What are your responsibilities in your new job at Gurit?

As a part of the entrepreneurial trainee program, I am responsible for driving certain projects which requires me to set-up a business case to diversify a product beyond its present.

You graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering and are now pursuing a Master’s degree in Management and Engineering. Does Gurit also employ graduates of other fields of study (Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Interdisciplinary Sciences)?

Yes, Gurit is a diversified group with which comes the need to have diversified skills and expertise. People from backgrounds such as chemistry, chemical engineering, composite engineering, mechanical engineering, management and interdisciplinary sciences are the ones which complete Gurit’s team.

What made you choose Gurit as an employer? Can you describe how the application process worked for you?

I always liked the sense of ownership and ‘Make it happen’ approach and when I learnt about Gurit’s Entrepreneurial Trainee program’s description it was an instant fit. I came across this program through Mr. Damian Bannister, our CTO, who visited our university – RWTH Aachen University in Germany early this year and explained about the Entrepreneurial Trainee Program. As mentioned above I felt it aligned with what I wanted to do pretty well, so I went home and looked for the program online and applied. After a couple of weeks, I received an online personality assessment. After a Skype interview, I was invited to Gurit’s Head Office in Zürich for a final interview. The final assessment consisted of an interview part followed by a role play and finally a business case study presentation.

How does a typical work day in industry differ from one at university?

At university the day starts mostly in planned way. You know which lectures you are going to have and what would be the content. You learn new things in a more theoretical aspect and you are basically told what to do most of the time and all of the things you needed are provided for you. Your performance in the university will mostly make a difference in building up your personal profile. The level of responsibility and accountability is limited to assignments and projects.
On the other hand, working life is different in that you are exposed to a greater range of interesting activities and events. You get the opportunity to apply what you have learned at university in a practical manner and at the same time you learn new things with hands on tasks which you might be doing for the first time. And here your performance definitely makes a difference in the company’s success as the level of responsibility and accountability on you is much higher.

After finishing your Bachelor’s degree, you worked in industry for three years before re-entering university. What motivated you to continue your academic studies and pursue a master’s degree?

When I started to work in the industry, I started with the responsibilities of a Mechanical Engineer. My tasks in the beginning were more technically inclined. But, as the first year passed the responsibilities were not just technical but started getting managerial, which I liked a lot. I was gaining hands on managerial skills, but I felt the need to upgrade myself at that point to have an edge. That was when I decided to do a master’s in Management and Engineering so that I can develop better management skills and also at the same time enhance my technical abilities.

Which soft skills should students try to acquire in the course of their studies to succeed in a company like Gurit?

I think, whenever you are entering a working environment from university, having good communication skills is the key. I don’t mean being a great orator, but the ability to express yourself to others and to understand others in the simplest way. Also, as part of good communication skills, having good people management skills and negotiation skills is highly useful.

Before joining Gurit, you had already worked in several different fields of industry. How important was your previous work experience for your application process at Gurit?

I believe every practical experience counts, so was the case with me while applying with Gurit. My initial experience in the industry helped me learn the technical skills, people management skills and the negotiation skills in a more practical way. Working in my own startup helped me to learn about addressing uncertainty in business environment, handling pitfalls and managing risks. All this experience together holds a big chunk towards my application with Gurit.

You are originally from India and moved to Germany two years ago for your Master studies. Did you experience any striking differences between your Indian and German working environments?

Yes, certainly the two working cultures are quite complementary. You have a high power differential in the industry in India, which is minimal in Germany, which makes it easier for the employees in Germany to be expressive to the management. The Indian working environment follows mostly a hands-on approach, which is more like learning by doing. In Germany, on the other hand, the planning part is done quite well and then follows the implementation.

Is it important for Gurit as an employer that an applicant has international experience?

Gurit is an international company with its presence in several countries and the teams are also international. So, having international experience will definitely give you an advantage among the other applicants.

Which suggestions do you have for a recent ETH graduate applying for jobs or internships?

First and foremost is to find out what are you most passionate about doing or working on and once you know it you are halfway through. At the same time try to develop yourself in an overall manner, which means not just in academics but also taking part in something out of academics like hackathons, competitions and the extra-curricular activities around you in the university. These are some simple ways which help you in gaining good soft skills. Once you have all that, you are ready with an edge to apply for internships or jobs.