Ayan Salayeva
I am Ayan Salayeva and I come originally from Azerbaijan, where I lived until I graduated from university with my Bachelor degree. It has been 5 years since I moved to Germany in 2015 to get a degree in M.Sc. Transition Management. Currently, I reside in Berlin where I work at a consulting company as an Operations Manager.
1. You studied Transition Management at JLU. Why did you decide to take this subject and why at JLU?
When selecting a study program, I was considering several points and the most important out of them was a good university and a program fully in English. What I liked about the Transition Management program was also the fact that it was very broad - you get a taste of different disciplines and can choose your career path based on it later in the future.
2. What did you like most about JLU?
I liked all the opportunities JLU offers to international students.
I liked all the opportunities JLU offers to international students. Apart from numerous study courses in English, I had a chance to attend free German courses, to participate in various cultural events, and to attend trainings and workshops on working opportunities in Germany, hiring processes and even legal rights of foreign students and obtaining a work permit. That was very helpful.
3. You started to learn German during your studies. Inhowfar did you need German skills to start your professional career?
Learning German is a hard and long process, which should not be underestimated by international students.
Learning German is a hard and long process, which should not be underestimated by international students. I have started studying at JLU with zero language knowledge and managed to graduate with almost B2 – a fact that I am still very proud of. Since I mostly work with international clients, my German knowledge is more than sufficient. Nevertheless, being able to communicate with colleagues, neighbours and others in Germany is very important for me.
4. Were there other factors that were helpful for your career start (e.g., personal networks, offers from the university, etc.)?
Since a mandatory internship was a part of our studies, our program coordinators were sharing a list of potential companies every year. However, in my case, it didn't help much – I found an internship via online job portals.
5. Currently you are working as Operations Manager at Chameleon Pharma Consulting. You started there as an intern. How did you find this first position after graduation and what was the application process like?
As mentioned above, I found this position on one of the online job portals. The application process was the following: I had two online interviews with the team and then went to Berlin for a so-called "Probetag" (tryout day). It went well and this is pretty much how I got my first internship position.
6. How can one imagine your current occupation? What does your day-to-day work look like?
My days are usually different as they involve everything from basic e-mail communication all the way to actual business trips and onfield projects. My monthly routine also includes joint projects with companies from countries in transition, etc.
7. What advice would you give to international students?
Never give up - hard work always pays off in the end!
I would suggest them to do their best to learn the language, socialize with locals and try to integrate as much as they can. I am sure their own culture is great and rich, however, it might be for their own benefit to grasp the German way of life. Germany is called "Das Land der Ideen" („The Land of Ideas“) for a reason. And to never give up - hard work always pays off in the end!
Many thanks for your support!
(The interview was conducted in September 2020)