What made you choose Media-Saturn Holding as an employer? I had already had an earlier, positive work experience at Media Markt. I worked there part-time during my studies in Groningen. I was very impressed by the friendly work environment. My part-time job then led to an internship in the Corporate Communications department at Media-Saturn-Holding in Ingolstadt, and now I’m on board as a trainee.
What are your responsibilities in your current position at Media-Saturn-Holding?
I work as a trainee in International Procurement and Sales. As part of my work in this division, I spent last year in Turkey helping with the preparations for the company’s expansion into that country. And I was recently back in my homeland, in the beautiful city of Amsterdam, for an international sales project. The job offers a lot of variety. The aim of the trainee program is to expose you to the whole company, which means being involved in a number of different activities. This might also involve providing support to others, for example, by preparing numbers or placing an order for the initial inventory of a new Media Markt store.
What do you particularly value about Media-Saturn-Holding as an employer? The amount of freedom I have in my work. For the most part, I am the one who is responsible for what I do. Of course, everyone makes a mistake now and then, but that’s also the quickest way to learn. As far as I’m concerned, another big advantage is the international aspect of my work environment. The contact I have in my job with different people in the countries in which Media-Saturn operates means that I am constantly facing new challenges, which is at the same time a fascinating experience.
What was the most exciting thing to happen to you to date? The night before the opening in Mersin (Turkey), we experienced the worst thunderstorm in years. As a result, part of the store was flooded. So, everyone rolled up their sleeves and got to work mopping up water, carrying water out in buckets, setting up the TV department again. It was pretty stressful at the time but looking back, it was a great experience because you could really feel the team spirit. That was also why we were able to open the doors right on time at 8:00 a.m.
Do you remember what your first day or two at Media-Saturn-Holding was like? At first, my mind was still on my move from Holland to Bavaria. But I can remember shaking a lot of hands. A lot of faces and a lot of names - most of which, I admit, I couldn’t immediately remember. What I found particularly helpful was the support my colleagues gave me, that is something you can’t do without.
What qualifications does an applicant need?
In addition to the skills specific to a particular department, you also need soft skills. Good social skills encourage teamwork. The company’s decentralized organizational structure means that you also need a certain degree of flexibility.
What are your career goals? At the moment, I am still completing in my trainee program, which I first of all want to bring to a successful close. Then I would like to work in international procurement and assume responsibility for one of the departments as product manager.
If you were able to choose one of the products available at Media Markt or Saturn, what would it be? An iPod to make my overall travel time pass more quickly.