Trainee: the new entry into the job

Carolin Diana Müller has successfully completed a trainee program at Microsoft Germany.

Carolin Diana Müller is only 28 - and her CV is already like a career guide: She studied business administration, then earned a master's degree in the Netherlands - and this in turn was crowned with an MBA in International Business in Australia. Three and a half years ago she is then as Trainee at Micrsoft Germany started working today as Product Marketing Manager. In an interview, she talks about her daily work and tells us why she would always choose a trainee program.

Trainee program: "Well structured and yet flexible"

BYM.de: What does a normal working day look like for you?

Carolin Diana Müller: Almost no day looks like the other, which I find quite positive and exciting. As a Product Manager, I have a kind of "interface function" in many areas of the company. I spend part of the day in meetings to work with colleagues from other departments on joint projects. Otherwise, there are often events and appointments - both with partners and customers as well as with the press and analysts.

BYM.de: What do you like most about your job?

Carolin Diana Müller: That I'm responsible for my own area as Product Marketing Manager. He calls himself "Unified Communications" and plays a significant role in the efficient communication and collaboration in companies. Researchers agree that "Unified Communications" will be the most important IT trend in the decade from 2010. This rapid growth makes my role particularly exciting and brings with it a lot of professional challenges: the market has to be analyzed, the partner companies are trained and of course a lot of marketing work is done. Here I have the opportunity to carry out great projects with nice colleagues and partners.

BYM.de: When you read your resume, it's hard to imagine that you are still so young: two degrees, stays abroad in the Netherlands and Australia - and now a trainee program. What made you decide to apply for it?

Carolin Diana Müller: A trainee program is the ideal career entry into an international company. The program is well structured and still flexible. It also gave me the opportunity to get to know the entire company and get a comprehensive overview of products, strategies and processes. The international focus has helped me to build a global network that is very valuable even after the program. The seminars allowed me to develop not only in marketing, but also in team collaboration, project management, creativity and presentation techniques.

BYM.de: How did the application phase for the trainee program go?

Carolin Diana Müller: After the first successful interview with a personnel consultant including an English test, I was invited to an assessment center. There we had to prepare presentations, hold a group discussion and carry out a case study analysis and a role play. The whole application process was very challenging for me.

BYM.de: Looking back, are you glad that you have chosen the trainee program?

Carolin Diana Müller: Yes, because the trainee made it extremely easy for me to get started in the company. Already from the first day one is accompanied and supported by a mentor as well as a manager. At regular meetings, we discussed the course of the trainee program in the various departments and our experiences from the seminars. We also talked about Microsoft's own goals and development opportunities.

More and more university graduates, like Carolin Diana, opt for a trainee program.

BYM.de: How was the trainee program structured exactly?

Carolin Diana Müller: Overall, it took twelve months. In the first four months, I got to know several departments in a "rotation phase" and got a good overview of the different areas at Microsoft by "jobshadowing" - that means "looking over my shoulder". In the structuring of the individual stations my mentor helped me. After that I got my own project. It was about introducing a new product to the German market. After the twelve months, I joined the department as Junior Product Manager.

BYM.de: What would you advise other young women who are faced with the decision to complete a trainee program?

Carolin Diana Müller: There are big differences between the individual trainee programs. I would recommend that you take a look at the details of the program and try to talk to former trainees about their experiences. Of course, much depends on which company it is. You should also inform yourself about the company itself in order to find out whether both the program and the corporate culture are in line with your own wishes and expectations.

BYM.de: Do you have a personal recipe for success?

Carolin Diana Müller: Everything is possible if you want it and manage to inspire others for your ideas.

BYM.de: Do you benefit from the content of the trainee program in your daily job or did you have to redesign yourself a lot?

Carolin Diana Müller: Many trainings are also relevant for my job life, for example, presentation training, teambuilding, finance, sales and marketing training. Of course, you also have to acquire many things yourself, but the rotation phase and the learning-on-the-job have also helped. Today, three years after completing the trainee program, I also often benefit from the network I was able to build within the trainee community and through the rotation.

BYM.de: What are your plans for the future? Would you like to go abroad? Do you have a goal that you want to achieve in ten years?

Carolin Diana Müller: At the moment I'm completely satisfied with my current job. In the medium term, I could imagine working abroad to gain more experience. As a manager, taking responsibility for a team is a long-term option.

BYM.de: Do you think that your job is a "job of the future"?

Carolin Diana Müller: I am sure that this job will continue to offer a lot of potential in the future and that I will continue to enjoy myself. Here I have the opportunity to develop extremely fast.

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