Meet Sarah...

Describe your educational background. Where did you study, what degrees did you receive?
I am currently enrolled in the fourth semester of my studies in Business Administration at the University of Applied Sciences in Paderborn (FHDW Paderborn), Germany, and I intent to finish it with a Bachelor’s degree next year in October. I chose a specialization in the area of sales management, sales conception and sales psychology. My studies are dual and consist of trimesters, which means that 3-month theoretical terms at the university alternate with 3-month terms of internships and practical experience.

Describe your career history. What have been your professional experiences prior to your current position?
According to the first practical terms of my studies, I have already done two internships at Bertelsmann in Europe. I worked at the AZ Direct GmbH (arvato services) in Guetersloh, which mainly deals with Direct Marketing and Data Services. My first station there was in the department of ‘Sales Mail Order’, where I was employed for 3 month. My second internship took place in the department of ‘Sales Telecommunication and Digital Media’, where I worked for 6 months.
Before I started my studies I worked certain part time jobs in a logistics company and at Storck and I did a social internship at a home for the elderly.

What are your current roles and responsibilities?
At the moment I am mainly busy with helping my colleagues in their everyday work, such as updating websites and doing research on different topics. But additionally I have my own ongoing projects. I am working on a new intern orientation list and I started organizing Bertelsmann’s appearance at Flickr.

What attracted you to your company and position?
As I have worked at Bertelsmann in Germany, I already had the chance to get a first impression of the company and its working opportunities. I really liked the working environment and the mentality of my co-workers at Guetersloh, who were very inspiring for me. As I really wanted to gain international experience and as I have always been fascinated by the USA and especially by New York, I decided to do my internship at Bertelsmann HR Services. International experience and competence is very important in today’s working life and I would like to get to know the international mentality at a big media company like Bertelsmann.
Moreover, of course, I would like to improve my language skills and develop my character, especially my independence and self-confidence.

What is your favorite thing about your job?
I really like to work in an environment that is open-minded, friendly and helpful, but I am also looking for challenges and opportunities to develop my hard- and soft-skills. Working in a multinational team makes my job interesting and challenging. In addition I hope to be given a chance for creative thinking in my own projects. The topic of Social Media and Employer Branding is very interesting and innovative, which makes the work even more favorable.

If you could meet anyone from history, living or dead, who would it be?
I would like to meet Barack Obama, the current president of the USA. In my opinion, this man really changed the attitude of many Americans and he brought new hope and inspiration to millions of people living in the US. Moreover he is a very charismatic person, from whom I could learn very much.

If I were a cartoon character, I would be…
Lucky Luke or Donald Duck

What qualities do you feel are necessary to be a successful employee at your company?
I believe that being able to work in a team is a very important factor for success at this company. An employee has to be helpful but must also be willing to accept supervision if necessary. Moreover, creativity, open-mindness and enthusiasm for the job and the company are significant qualities. Being able to analyze and to communicate appropriately might underline the mentioned factors.

Have you had the opportunity to travel as part of your job?
No, not as part of this internship.

Do you feel you have a good understanding of Bertelsmann and its corporate culture?
As I did much research and as I have worked at Bertelsmann in Germany I think I have a good overview and understanding of its corporate culture.

My favorite book is…
Sacrilege, The Lost Symbol 

My favorite movies are…
The Lord of the Rings, Lucky No. Slevin, Black Hawk Down, The Notebook, I am Legend…

Finally, please write a paragraph or two about yourself, your interests, hobbies, goals, meaningful life experiences, role models, memories, etc…
I am a very ambitious and focused person, yet I want to enjoy my life and spend as much time as possible with my family and friends, who are the most important people in my life. They sometimes have to spend time without me, as I love watching sports on TV alone and reading through sports columns and magazines, which they just cannot understand.
My internship in New York gives me the valuable chance to develop my character and self-independence, as it is the first time I really left home for longer than 3 weeks. Normally I live in Germany in a small village with only 1000 inhabitants, so the city of New York is truly an amazing adventure for me with my 20 years. I enjoy my time and I go out and see the city and its different aspects as often as possible. Every day I create my small, personal experiences which I will never forget.
When I finish my studies with a Bachelor’s degree in October 2011, I plan to do my Master at a university. I would like to specialize in Marketing and Sales and work at a international company, as I do not want to miss the diversity and individuality, I experience here at Bertelsmann, ever again.