“Why it’s worth it: from interns to student assistants”
Release date: 16 December 2024
Internships are often the first step into consulting, but they can also be the start of something more. In their article, Hanna and Laisa describe how, having completed their internships at zeb, they have successfully combined their Master’s degree with a student assistant job and talk openly about the challenges of day-to-day consulting work. Find out how their internships not only provided the ideal introduction to consulting, but also created a basis for them to continue working on exciting projects.
Laisa started out at zeb as an intern in consulting in May 2023 and seamlessly switched to a student assistant job after five months. Hanna got to know zeb in summer of and decided to stay on when she started her university program. Both are studying for a Master’s degree in Management and Entrepreneurship at the University of Münster.
How did you two get to know each other and were there any overlaps in your activities at zeb?
Laisa: We got to know each other at zeb.Uni 2024 – a two-day event for all zeb employees, which offers opportunities for networking, exchanging ideas and getting interesting input on current topics. At that time, Hanna was in the middle of her internship, while I was already working as a student assistant.
Hanna: Besides finance & risk, I was also interested in Laisa’s main topic area of agile transformation, and shortly after zeb.Uni, the opportunity arose for us to prepare and flesh out the Agile Guide training together. Since then, we have had the chance to drive forward one or two other topics together. And even when we don’t have any joint projects or topics, we often get together for lunch at zeb.roestbar and have recently started meeting up at the uni, too.
You both started out with an internship at zeb. How did your internships go?
Laisa: My five-month internship at TABULARAZA by zeb was marked by a steep learning curve and many exciting projects. Not only was I actively involved in our social media channels and our new website, but I was also able to delve deep into the many topics surrounding (agile) transformation, OKR, innovation management and strategy development. Through the various client projects, I had the chance to gain valuable experience, create genuine added value for our clients and really grow professionally, methodically and personally.
Hanna: During my three-month internship at zeb, I experienced similarly varied and exciting activities. In addition to my first project in finance & risk, I had numerous opportunities to get actively involved and learn lots of new things – be it in the preparation for the zeb Sustainability Report, the client-oriented preparation of offers, the methodical organization of strategy and topic development meetings, or in internal personnel development. One particular highlight was when I got to independently develop the concept of a physical workbook to reinforce our corporate mission. Overall, each day brought new challenges and valuable insights and helped me to define my professional trajectory more clearly.
What are the reasons why you both decided to work as student assistants in consulting after your internship?
Hanna and Laisa: That’s easy: since day 1, we have felt completely at ease and a part of zeb. We appreciate the high degree of personal responsibility and the perfect mix of being challenged and supported. Although we work in different topic areas and teams, it is precisely these factors that count for both of us: the culture that nurtures and challenges us, and the opportunity to continuously grow. Another advantage was that after our internships we were already familiar with the structures, processes and the team. This made it very easy for us to start working as student assistants and enabled us to engage in value-adding tasks immediately.
As student assistants, are you now taking on different tasks than before?
What have been your biggest challenges so far, both during your internships and now as student assistants?
Hanna: During the internship, the initial challenges were to quickly familiarize ourselves with the many new topics and areas of responsibility and to develop good self- and time management skills. We got to immerse ourselves in different projects right from the start and to actively participate in many topics. This showed us that consulting requires a high degree of personal initiative.
Laisa: The challenge as a student assistant now lies in balancing the Master’s degree and the job. Thanks to the support of our project leads and the flexible working hours, however, we are more than able to combine our studies and work. We pick up valuable skills such as presenting topics in a management-oriented way, preparing and facilitating workshops, and improving our PPT and Excel know-how – things that will help us both in our studies and in our jobs.
What advice would you give to candidates who would also like to apply for an internship at zeb?
Laisa: Do it. Be curious, show initiative, and have the will to take on responsibility. At zeb, there are plenty of opportunities to get involved and actively contribute to projects. It helps if you have an affinity for consulting topics and are ready to continuously develop further.
Hanna: And thinking ahead: with an internship and perhaps even a subsequent student assistant position, your time at zeb does not have to be over after your Master’s degree, but can open the door to permanent employment – with the advantage that you already know zeb very well as a company and will be much better positioned to make a sound job and employer choice.
Has Hanna and Laisa’s testimonial on internships and student assistant positions piqued your curiosity? Here you can find more information about starting at zeb. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Hanna or Laisa personally.
