Why did you chose Novartis for your training position as a postgraduate?

I mainly decided to do my internship at Novartis because it is a truly international company. During my studies in 'International Business Management' I learned a lot about different cultures and came into contact with people from all over the world. Thereby I gained valuable experience that made me grow a lot, on both a personal and a professional level. I was convinced that I could advance my development at Novartis when working together with people from different cultural backgrounds. Moreover, working at Novartis allows me to use my foreign languages skills regularly in daily business life.

What are the experiences you have made so far at Novartis?

All in all I've had a very positive experience with Novartis. Even before joining the company as a postgraduate, I got to know Novartis as a very professional company. This refers, for instance to the interviews I was invited to; the whole organization (invitation letter, greeting and interviews) was done very well. I was able to keep up this positive impression during my first working days as I was warmly welcomed by all team members and all technical setups had been taken care of already.
Looking back on my time at Novartis, I feel that, while Novartis associates are highly committed to do work of high quality, also personal interaction is not neglected. This creates a very comfortable working atmosphere. Furthermore, I had the impression that most associates are proud of working at Novartis and that the culture the company is promoting is indeed lived.
I also think that Novartis does a very good job in enabling their associates to integrate their work and private life.

How will the things you learned at Novartis affect your future work life?

Working at Novartis made me realize that it's very important being in contact with associates from other departments/business units. This networking can support the function you work in, but your own career as well. Your own success and the one of the company are heavily based on the interaction between people.

Why do you think is Novartis an excellent place for a student to do an internship or a research project?

Novartis is a huge global company that covers all aspects of doing business and therefore offers students the advantage to get insights in different working areas. Novartis broadens your horizon including professional and interpersonal skills. With regard to the future working life, it might be quite likely that Novartis could offer a permanent job if the student is interested.

In a nutshell: For me, Novartis represents a truly global company that masters to create a corporate culture that captures people from all over the world.

Alexandra Steiner
HR Project Manager Global TechOps (Postgraduate in 2009)