MSc International Employment Relations and Human Resources Management, 2011
HR Manager, Bosch Rexroth
Please describe your career path to date
After graduating I joined the Graduate Specialist Programme (GSP) HR at Bosch Rexroth, a multinational German corporation. As part of this graduate programme I worked in HR Development and HR Marketing at the headquarters in Germany and as a HR Business Partner in Turkey and Spain. I am currently working as an HR Manager for Bosch Rexroth Norway.
Has your career path developed as you planned?
Looking for your first job is never easy and it took me a while to understand what is possible and what I wanted to do. In the end, I had more job offers and choices than I expected.
During my first job, the Graduate Specialist Programme, I could turn to my mentor or manager to discuss my next job assignment and get feedback. That was very helpful since it helped me to get an overview about different HR roles and responsibilities. It is an advantage to be flexible and mobile and sometimes you simply need to be at the right place at the right time.
Tell us about your current job
I am currently responsible for 100 employees. My day to day work includes advising and guiding managers and staff in HR related matters such as recruitment, salary reviews, performance reviews etc. I´m the point of contact for the corporate HR headquarters and I am responsible for HR Reporting. I believe it´s important to position HR as a strategic partner for the business. Empathy and a high level of service-orientation surely help to establish HR as a function that adds value.
Why did you choose this job?
The Graduate Specialist Programme gave me the opportunity to explore which type of HR work I wanted to do. It helped me establish a professional network and get a feeling for the needs of the business in Germany and abroad. I like being a HR Manager at a rather small location since I get to work with the entire HR Portfolio.
What do you like most about your job? Is there anything that you dislike?
I like having a lot of responsibility and being free to take decisions. Every day is different and I´m learning something new every day. In addition, I get to know interesting people while working abroad. The fact that I have great colleagues is a super big plus! I dislike reporting but I can understand the necessity for it.
What career plans do you have for the future?
For the moment I am very happy with my current employer. We have an advanced HR function and are operating worldwide so I can see lots of learning and development opportunities for myself over the next years.
Thinking back, why did you choose your degree subject and why did you choose LSE?
I chose my degree since I wanted to specialise in HR in an international context. Studying abroad in a language that is not your mother tongue was an additional challenge. London is an amazing city and LSE a highly reputable university so I could tick all these boxes at the same time.
How has your time at LSE helped you so far in your career?
The best thing about LSE is the students! I got to know so many interesting and smart people who I am still in touch with, and who give me great impulses for my own career and development. The programme was tough but it covered all the essentials. Often times I can say "wait, I heard about that before" so I can bring new knowledge into context.
What advice would you give to prospective or current LSE students?
The programme was short and tough and it could be quite overwhelming. However, my advice would be to leave your books behind and go out to meet your fellow students as often as you can. LSE is more than scientific texts! The friends and business contacts you can find are even more valuable.
Overall, how do you look back on your LSE experience?
The programme was very challenging and demanding but it is worth the investment! The fact that we were an international group added a lot of value to the texts of our study books since students could provide first-hand experience and insight. I learnt to put knowledge into context, to navigate myself through the vast amount of resources and to cope with time pressure.