Meet Anne Sophie: “don’t be afraid to ask questions”
GN News
Dec 05, 2023
In this blog series, you will get to meet some of our current and former GN Graduates, who will share their experiences and learnings. Learn more about their challenges, success stories, and favorite aspects of being a graduate at GN.
Name: Anne Sophie Krog Pedersen
Graduate track and generation: Marketing track 2022
Current rotation: Second rotation
Where: Marketing, Sydney, Australia
What motivated you to apply for the GN graduate program? What is your favorite thing about being a GN graduate?
Can you share a significant insight you've gained so far? Can you share any success stories of fellow graduates from your program? What is the most challenging aspect of the program, and how are you overcoming it? What advice would you give to someone considering applying for this program? Learn more here: GN Graduate Program
Having recently graduated, the opportunity to not only explore different departments within GN, but also experience the differences between global HQ and local affiliate strongly appealed to me. Prior to starting in GN, I had held student positions within Danish companies – but the opportunity to immerse myself in a global company like GN attracted my interest. Overall, the diversity and exposure of the program therefore caught my attention and seemed the perfect way of starting my career.
Aside from the international rotation, one of my favorite things about being a GN graduate is the community with my fellow graduates. As newcomers to the world of full-time work, it has been great to always have a group of colleagues at the same stage of their careers and to whom no question has been too stupid to ask. Though we all work in different areas, we have created a strong sense of community, sharing everything from coffee breaks to paddle tournaments and even a trip to Berlin.
While both of my rotations so far have been within marketing, I have already experienced large differences between the more overall planning and coordination in the headquarter and the customer focus and interaction in the local market. Exploring these differences has been a great learning experience, and returning to Ballerup for my third rotation, I believe this exposure will be a great backbone for both ensuring that I contribute with valuable inputs and find my own path.
During the first rotation, my fellow graduates and I started a new, social organization called GN Community. Aside from bringing us great outside-work experiences, including bowling, secret Santa, speed friending, a quiz night, and a cinema event, GN Community strengthened our network across the organization. The organization was well-received across departments and organizational levels, and while not relating to our daily work, running the organization was an incredibly rewarding and joyful experience.
For me, one of the most challenging aspects of being a graduate is always being “the newcomer” in the team. Only being in each department for 8 months means continuously being exposed to new information. However, I’ve found that the best way to overcome it is to not be afraid to ask questions as people are always happy to help and understanding of your position.
My best advice for someone considering applying for the graduate program will be to just send through the application and see where it takes you. Though I’m part of the marketing track, I have no background within marketing. The flexibility of the program, however, makes it a great starting point for developing both personally and professionally.