Meet Sarah...

Describe your educational background. Where did you study, what degrees did you receive?
I am studying International Business and Management Studies and I’m currently in my 3rd year at the International Business School Hanzehogeschool in Groningen, Netherlands. I’m pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and I have done a semester abroad of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. I am now doing my internship at Bertelsmann in New York.

Describe your career history. What have been your professional experiences prior to your current position?
By traveling for one year after high school I gained international experience and took on many different jobs from call-center positions to translating and promoting jobs. After starting my studies in the Netherlands I began working part-time as a Marketing and Sales assistant in a start-up frozen foods business.

What are your current roles and responsibilities?
I am looking into the potential park reports, analyzing the German and US Edition of Create Your Own Career. I have also just started to create my own website.

Describe a typical day at your job:
Getting into the office, morning chat with everybody, getting the day started with a coffee, meetings or project work, lunch break in canteen or central park...back to work!

What attracted you to your company and position? When searching for an internship I was looking for an internationally operating business. With Bertelsmann being the most international media company with its base in Germany, it was the perfect match. I was interested in following the way a business deals with the fast changing media of today. In my position as an intern I’m now learning a lot about the usage of Web 2.0. media and the way it supports the company’s mission.

What is your favorite thing about your job? 
I can make choices for what I’d like to learn and which skills I want to improve. I also really enjoy being surrounded by colleagues who are at exactly the same stage in their careers as I am. All doors are always open and I can question anything at anytime.
 
What has been your most memorable moment (so far) in your job?
I really liked our team photo shoot that took place all over the New York Bertelsmann building and enjoyed the brilliant final presentations of our former team members who left us a week ago.

If I were a cartoon character, I would be…
Sailor Moon, so I could defend our planet against the evil!

What qualities do you feel are necessary to be a successful employee at your company?
I think that if you have a passion for design and technology, if you are a good communicator, internationally oriented and like networking, then you already have a lot of skills that are needed at Bertelsmann HR Services.

Have you had the opportunity to travel as part of your job?
Not yet.

Do you feel you have a good understanding of Bertelsmann and its corporate culture?
The Bertelsmann essentials are very comprehensible. What really holds true for this department is that employees are flexible, responsible and really act as entrepreneurs.

My favorite book, movie and artist are…
I enjoyed The Swarm by Frank Schätzing; one of my favorite movies is Point break and I am fan of Michael Jackson!