From talent to Senior Consultant: Tizian and Björn

To what extent did the zeb.talents program prepare you for your permanent employment at zeb? How did your internship or your participation in the zeb.talents program help you with your career start?

Björn: My internship gave me the opportunity to gain comprehensive insights into the consulting industry as well as zeb’s corporate culture. These experiences have strengthened my desire to rejoin zeb via the zeb.bachelor-welcome program after completing my studies.

The zeb.talents program was very helpful in that regard, as it allowed me to stay in close contact with zeb.

Tizian: The internship gave me an authentic impression of everyday consulting work through direct involvement in real projects. At the same time, I was able to experience the frequently referenced and well-known zeb corporate spirit, which was a key factor in my decision to join the company.

The zeb.talents program allowed me to build a strong network with other talents and zeb colleagues, from which I still benefit today.

How did you experience joining zeb on a permanent basis? Were there any particular challenges or positive turns of events that surprised you?

Björn: Getting started in consulting is always a major challenge, especially when it comes to dealing confidently with unfamiliar topics. However, thanks to the extensive support of my colleagues here at zeb, I was able to quickly familiarize myself with the new working atmosphere.

What I find especially valuable is the opportunity to take on responsibility at an early stage, which allows for a steep learning curve.

Tizian: What I remember as particularly positive is that my IT equipment ran smoothly from the very beginning (😉) – at the same time, I knew that I could always fully rely on my colleagues, who were always there to help and advise me. This team spirit was an essential anchor in project phases when things became more stressful.

I was also surprised by the extensive range of training and development opportunities, which I gladly and regularly take advantage of.

Overall, I can say that joining the company on a permanent basis marked the beginning of an exciting phase for me, characterized by many new experiences as well as continuous personal and professional development opportunities.

What has happened since then? What have been your highlights/challenges at zeb so far?

Björn: After joining the company on a permanent basis, I was able to work on a wide variety of different projects, each with its own challenges and moments of success.

For example, by working closely with the client, we managed to successfully complete the merger of two commercial banks despite a very tight schedule.

Tizian: I have been doing project work since my very first day at zeb. In my first project, I supported a medium-sized insurance company in implementing DORA, among other things. I will remember the joint achievement and celebration of key project results for a long time.

Since starting at zeb, I have also traveled a lot throughout Germany for projects and internal events, which has helped me significantly to further expand my network (most recently, for example, at the zeb-wide Christmas party in Münster).

Give us an insight into your current projects: What are the main topics you are currently working on? How well does the cooperation within the project team and with the clients work?

Björn: Together with my Commercial, Corporate & Institutional Banking Practice Group, I am currently working mainly on strategic projects with an international focus (identification of growth potential, market entries and M&A) as well as securitization transactions.

Our dynamic in the project team is characterized by close collaboration and flat hierarchies, which allows us to react flexibly and efficiently to client requirements.

Tizian: I am currently working primarily on projects in the insurance industry. My focus here is on information security and compliance. These topics combine strategy, people and technology, which is the perfect mix for me as a business IT graduate.

My colleagues are always collaborating on an equal footing and true to the motto “reasoning beats hierarchy”. Likewise, the interaction with employees of our clients has been characterized by a strong team spirit in all projects I’ve worked on so far.

What advice would you give new colleagues who are joining zeb after completing their degree?

Björn: Take the opportunity to get to know many different projects and topics in the field of financial services in order to build up a broad knowledge base.

Develop the core skills that are crucial for consulting, such as working in a structured manner, at an early stage.

Build up an internal network by participating in events or regularly coming to the office.

Tizian: You will get a lot of impressions right from the start, which will give you the opportunity to absorb a large amount of information and knowledge – schedule regular time slots to structure this knowledge and put it into a usable format (such as checklists).

Venture outside your comfort zone early on and take every opportunity to break existing patterns and practice new skills (mistakes are allowed – especially if you are new to this).

Tizian's and Björn's experiences at zeb have aroused your interest? Click here to find further information about our internships.