Verkotan’s previous sales and marketing trainees, Emma, Andreas and Oona now share their experiences from the summer 2020. Let us hear their thoughts!

Can you describe your tasks a little bit and how your studies matched them?

Oona: The tasks were very versatile, but I mainly did digital marketing. My responsibilities included website management, search engine optimization, creation of marketing material, managing social media channels, reporting digital marketing performance and planning future marketing activities. My tasks also included sales actions and customer acquisitions as well as conducting a market research. My master studies in marketing did support me in my tasks. The actions to gain visibility through digital marketing and tools needed for that is something that is not taught at the university.

Andreas: My range of tasks related predictably to sales and marketing. The sales aspect contained jobs like reaching out to and conversing with potential customers, from the first contact to the eventual sale. My marketing tasks were things like creating content for our social media channels and for the website, updating and managing Verkotan’s marketing materials and to enable customer satisfaction. I study Industrial Engineering and Management (IEM), where we focus on how any facility that provides goods or services is run efficiently.

Emma: As I have ongoing marketing master studies, I feel that my daily tasks have supported my professional development. I had digital marketing tasks like SEO, content creation, social media marketing, brainstorming future marketing campaigns but also sales tasks like contacting potential customers.

What did you learn as a trainee at Verkotan?

Oona: I learned a lot about selling and business to business marketing. Verkotan was a great place for me to start of my career with. I learned to create content that attracts a very specific segment, this was difficult in the field of technology where customer base mainly consists of rationally thinking engineers and as the service offering with all its technical details might be difficult to comprehend at the beginning. I also learned to take concrete actions to increase visibility in the online world and my understanding of the analytics increased considerably.

Andreas: Overall I learned how to manage my own time and tasks more efficiently. From sales I learned how to better argue my point, how to better hear what the customer is saying and how to negotiate. From marketing I learned the value of building one’s brand, establishing visibility and the effort that goes into it.

Emma: Of course, I learned a lot about wireless industry. What comes to marketing, I learned how to make the complex things as simple as possible and create clear content. On the other hand, we made very specific content to a specific segment. Over all I learned a lot about concrete marketing actions but also to see a big picture.

What was surprising?

Oona: I was surprised how involved I got to be from the beginning and how I had the freedom to brainstorm, suggest and implement the ideas. As a reward, we were able to see the results in increased visibility.

Andreas: I was surprised how cooperative the nature of my work ended up being. Everyday I get to consult people with different skillsets and competencies, which is slowly widening my own understanding and capabilities

Emma: I was surprised how much Verkotan appreciates trainees because I have not felt like being a trainee for a day. I also 100% agree with Oona and Andreas.

What did you like the most?

Oona: Wireless testing was an interesting business to be part of, there is constant development and change. I liked how decisions could be executed fast when needed due to the low hierarchy.

Andreas: I mostly have the freedom to decide how to conduct my work, I have flexible work hours, and I can get to decide at which order I want to handle my task work, so long as things get done in time.

Emma:  I especially liked the variety of my tasks. Different tasks gave me a chance to see how global start-up company really operates. Also, I liked the relaxed and flexible working environment. Also, I loved the mindset of one big Verkotan family.

What was your biggest professional challenge?

Oona: I had many things at the table at once and managing all of them required planning. You might come to work with a free schedule but few hours into the day and situation is different, handling customer cases and being able to take care of marketing activities created its own challenges.

Andreas: Adapting to quick changes. I handle my task load by working on whatever is the most urgent at the moment. This involves planning quite a bit ahead, and when the situation changes and something more pressing needs to be handled, there is a need to adjust quickly

Emma: I agree with Oona and Andreas and would like to add that adjusting different situations and quick changes taught me a lot. Also, high-technology industry brought own challenges as it was new for me.

What would be your best advice to potential candidates and what would you like them to know?

Oona: Due to Verkotan’s size and company structure, you get to work with variety of different tasks and projects and get your ideas to be heard, therefore I would encourage you not to be afraid to make mistakes and bring these ideas up. Ask a lot of questions, that is how you learn the most. People at Verkotan wear many hats and sometimes this creates challenges when you need actions from other people, you need to be patient and able to accept incompleteness.

Andreas: It is better to ask questions than to suffer in silence. No one is an expert from day one, and learning is much easier when there is no barrier to raising the issue you face. As you will definitely face problems that require assistance from other people, you should take care to describe the problem effectively and concisely, this makes it easier for other people to help you.

Emma: If you really want to challenge yourself and learn new things about sales and marketing, apply. Verkotan is full of opportunities for trainee to learn and grow in the dynamic and fast changing environment.

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