Nicole Dawson works with Daimler Financial Services (DFS), Daimler’s service provider for financial and mobility services She started there with a trainee program and now works as Dealer Manager in the department Sales & Marketing.
Her Tips
The sooner you know that, the more determined you can be when you start down your path.
Today, great grades are rarely enough to convince an employer.Try things out, do internships, and work in clubs.
Think: What jobs are in demand, where do I have good chances on the job market? But still consider what you enjoy and where you feel comfortable.
Build up networks during your studies. That can make it easier to start a career without a Master’s.
My tasks are primarily strategic. I work on questions like: What role will the dealers have for us in the future? How will they have to position themselves so that they can sell our financial products as well as possible in the future?
Otherwise I work on a lot of different topics - depending on what there is to do. I have a lot of contact with our markets and the different divisions in Daimler. Within the process of digitalization, I’m currently looking at the orientation of our distribution channel and the commission system for our dealers.
When did you decide to take the job?
After studying, I first worked for six months for a consulting firm that specialized in banks. I quickly realized that was not the right job for me. For my current employer, my experience was an advantage, though - any experience you have brings you a step closer to your goal even if you don’t realize it right away.
“Any experience you have brings you a step closer to your goal even if you don’t realize it right away.”
Studies
Why the University of Hohenheim? And why Business Administration and Economics?
I was at a secondary school that specialized in business, which is why it was easy for me to understand what I could expect from a degree program in business and economics. I knew that I enjoyed it and that it would open up a lot of opportunities later. Hohenheim had good rankings and I liked the selection of subjects I would have - for example subjects of economic sociology.
What were your studies like?
I concentrated on controlling, accounting, and health management.
What about experiences outside of the classroom?
I started working for the Department of Business Start-Ups and Entrepreneurship at an early point in my studies. I also did an internship with Pricewaterhouse Coopers in corporate auditing and an internship abroad in New Zealand with the Auckland District Health Board. That’s also where I wrote my Bachelor’s thesis.
It was stressful but still a wonderful and very formative experience. In the first semester, I joined the Junior Business Team as a member and in the third semester I became the officer for Finances and Law.
There, I learned a lot, was able to gain practical experience, and I got to try out different areas. During my Master’s program I spent a semester abroad in Bali - that was mostly for me personally. A semester abroad is a great experience but it’s also interesting for companies - especially if it’s an international company and you can show that you have language proficiency and international competence.
What surprises and challenges were there during your studies?
I was surprised at how well studying suited me. There were a lot of subjects, but if you study and put effort into it, then it’ll be ok. Especially challenging was when I studied and at the same time was a working student and in the board for the Junior Business Team. And then there was the statistics exam - it was exhausting, but I ended up doing pretty well. You can’t let setbacks get you down and just have to do your best.
“I was surprised at how well studying suited me!”
What competences from your studies are important in your job today?
What you need from your studies depends of course on what career you start after your studies. For example, I specialized more in controlling and accounting during my studies, but now I’m in sales and marketing.
What I learned in my studies and what has served me well so far: confronting new challenges, diving into complex topics quickly - for example when we once again had to write a seminar paper. Openness, curiosity, independence, and the way you approach a topic - those are the most important things I got out of my studies.
