Students in the Bachelor's degree in Marketing & Sales have the opportunity to complete a work placement as part of their studies. This allows students to apply the theoretical knowledge they have learned in practice and simultaneously develop their professional interests and goals. Stefan-Alexander Marinoiu, who completed his work placement at Finanzfluss, shares his experiences in this blog post, discussing the tasks he took on, the challenges he faced, and the valuable insights he gained from his internship.
MY DAILY WORK ROUTINE
My day usually began with a look at my calendar and my email inbox. At 9:15 am, we had our daily meeting. In this meeting, we discussed the current status of projects, coordinated the day’s schedule, and offered mutual support. I also noticed that at Finanzfluss, great importance is placed on active and transparent internal communication. After that, I focused on my to-dos, particularly my main project: the Finanzfluss Education Initiative. The goal of this initiative is to impart financial knowledge and provide young people from all social backgrounds with access to this important topic. As part of this project, I was responsible for planning, marketing, building partnerships with educational institutions, and optimising the website. The skills I learned during my studies were particularly helpful in this regard. Especially the structured thinking and the ability to quickly and effectively familiarise myself with new areas of expertise. These skills proved to be extremely valuable in successfully navigating the diverse tasks and challenges during my internship.
HIGHLIGHTS
A personal highlight for me was attending the financial festival "Mit Geld und Verstand," organised by the Ministry of Finance. It was inspiring to be part of an event where over 700 people gathered to discuss the importance of financial education in Germany. The festival not only gave me the opportunity to meet fascinating personalities from the finance industry but also provided valuable insights into the current challenges and trends in the sector. Another highlight of my internship was my active involvement in a YouTube video, where each team member from Finanzfluss had the chance to present their personal investment strategy. It was fascinating to experience the creation process of such a video up close. I was particularly excited to share my own investment portfolio with the community. This allowed me to contribute my knowledge while also gaining intriguing insights into the diverse approaches and perspectives on financial topics.
INTERNSHIP ABROAD
One of the biggest challenges was settling into a new city and a new country, all while being completely independent. Although the team made it significantly easier for me to get started with the daily work routine, it still required me to quickly adapt to the high pace and efficiency of a dynamically growing startup. For a successful internship abroad, I therefore recommend early planning. It is especially important to start looking for accommodation in advance, as this can be a real challenge in cities like Berlin. Organisational aspects such as insurance and the possible registration of a second residence should also be clarified beforehand. These preparations make the start much easier and ensure that you can fully concentrate on the internship.
During my stay in Berlin, I took the opportunity to visit other cities such as Hamburg and Dresden. Each of these cities impressed with its own charm and offered exciting highlights. In Berlin itself, I explored many famous landmarks, including the Brandenburg Gate and the former East German prison "Hohenschönhausen." The latter left a particularly deep impression on me and provided striking insights into the city's history. Away from the tourist attractions, I was especially captivated by the distinctive Berlin way of life. The variety of restaurants, cafés, and late-night shops (Spätis), where you always meet interesting people, added a special vibrancy to my stay.
An internship abroad is undoubtedly a rewarding experience. However, the choice of company should be the top priority, as the main purpose of the internship is to apply the skills learned in practice and acquire new competencies. At the same time, such an internship offers the opportunity to get to know a new culture, an exciting city, and inspiring people. I can only encourage you to take the step out of your comfort zone – it’s worth it!
MY INTERNSHIP IN 3 WORDS:
- Varied
- instructive
- challenging