Graduate Michael Zahnbrecher - Executive Board Communications at Infineon Technologies AG

- Why did you decide to study sociology? What other alternatives were there for you?

I was interested in social and political issues and chose my degree programme primarily based on these interests. Initially, I had toyed with the idea of working as a journalist after graduating. Alternative degree programmes for me at the time were psychology or teaching, e.g. English and history.

- What were you most enthusiastic about during your studies?

Thinking and working with a theory, discussing its possibilities and limitations and contrasting it with other approaches. I was particularly fascinated by the different approaches to epistemology in the Master's programme.

- Did you already have an idea of where you would end up when you started your degree programme?

There were several areas that I found exciting, such as journalism and occasionally market research, mainly because I (surprisingly) took a liking to statistics.

- And how did you get to your current position?

I started at Infineon in 2014 as a working student and wrote articles for the online employee magazine. The work was varied and interesting, but my colleagues and the corporate culture were also decisive factors in my decision to stay there. I then completed a trainee programme in the communications department. I was then taken on permanently and initially worked in change and leadership communication. In 2020, I then switched to the Executive Board Communications department.

- In retrospect, what helped you in particular to find a job after your studies?

People who studied sociology tend to find it more difficult to name the specific skills they learnt during their studies than someone who studied mechanical engineering, for example. Nevertheless, the skills gained from a sociology degree are valuable - both in terms of the subject matter and in terms of personal development. This realisation, i.e. confidence in your own abilities, even if they are not always clearly tangible, is certainly an advantage when looking for a job.

I also think that it makes sense not to seek contact with professional practice too late, especially in subjects that do not specify a professional goal. Along the way, you get a feeling for whether a job suits you and is fun. What I personally wanted to avoid was the situation where I would start my professional life with a high level of expertise but no practical experience. In this respect, the working student position was very helpful, as was an internship in market research, which made me realise that I didn't want to pursue this path any further.

- To what extent did your studies help you?

A quasi-scientific approach to one's own work is useful in many professions, including mine. Building arguments coherently, providing context, using suitable sources, anticipating counter-arguments - I learnt all this during my studies and it is still helpful in my work today. I don't apply the specific content of my degree programme directly in my day-to-day work, but it shapes my thinking and so it also flows into my work.

- What are the most important experiences from your time as a student?

The privilege of experiencing knowledge and education without always attaching a concrete economic utilisation claim to it. So what can be seen as a weakness of the degree programme, I see as a great value, especially for personal development - and therefore indirectly also for professional life.

Working to a deadline, sorting content and prioritising tasks were also practical experiences that are probably useful in any profession.

- What would you do differently today or do you regret something in connection with your studies?

It never seemed to be the right time for a semester abroad, but I would actually have liked to have done one. Keyword "prioritising" (see above) - I should have prioritised that higher.

- What do you particularly like to think back on?

The interaction on the degree programme - inside and outside the university -, the discussions in the seminars; the privilege of having lecturers explain complicated content in an understandable way.

- Last but not least: Is there any advice you would like to give current students for their entry into the professional world?

The variety of career opportunities should be encouraging. Most job advertisements do not explicitly look for sociologists, but their skills are needed in many areas (e.g. communication, human resources, strategy development).

The same applies to many other specialisms. In Corporate Communications, I had colleagues with all kinds of professional backgrounds, including a historian and a theatre scholar.