Anja Meironke studies economics and political science and is involved with Campus Contact Halle eV, the student management consultancy at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg.
Why?
You gain initial insights into how companies and institutions are organized and structured. Each member is assigned to a specific department - e.g. E.g. finance and law, human resources and recruiting, IT or quality management. When you do an internship or start your career, you already know a little bit about how things are going.
In addition, I am now more aware of what opportunities the professional world offers and what it doesn't. It's only when you're in the lecture hall that you quickly develop false ideas because you think that everyone there does really 'crass' things that you would never be able to do yourself. But if you then come into contact with the corporate world from a different perspective, this view is put into perspective. I would call it positive reality shock. You quickly realize that companies only cook with water. This is good for your own self-confidence.
I also find the variety offered by the form of project work particularly appealing. You always have to familiarize yourself with new things and can apply what you have learned in other projects to new problems - be it the methodical approach or the knowledge in a specific industry. Of course, it is also interesting to get to know different customers and see what makes them tick.
What?
My last project was in collaboration with an engine testing center. The task here was to record and analyze the proportion of value-adding and non-value-adding activities in the company in the spirit of lean management. In this project, the focus was on statistical methods of data collection and analysis. We have e.g. B. conducted interviews with the employees and looked at the processes in the company. We then processed the data and made it available to the customer. That was very interesting.
And then?
I can well imagine working as a consultant. Last summer I completed a six-month internship at NTT DATA in Munich in the customer management department specifically for manufacturing/automotive. The team there was really great. My colleagues never made me feel like I was asking a stupid question - although one or two certainly had the potential to do so ;). I think that's really important because you have to be open to new ideas, especially in the consulting area.
Alexander Pfaffenrot studies industrial engineering at Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences and at the same time holds a board position in the Federal Association of German Student Management Consultancies
Why?
Very easy! I don't know of any other initiative that is so diverse and in which I can try out so much as a student. Be it in the area of personnel development, customer acquisition or quality management. Nowadays, university life is characterized by the fact that we students are presented with a timetable that takes up the entire week. There is little time for personal development. With us I learn e.g. B. how I behave in front of a customer, how I present myself or how I lead a team. I also have regular contact with companies and can therefore possibly get to know my potential employer.
What?
Two projects in particular remain in my memory. One was about a craft company for which a personnel marketing concept for recruiting employees was to be created. In the other case, I was allowed to prepare analyzes and evaluations for a department in local politics, which served to aid decision-making in a committee.
These two examples alone show the breadth of the field that we can cover and that companies hire student management consultancies for various reasons.
And then?
Become a consultant after studying? Clearly: yes. Internships in this area have made me more aware of what I can and should expect. For me personally, it's less about the money and more about the high learning curve and the opportunities for advancement that arise from it.
I don't believe in blanket judgments about the profession. I know e.g. For example, there are many management consultants who work long hours and still lead a fulfilling private life.
Anja and Alexander talk about their first experiences on the consulting stage.
