Shaping strategies on a company level.
“Time flies. I can hardly believe I’ve been here a year!” Laura Eyring is 29 years old and has been working as a consultant at Mercedes-Benz Management Consulting (MBMC) since 2018. She’s talking to us about the decision to adopt this career path, the advantages of rests and her professional highlights.
Laura, please tell the readers about your path to MBMC.
Hello, my name is Laura Eyring. I’m from Tübingen. I did my two bachelor’s degrees at the European School of Business (ESB) in Reutlingen: International Management in Germany and a second bachelor’s in International Business in Boston, USA.
I then worked for three years in sales at a medium-sized company. That was when I decided to switch to consultancy. In order to develop further in this direction, I did my master’s in International Business in Denmark and Italy. I then joined MBMC as a consultant in 2018.
How did you find your first few weeks in a large company?
Even before I started at MBMC I got a ‘buddy’ to help and advise me. Before my first day at work there was a training week where I prepared for my future job with theoretical and practical workshops. For example, I learned what makes a successful PowerPoint presentation for management meetings and how to communicate successfully. When I started in my project team, I was immediately assigned tasks with a high degree of responsibility.
Do you like working for the group?
You bet! I can’t believe I’ve been here a year already. Every day brings new challenges, and the company both supports and pushes me. It’s great that I can constantly develop and gain new skills in the job, because you never stop learning! I also like that my work gives me the opportunity to contribute to the organization and development of the company as a whole and make a difference in the long run.
What does work as a consultant at MBMC look like?
We usually work on a project in a small team for three to six months.
In this team we develop concepts or solutions which we draw up and discuss with clients. Our goal is for our recommendations to influence management decisions.
Do you have a typical day?
No (laughs). No two days are alike. And that’s a good thing! We work at the client site from Monday to Thursday, and on Friday we work in our office. When working at the client, I might create analyses or prepare presentations. We then discuss the status of the project in team meetings. This gives me a chance to present my results and get direct feedback from colleagues before presenting to the client. It’s important to collect other opinions and perspectives, because you can sometimes be blinkered yourself. We call it ‘joyful mindfighting’.
What has been your personal highlight so far?
When projects and topics I’ve been working on are successfully implemented, and even make the news, that makes me very proud. At MBMC I feel like I’m playing an active role in shaping Mercedes-Benz’s future.
How do you see your life-work balance?
There are many advantages to MBMC being an internal consultancy. We have rests, that is, set times when everyone is off work and can refuel. For example, we have the whole of August off. We don’t work at weekends either. Our managers pay attention to our working hours, and we prioritize our tasks in such a way that we can keep an actual balance.
What are your plans for the future?
I see myself staying at Mercedes-Benz and MBMC. You can learn a lot here, and I have encountered lots of exciting topics and questions during my first year. I feel like I’ll be able to develop here and take on management responsibilities sometime.
Do you have any tips for people who want to start at MBMC?
An internship with us is the perfect opportunity to get a first impression of MBMC. We are a motivated and performance-oriented team. From the first day on, everyone has the opportunity to get involved in current projects, to delve deeper into topics and to develop professionally. I can only recommend the following: Use your opportunity and apply
