Maxi is a business management student from Germany whom we placed in a multinational company in Shanghai. During her 6 month internship, she works in the marketing department there.

The main duties in the Marketing internship:

1. Market Research on CRM, Loyalty Marketing and eCommerce
2. Preparing English lessons for the staff of my department
3. Writing articles such as success stories

How does your working day look like?

Our workday usually starts at 9:00am. We have a lunch break from 12:00 to 1:00pm together. Our Chinese colleagues have shown us some good places where we can grab something to eat. Once in a week we have lunch with our department staff or other colleagues as well as other interns from Bertelsmann join us. This break is a good time to get to know Chinese people and talk to since they show great interest in people from abroad. We finish work around 6:00pm. There are 4 free company shuttle buses going to different directions which you can take for a ride to work and to return home.

How is the level of mentoring by your superiors?

During my Marketing internship, I have different superiors depending on which project I am working on. They are all very helpful with giving me an overview about all tasks and feedback on my work. Sometimes it is hard to get used to the way things are held with the flow of information, but that is the challenge of working at a multinational company and that makes it even more interesting to work here.

How is the atmosphere in the company?

The Chinese staff is showing a great interest in getting to know us and they are helping and supporting us in every way. They help us to translate stuff we need for a taxi ride etc. and they like to spend time with us. For example, they invited us to go to KTV (Chinese karaoke bar) or do shopping together, since it is always helpful to have someone local to bargain for you. As well do some sports together, like playing badminton or bowling. So it's not only about work. It is also fun to spend some time together during our spare time.

How do you like your internship city?

Shanghai, is situated on the estuary of Yangtze River of China. It is the largest industrial city in China. Covering an area of 5,800 square kilometers, Shanghai has a population of 18.7 million, including 2 million floating population. Therefore, as you can imagine this city is huge and it bears many places to explore. So we would recommend a long-term stay in order you have a chance to really get to know the city. However, do not worry; the city is not a typical Chinese one. Especially the business districts are really western. The Oriental Pearl TV Tower is the modern symbol of Shanghai City. Or Nanjing Road is considered to be the "No. 1 commercial street in China". Here along its 5.5 kilometers (3.4 miles), you will find over 600 shops that on average are visited by some 1.7 million people each day. If you like shopping, do not miss it!
Nevertheless, if you take a close look, you will find some culture such as the Jade Buddha Temple or the Yuyuan Garden, the largest of Shanghai's ancient gardens and typical Chinese districts that are really interesting to discover. And once you got a good overview you will start to check out all the markets, where you can buy fabrics, get tailored clothes or buy fake designer watches and bags. Once you've had enough of it there is much more to explore around Shanghai, such as Suzhou and Hangzhou.

Moreover, you find new friends very quick during a Shanghai intern meeting, which takes place once a month or while going out clubbing. As you will see, Shanghai is a great place to combine working and having fun!

Summary of my Marketing internship experience:

I must say that already I have had the chance to learn a lot. I also appreciate the opportunity that I can get to know the Chinese business culture, which I think will be a very valuable asset for my future work life. Overall, I enjoy the different sites of living in Shanghai, such as a good and cheap massage, meeting with friends to explore the day- and nightlife in Shanghai and the chance to meet new people every day. At the end of my stay, I hope to go on further trips through Asia once I am here anyway. Therefore, you see there are many advantages of coming to Shanghai and it is really worth a stay.