...and finally I found exactly the job at Rödl & Partner that suited me perfectly.
Tax consultant
Off to new adventures
So in October 2023, I took up my first, hopefully long-term, full-time position for the second time. But I still had a few questions in the back of my mind: What if things are just as slow here? What if I don’t get a project here either? But everything turned out differently. I spent the first day onboarding, getting to know my line manager and colleagues from the Data Platforms & Technology team and setting up my new workplace. On day 2, I completed the first familiarisation tasks straight away, as the first client meeting was already scheduled for the afternoon. I sat curiously in the team call and listened as the first project I would be involved in was discussed. We were given the task of creating a standardised data interface for a medium-sized, internationally active firm from Germany and, based on this, to present various key figures in a dashboard for corporate management. My colleague showed me the data model required for this, which he had already designed, and explained to me how I could implement it in the system. He took me ‘by the hand’ and I was directly familiarised with the project according to the principle of ‘learning by doing’.
That’s how the first few weeks went: We worked closely together as a team of two – my colleague focussed on the concept and consultation with the client and I was responsible for development. Incidentally, it was also an advantage for our client, as we naturally didn’t charge for the time spent familiarising ourselves with the project. Without realising it, I was right in the middle of my day-to-day work. In our weekly jour fixe meetings, we discussed as a team who would work on which topics and on which days we would meet together in the office or work from home. To commute between Erlangen and Nuremberg, I soon took advantage of benefits such as the job ticket and, more recently, the bike leasing offer.
All good things come in twos, don’t they?
The first few months were over in no time and it was the end of February 2024. The annual appraisal and the evaluation of the probationary period were due. I’d never got any further than this before. But the tension was eased right at the beginning. ‘You can consider your probationary period to be over,’ said my line manager. A stone fell from my heart. We openly reviewed the time since I started, reflected on our joint project and my start. The conversation flew by; the scheduled hour turned into two. Together, we set professional and personal development goals for the coming year, discussed upcoming projects and mapped out where the journey would take us. Full of anticipation for the challenges ahead, I got back to work, because now it’s time to master these tasks!
Thank you for the interview!