Katharina Ortner
Study programmes: Business Studies (BA) / Double Degree, Bachelor of Business Administration (Oulu, Finnland) / Master of Advanced Management (MSc)
Employer: Butzbach GmbH Industrietore
Position: Head of Marketing & Communication
How did your school career run and what interests did you have as a younger person?
Then as now, I am a straightforward person. After elementary school I had already decided on the economic branch at the grammar school and later I graduated from high school with a diploma in economics. I was interested in this from the very beginning, so that I decided directly to study business administration during my subsequent studies. I always knew where I wanted to go - with one exception: I wouldn't have thought it possible to get the chance to participate in a double degree program during my studies. I was thus allowed to spend half of my studies in Finland and thus completed two Bachelor's degrees in seven semesters. Apart from the great experience, this opportunity opened many doors for me and earned me recognition in my job interview. I am still very grateful for that today.
For what reasons did you decide to study at the HNU?
At the HNU, expertise is imparted by experts who themselves have practical experience and run their own companies or hold representative positions. I wanted to learn from this wealth of experience. In addition, at the HNU, the atmosphere is rather homely with modern building architecture. That appealed to me immediately.
Stimulating or child's play: What did your internship semester look like and what tasks did you take on?
My practical semester consisted of a colourful mixture of challenge and easier everyday tasks in the marketing department of a medium-sized company. As a central project, I conducted a customer satisfaction analysis, from preparation to implementation to the derivation of further measures. Since I completed my internship semester in the fourth semester due to my participation in the Double Degree Program, I had no theoretical background in market research until then. Nevertheless the project was successful.
Semester abroad: In which country were you and what did you experience during this time?
During my bachelor studies I was the first business student to participate in the Double Degree Programme with the Oulu University of Applied Sciences in Finland. There, I completed three semesters and my major subjects Marketing, Sales and Media Design. At the same time I also took Finnish language courses and at the end of my studies I wrote my bachelor thesis for a Finnish start-up. The three semesters were an unforgettable experience for me. During this time I got to know students from all over the world, took short trips to Lofoten and St. Petersburg and experienced the Finnish winter and summer. I will never forget the husky sled ride in Lapland. To this day I have something in common with the country, not least one of my closest friends. We still visit each other regularly six years later.
What is your advice to all graduates who are looking for their first job?
Getting started after graduation is not always easy. Therefore, you should establish contacts with companies and clarify possible perspectives already during your studies. One tool that should not be underestimated is recommendation. If an employer was satisfied during an internship semester or during a project / bachelor thesis, you may be able to find an entry there or ask for a recommendation if the company does not do it on its own initiative. I also recommend to look around early and to apply in a versatile way. Even if the first job is not 100% right, it can open further doors.
What did your first job look like and how did you find out about it?
During my master's thesis in a pharmaceutical company, I was also able to get to know the agency landscape of the company. This has already enabled me to make valuable contacts. Through a recommendation from my supervising colleagues I was then given the chance for an interview and was hired directly. This all happened so early that I did not have to write any further applications or register as unemployed after graduation, as some others might have done.
Please describe your daily work routine. Which projects are you working on and which tasks do you particularly appreciate?
There is no classic working day for me. As Head of Marketing & Communication at Butzbach my tasks are varied and include conceptual, strategic, analytical and creative thinking. At the same time, I can get enthusiastic about all projects very quickly. My areas of responsibility include digital marketing, including website design/maintenance and social media, print advertising, the creation of concepts, for example to develop target groups, employee management and, in my case, graphic design. Since marketing is not only work but passion for me, I also started my own business on a part-time basis and support especially small businesses and start-ups in the creation of corporate design and marketing strategies.
Which experiences from your studies at the HNU have proven to be valuable in your professional life?
Particularly valuable were practical projects in cooperation with well-known companies such as WMF, Käfer Feinkost and Rapunzel. In the Master of Advanced Management course, the practical relevance was even greater than it was in the Bachelor's degree. I still consider the Double Degree Programme to be the greatest treasure trove of experience, because it provided a hang-up at every job interview that the HR managers remembered.
How would you complete the following sentence?
HNU... "has laid the foundation for my future and opened up perspectives for me that I would never have thought possible after graduating from high school."
