How to first find your career aspirations during your studies and then pursue them
Laura already knew at school that she wanted to work in business later on. However, she didn't know in which field. She used the flexible business degree programme at Paderborn University to get to know all areas of a company's activities before deciding to focus on HR work. Today, she applies her knowledge as an HR manager at WDR in Cologne.
The Paderborn native started her Bachelor's degree in International Business Studies in 2013 with a combination of economics and languages. However, it quickly became clear that she wanted to concentrate on the business subject areas. For this reason, she switched to the Bachelor's degree programme in Economics after one year. The switch went smoothly, as the two degree programmes share the basic subjects and modules already taken can be credited. The Bachelor of Economics offered Laura even more freedom in her choice of modules. She describes the experience as very positive, being able to "get a taste" of all directions. In the end, she realised that her passion lies in HR work.
Laura also completed her Master's degree at UPB in just 1.5 years, as she had already brought forward Master's modules. She describes the transition to the Master's programme as extremely relaxed. "You know the university, the professors and their expectations. In addition, the Paderborn Unicampus has always been a feel-good place for me." This includes not only the time she spent on campus with her friends, but also the all-night study sessions during exam periods. "We often ordered pizza to the university while we were studying in the seminar rooms."
Choosing the right modules
Perhaps some of you are familiar with the feeling of simply not finding the right modules. However, very few people know that in such cases you can actively approach the chairs to ask whether an individual assignment or project work on a topic of your choice is possible. Laura considered this option several times during her degree programme. If the modules didn't fit in with her plan, she simply took matters into her own hands. This not only allowed her to deal with topics that really interested her, but also to expand her research skills and gain experience for writing her Bachelor's and Master's thesis.
Another highlight for Laura was the Master's modules with their combination of theory and practice. The project seminars in particular offer the opportunity to deal with real problems faced by companies. For example, she worked with Sparkasse Herford in one module or with the town of Warstein and Infineon Technologies AG. In both modules, the students were confronted with real problems faced by companies and had to independently develop solutions in the form of surveys and project work in order to provide the companies with recommendations for action. "The practical modules gave me a good insight into the requirements of the companies. You learn the theoretical knowledge incidentally through direct application."
Practical experience and the path to a dream job
Laura also gained practical experience outside of her modules. Alongside her studies, she worked 20 hours a week at Siemens Finance & Leasing GmbH for four years and, following her Master's degree, completed a five-month internship in HR at Gildemeister-Drehmaschinen GmbH in Bielefeld. "I can only recommend anyone to gain practical experience in the form of internships or working student jobs alongside their studies. This is the best way to prepare for starting your career."
During her master's degree, Laura applied for a trainee programme in the field of human resources at WDR in Cologne. Although she declined the position after the selection process, there was no reason to be sad. Instead, she was offered a position as an HR officer straight away. In her job, Laura supports day-to-day operations in recruiting and advises managers from all directorates at WDR on the topic of personnel selection. She also works on various HR projects (including the introduction of a management feedback system, developing the employer's social media presence and optimising the onboarding process). "I am very happy to be working in a great team. In the last 1.5 years, I have been able to gain many new impressions. The mix of operational business and conceptual, strategic project work makes my job an absolute dream job!"
In her daily work, the knowledge she has learnt from the practical modules helps her, especially the methodological knowledge from the field of project management - from the idea to a structured project plan (including design thinking workshops, creating project plans / milestone plans, regular communication). "During my time at university, I was always up to date with the latest scientific developments, as we read research reports in many modules. So I knew exactly what trends were currently being researched. I miss that a bit in practice now."
Tips for other students
Laura wouldn't change anything about her path and therefore has a few tips for other students. In order to pass exams, Laura has always put a lot of effort into preparing for and following up on the individual modules. "If you really put your mind to it, you can also do well in Maths 1 and 2," she says. She also always made a point of not putting herself under pressure. Her motto was to defer an exam rather than risk a failed attempt. She also advises everyone to organise and structure themselves early on, for example with the help of a study plan that is drawn up at the beginning of a semester. Another tip from her is not to underestimate the tutorials and to work together. With this approach, Laura got through her studies well and looks back fondly on her time at Paderborn University.
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Discover the diversity of economics in our Bachelor's degree programmes. Each degree programme usually lasts six semesters and prepares you for a career start or a postgraduate Master's degree.
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Laura on the way to her dream job
