What aspects of studies particularly fascinated you and motivated you to choose this degree program?
Merle: Even during my Psychology Bachelor’s, I was particularly fascinated by business and organizational psychology. During a seminar on organizational and market psychology projects, we had the chance to analyze real-life cases and apply psychological theories to them. I found this close connection between theory and business reality incredibly exciting. I was especially drawn to topics such as leadership, communication, and group processes because they show how much individual behavior can influence the success of teams and organizations. One of the projects at the time came directly from Arineo and focused on implementing a distributed leadership concept – that hands-on application really drove home just how relevant psychological knowledge is in today’s working world, strengthening my resolve to continue in this area.
How did you hear about Arineo?
Merle: As I just mentioned, I first came across Arineo during a practical seminar in business psychology. Although I was assigned to a different project group at the time and couldn’t work on the Arineo project myself, the presentation about Arineo’s organizational structure made me very curious. That’s why I later applied for an internship in organizational and personnel development, which I completed under the supervision of Dr. Astrid Selke, personnel developer at Arineo. This practical experience only reinforced my positive first impression of Arineo.
What is your current role at Arineo, and what tasks have you taken on?
Merle: After my human resources and organizational development internship, I started as a working student in recruiting. There, I managed applications with our HR tool, handled communication with candidates (via email or phone), and coordinated interviews and internal alignments, which gave me a deep, behind-the-scenes look at the recruiting process.
I’ve mainly been supporting personnel and organizational development for the past year. My tasks are very diverse. For example, I help prepare workshops or training courses and revise or create relevant documents such as guidelines, checklists, and presentations. I am currently working with a colleague on a new version of the onboarding manual.
What aspects of your job as a working student do you find particularly interesting or challenging?
Merle: I really enjoy the variety in my tasks – from recruiting to personnel and organizational development, everything is included. This means I constantly learn new things and can contribute my ideas directly.
At the same time, it is challenging to plan my working hours sensibly alongside my studies and to set priorities, especially when important tasks pop up unexpectedly. But that mix is precisely what makes it so exciting; I get to grow professionally while gaining valuable hands-on experience.
How do you think your work at Arineo benefits your future career?
Merle: Through my work as a student trainee, I have been learning how personnel and organizational development processes are implemented in practice and how vital communication and structure are in projects. At the same time, I can contribute my ideas and take on responsibility, for example, by creating the onboarding manual. These experiences give me a much clearer idea of my future career opportunities and help me apply my psychological knowledge directly in everyday work.
How does Arineo support you on your career path?
Merle: As already said, Arineo gives me plenty of freedom and support to share my ideas and get involved in projects. I can always turn to my colleagues and receive valuable feedback if I have any questions or challenges. The flexible working hours make it easy to combine my job with my studies so I can keep growing both academically and professionally. Workshops and the chance to collaborate with colleagues from different departments help me build new skills and expand my network – all of which support my future career.
From exciting projects and flexible hours to team activities, what other aspects of Arineo’s corporate culture contribute to your enjoyment of coming to work?
Merle: Although I mostly work remotely, I appreciate the regular interaction with colleagues from different departments, giving me a tremendous all-round view, and I am constantly learning new things about the company. And when I’m in Göttingen, I really look forward to popping into the office and meeting everyone in person – these are always little highlights for me that show how open and warm the atmosphere at Arineo really is.
