Three months in the matrix: Ceyda's internship experience
In addition to studying, Ceyda would also like to gain practical insights into professional life. That's why she is swapping the lecture hall with a desk at matrix over the next three months. She regularly reports on what she experiences on the blog.
“Students don't even know how to work properly.” - almost every student has heard this sentence before. Most people know that studying is strenuous and demanding. But is there some truth in the statement after all?
I actually don't know what it is like to work full-time in a workplace. This is exactly what I want to find out now: through an internship at matrix. In the next three months I will have the chance to get a taste of the projects and activities and get to know working life here. I will support the marketing and acquisition team, as well as with the team around Next career work together.
At the moment I am studying business administration in my fourth semester at a university in North Rhine-Westphalia. Since the advanced part of my studies begins in the next semester, it was important for me to find out how the modules that appeal to me most at the university are applied in practice. In addition, my studies are very theory-heavy, so I wanted and should gain practical experience. As a business administration student, you have a lot of choice when it comes to which area you want to put your feelers into.
This can often be a curse and a blessing at the same time, because you have many options, but you can quickly lose track of things. As the saying goes? “You can't see the forest for the trees.” And that's how I felt at first, which is why I asked myself questions like “Which area do I want to look at?”, “What are my interests?”, And and and. So how exactly did I get to matrix?
Looking for creative and free work: my way to the matrix
I knew from the start that I would like to gather my practical experience in a modern company that also works creatively and is open to new ideas. It was important to me to be able to work a little more creatively and freely as a balance to my studies. I then became aware of the matrix through my surroundings, did some research and after finding out about the tasks and projects I quickly realized that I could enjoy my work here. It was refreshing to read how innovative the work is and how colorful the team is, people from all possible disciplines are represented here. When I was then suggested the “Next Career” project after my request for an internship, I was immediately enthusiastic.
I myself switched my studies and therefore recognized myself in some reports, so the overlaps were already there. I think the idea of showing doubters and students changing their studies that they are not alone and giving tips on who to turn to and how to proceed is great - and to be honest, something like that would have helped me a lot back then. Although there is a general student advisory service at most universities, which I also turned to at the time, it is also very helpful to find out how other students view the subject. In addition to my studies, I am involved in the Business Administration Student Council and we also offer our students subject-related study advice, but can provide little information about changing or prematurely ending a degree. That's why I find the “Next Career” project so interesting and important.
Marketing: exciting in your studies - and in your job?
I will also get to know the areas of marketing and acquisition. Since I like the marketing part of my studies very much, but so far only the basics of the theory have been dealt with, I hope that the internship will give me an insight into the practice of marketing activities. It would be exciting for me to see what, for example, one has to consider when developing a concept and how it has to be structured. I would also like to be able to take part in meetings, in other words to discuss projects and ideas. And maybe there is also the opportunity to experience direct work with customers.
I'm really looking forward to getting to know the work in a team and to immerse myself in real professional life. It will certainly be exciting to experience theory in practice and to see in which fields some of my studies are implemented and how that happens. I am curious to see how my ideas for the internship can be implemented and motivated to master future challenges. I'm not quite sure where the journey is going, but I am very confident that it will be worth it.
