Improvement is only possible when we keep moving forward despite our fears. Chloé has learned during her internship with Bayer that practice makes perfect, and that every challenge can make you stronger and better. She talked to us about collaboration between departments, having efficient communication, and discovering the US.
What has been the most exciting aspect of your internship?
I learned a lot from the Marketing and Sales roadmap program. The most interesting aspect of the project was to train the Sales Representatives with the new tool we have been preparing. I liked the fact that we were able to interact with them directly and have their feedback. IT and Sales seem very far and so different from each other in a company, but both departments are working very closely in Bayer. More generally, I’ve met brilliant and dedicated people and learnt a lot from them.
Has there been a challenge you encountered?
The main challenge I encountered was always being able to provide excellent work, even if English is not my mother tongue. When I was in a meeting and had to speak, I was anxious to make grammatical mistakes. For me it is very important to speak in perfect English as I want to build my career abroad. It also demonstrates credibility. My second challenge was to prove the ability to communicate with people at all levels and from different departments, especially with high-level executives.
What have you learned from it?
And keep them relevant!
I have been able to significantly improve my English in only 4 months. On the other side, because Senior Executives' schedules are tight and they have to make lots of high-stakes decisions, I had to quickly and clearly present information that’s important to them and ask relevant questions. This was very important to get their attention and their support.
“I’ve met brilliant and dedicated people, and learnt a lot from them.”
Any cool stories from life/ culture in the US?
In general and especially in the workplace, Americans are not shy to speak up and most of the time they are going after what they want. I really like their way of voicing their ideas. There is also a permanent “can-do attitude” that I appreciate. On a practical side, I found it really cool how convenient everything is: there are Drive-Thrus everywhere and some places are even open 24/7!