In April 2021, I started my internship in the finance and controlling department within the commercial and off-road vehicles division at Bosch. It was the first time that I had the opportunity to work for a huge corporation and gain valuable experience in finance, the field that I am most passionate about.
My responsibilities centered on supporting the finance and controlling team, understanding the kind of processes required for strategic decision making. It was based on evaluating project finances, analyzing a lot of data, and adding visualizations to presentations to foster decisions for various projects.
The MIM program prepared me well regarding multitasking and positioning myself in a strong, professional, versatile, and dynamic learning environment. The program emphasizes the importance of both theory and practical experience. Through the internship, we have the opportunity to take what we learned in the classroom and apply it to real-life experiences, which for me has been my single best learning experience of the program so far.
Preparation
I felt quite prepared before starting the internship, as the MIM program helped me to develop my soft skills. The ESMT career services team was very supportive during the application process.
When I first started the MIM, I took part in the MIM Essentials Program designed to deliver online classes for students who due to the pandemic, could not travel internationally to start the MIM in the first semester last year. It was a joint program offered by ESMT, IE Business School, and Imperial Business School. Within the first few weeks of the program, I gained an understanding of what data analytics was. I took this knowledge together with knowledge gained from networking with ESMT alumni and used it to help understand my tasks and how to adapt to the working atmosphere at Bosch.
Challenges
Due to the pandemic, it was initially unclear whether the work was going to be remote or in-person at the office. However, I was fortunate enough that I had started working in April 2021 and had the opportunity to work some days at the office. I would say those were the days I treasure the most because we had the most fun, it was a more structured environment, and it was much easier to learn and get to know the company. I did have to work remotely as well, but it didn’t impact the quality of the experience.
As with starting any new job, it was challenging at the beginning to learn how to use various systems, understand new jargon, and adapt to working in such a big company. It took at least three weeks to settle in and understand the company framework and the tasks I took over from my predecessor.
The other challenge I faced was that I had never worked in a finance and controlling department before. I had the theoretical knowledge of the subject and needed to put this into practice. This was a very valuable experience. I learned how to use certain software and how to adapt to the working environment. The hands-on experience has helped me develop new and existing skills and given me a new level of confidence.
Key takeaways
Planning: Every company succeeds only when they have an organized approach to get things done. Working at Bosch and in the financial division has helped me understand how important it is to plan processes for decision making.
Vision: Understanding the current industry and new technological developments through the needs of the industry and the world and catering to those needs is something Bosch aims to achieve. This is part of being a visionary which this organization is consistently striving towards.
Professionalism: Professionalism and a healthy work environment were facilitated by having a plan for every task to be completed. This helps to avoid having any pressurized moments during work.
Highlights
The highlight of my internship was getting to know my colleagues, the best team to have started working with. There was a great atmosphere at work and the team was very international, making it an excellent environment for learning. Working at the commercial and off-road division at Bosch introduced me to the planning behind a technology-oriented company.
Tips for MIM students
My ultimate tip for students applying for internship opportunities is don’t give up by getting disheartened by rejections. Along with that keep a wide variety of options open when you apply for an internship program, taking into consideration how this experience will contribute to your aspirations.
For the MIM program itself, I would say try not to stress too much about having a very planned approach to your studies – you will get through, don’t stop!!
