist
• Harvard Business Review
• businessinsider.com
• Regional Business News.

3. Watch TEDx talks

While you may have been directed to TEDx talks at school, they remain highly topical and easily digestible presentations by specialists across a range of topics. Perhaps dedicate 15 minutes a week to pick a TED talk that resonates with you. Make a note afterwards and you might come back to the content of the talk later in your study journey. Here are three 'must-watch' TED talks:

• The power of believing you can improve − Carol Dweck
• How great leaders inspire action − Simon Sinek
• Choices that can change your life − Caroline Myss.

4. People you should know about

In any discipline there are some people and names you should not just have heard about, but also spent time exploring. Here are three people to get started:

• Peter Drucker (see Harvard Business Review's article, 'Why Read Peter Drucker?')
• Gilbert Baker, Creator of the Gay Pride Flag
• Susan Wojcicki, former CEO of YouTube.
• Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer, OpenAI

5. Read relevant books

While you will be reading a number of textbooks, academic journal articles and case studies during your studies, there are some books that are not on any reading list but are, nonetheless, an excellent read. Perhaps identify two to three books a year that can provide you that little extra you need. See the 10 best-rated books by CEOs, or see our three book tips:

• Our Iceberg is melting by John Kotter
• The Human Edge by Greg Orme
• Mindset: changing the way you think to fulfil your potential by Carol Dweck.

We look forward to welcoming you in person on campus! And once you are here, we recommend you join the student-led BizSoc Society. SBS works closely with BizSoc and they offer support, networking opportunities and events.