Bayer

Overcoming your fears and learning to manage information

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!

Managing change - a digital internship in a new continent

Change is a given in both life and work. Chloé got the opportunity through Blind Applying to be involved in a unique project at Bayer. As for personal change, Chloé had to relocate to the US. What has she learned from the experience?

What is your internship about?

I’m currently working in the Marketing & Sales Roadmap Program, which is a collaboration between IT and the business units to provide new capabilities through IT tools. I’m supporting one of the 12 Roadmap projects including Reference Architecture, Digital Asset Management and Customer Relationship Management. I’m involved in meeting facilitation, gathering requirements directly from the business partners and I also participate in formal project methodology including documentation, processes and procedures.

What do you like the most about it?

As the program is connected with Marketing, Sales and IT, I’m working with people from different fields and have a perfect overview in Project Management support. I’m particularly involved in Change Management, working on the communication plans, the business readiness, coaching and training plan. This internship allows me to develop my soft skills and to learn a lot from the Change Manager. It also confirms my strong interest for preparing and managing change in companies.

“I was very surprised to realize the diversity of tasks in this field. ”

One example would be assisting the training for the stakeholders in a given project, or preparing a meeting called “lessons learned” from the last project in order to improve our performances for the next one. I also understood something we don’t learn at school: our society is changing and it has a big impact on employees. Companies constantly change. Tools and people move quickly from position to position, so it is crucial to communicate openly.

How are your days like in Raleigh, North Carolina?

Example of a week in Raleigh: I worked from 7:30 to 4:30 and I’m usually going to the gym or to the swimming pool. I have so many choices here to practice; sport is embedded in daily lives of the Americans. I also love to go to downtown Raleigh; there are always events such as live music concert. As North Carolina is very convenient to travel within the US, I plan something different every weekend. For example I did hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains and went by the beaches to visit Wilmington. My next trip will be in Miami to celebrate the 4th of July like a proper American!

Meet Chloé, the Blind Applying Champion Of Bayer!

A new beginning! Chloé will be sharing updates from her time with Bayer in the US on her blog.

 

Would you ever have thought you could work for Bayer?

When I first applied through Blind Applying, I saw Bayer was one of the companies I could apply for but I couldn't imagine they would contact me for an interview. When I received an email from the HR Service saying I was hired, I was very happy to have the opportunity to be part of such a big company. Blind Applying gave me the great opportunity to start my career abroad. 

You have been a double champion for France in breaststroke. How has swimming helped you in your studies?

My past as a sportive helped me a lot to stay focused on my projects and never let myself down, even when I had challenging obstacles to overcome. The long and hard hours of training allow me today to have a strong resistance to stress and heavy workload. I also learned it is essential to be a team player, because even if swimming is an individual sport, I would not have performed this way without the support of my friend swimmers. Today I place great importance to teamwork and corporate culture. As a sportive coach, it is up to the manager to reveal each team member’s talent.

Have you looked up things you want to do in the US? What are you looking forward to the most?

Yes, I'm really excited to arrive to the United States. During my stay, I want to discover the atmosphere of a university town like Raleigh. I really want to live the american sport spirit by attending sport games. And why not be part of a swimming club! Finally, New York and New Orleans are two cities I hope to discover during my stay.

 

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