What is it like being a working student at Neugelb?

At Neugelb students have the chance to gain working experience not only as interns, but also as working students. Four of our working students agreed to take part in a little interview. They all work in different fields. Who they are and what they do, they’ll let you know in the following interview. Furthermore, we talked about their responsibilities, why a working student position is valuable for their studies and what their favorite thing about being a Neugelbian is.??

?Hej, first of all we start with a little introduction: Who are you and what do you do at Neugelb???

Josefa:?I'm a BA computer science student at the Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences and at Neugelb I'm a Frontend Developer working student. I’m an integral part of the development team, I get to choose what tasks and bugs I'd like to work on, be it small or semi-big. ???

Nina:?Hej, I’m Nina and I study business communications at HTW Berlin. At Neugelb I am the working student for content creation and employer branding, which means I am responsible for our Social Media channels. Of course, I am not doing it all alone and I get the chance to interact with a lot of people to get support in designs, storytelling or grammar correction. ?? My team really has my back and we have a lot of fun together. Sometimes I also take photos of people, interview them and generally I write a lot of Teams messages and e-mails.?

Helen:?I am Helen and I am working in Office Management with the Operations-Team in the Berlin office. Me and my team are trying to make everyone feel welcome as soon as they start working with us. If there are any needs or problems, we take care of it. Recently, we redecorated the Berlin office. A new possibility for me is to redo the kitchen and I am super excited to try new things and see the results right away. And hopefully make everyone feel comfortable now that we are back in the office! ????

Niklas:??Hej, I'm Niklas and I've been working for Neugelb for almost a year now. I’m part of the Frankfurt team working on Commerzbank's web services and online banking as a Designer. I started as an intern in Visual Design and then stayed as a working student in Visual and UX Design. Beside working at Neugelb, I study industrial design at the h_da Darmstadt, but in the last stages and I will graduate in summer. A lot of trust was placed in my work right from the start, so that I was able to take responsibility for different areas of a project from the very beginning. This has helped me grow both professionally and as a person.?

How did you find out about Neugelb and why did you choose us??

Josefa:??I found out about Neugelb through a friend. He used to work here and thought the company and I would be a good fit. ???It is now, after having experienced it for myself that can say that I actively choose Neugelb, and the reason is mostly my coworkers.?

On the one hand, there is the Operations-Team in Neugelb that makes you feel welcome and appreciated, be it with an amazing coffee machine in the office or organizing cool and casual events for us, you can tell they like what they do.?

On the other hand, the team I'm in is not just super capable technical-wise, they also love what they do and take every opportunity they have to make you laugh.?

Nina:?I was looking for a working student job in communications, preferably in a creative company or design-related field. The job ad looked very cool and interesting. After being invited to an interview and talking to the Talent Acquisition Managers I really wanted to work with them and luckily that actually happened. And I was not disappointed. ?? I feel like I am a full part of the team despite my student status.??

Helen:?I was looking for a job in the design area and when I found the Neugelb website I really liked the way it looked and what Neugelb is doing. I checked, there was a job offer, and I applied. I never looked back. ???

Niklas:?A few years ago, Neugelb had a cooperation with our university, and I got curious. During the last years of my studies, I realized the relevance and potential of well-conceived and designed digital products - so I gave it a try.?

(Fun Fact: My mother has worked at Commerzbank for years and suggested that I ask for an internship when Neugelb was founded back in 2016. My answer at the time: "I don't want to work for a bank" - 6 years later I stand here.) ???

How does a working student job benefit your studies???

Josefa:?In general terms, I wish everybody would have the opportunity to work in their fields during their studies, because as much as universities schools try to bring theory into practice, it is by doing where one learns the most.?

And specifically, I am learning a lot technically by being part of almost every stage of web development. But also interpersonally, as teamwork is highly sought, and I am experiencing first-hand the benefits of different problem-solving methods.?

Nina:?My job complements my studies very well and I am learning a lot next to (and sometimes ahead of) my curriculum. Also, I can apply what I am learning directly. I have many insights into business operations that a university just cannot offer. I love that my job is so creative, too. In university usually I work on one project per semester/class while my working student job is more fast paced.?

Helen:?My studies are very specific, and I really enjoy having different structures every day. Working at Neugelb also lets me explore different things I am interested in, and every day offers new tasks which I really like. Doing what I do I learn a lot about being versatile but also being structured. In the beginning I was excited because it was the first time working in an office space. I think that is something a university can never fully show, what it is like to work with so many different people every day. Also, I enjoy a lot to get a peek into the technical and design world, which is something that my studies don’t show.?

Niklas:?For me, it was important to find out what it means to work as a designer in a company in addition to the university environment. Working at Neugelb allowed me to dive much deeper into processes and adapt some methods to my everyday university life. Working with the design system we created for Commerzbank was a gamechanger for my way of working.?

What do you like most about your working student job at Neugelb??

Josefa:?I love the fact that I get to see my work online and that it’s out there for everyone to see, too. ?? I love to see how my knowledge in the field broadens, to be able to follow my own progress.?

Nina: I love the creativity, variety of topics and how much responsibility I have. The Neugelbians are so friendly and supportive. They are amazing to work with and have so many stories to share. Also, it is really rewarding to see people interact with our content and to receive direct feedback.??

Helen:?Neugelb has a wonderful way to bring everyone together and it is fun to get to know everyone. The work atmosphere is great, and I feel like I can do my work accordingly.?

Niklas:?The team! The atmosphere at Neugelb is very special. You always meet as equals and the important thing is that you can really ask anyone for support. Colleagues became friends so fast! Also, the way we are positioned in interdisciplinary teams is really great. The different opinions and world views are something extremely valuable for a team.?

What is challenging you? How is Neugelb supporting you??

Josefa:?Almost every day is a challenge because I am confronted with problems I did not know existed or do not understand, but that is the best way to learn, especially with such a supporting team like the one I am in.?Of course, in the beginning you are afraid to ask so too many questions but with time you realize that your questions are welcomed and that there is someone in the team happy to help.?

Nina:?It can be challenging to work in communications while still getting to know a company, especially while working remotely. At Neugelb I know I can ask every question and people are supportive and patient. During exams it’s totally fine to adjust my schedule and focus on my studies, which is also very helpful.??

Helen: I think every day is a small challenge, because it is never the same and sometimes very hands-on, but I like that a lot. Before working at this job, I used to do a lot of talking positions and it was, and sometimes still is, a bit of a challenge to get to know all the processes and software behind it. But I get a lot of help and my team is just amazing and supports me a lot.???

Thank you very much for your time and your answers! We are currently looking for new working students in Berlin and Frankfurt. Check out our job page and see what speaks to you. We love to read your application! ??