KLU Alumna Pauline Zweihaus "KLU's Role in my Career Development"
KLU can take you far! Discover the career paths and life choices of our KLU Alumni in our new Alumni series. Here, our alumni tell us more about their way after their studies at KLU – and how their time here influenced their future paths. Get to know Pauline Zweihaus (Bachelor, Class of 2023) as she shares her journey from university to a fulfilling career in logistics. Discover how KLU’s flexible curriculum, networking opportunities, and hands-on experiences prepared her to excel in Supply Chain Management and sustainability—skills she now applies to optimize processes and drive success at Tchibo GmbH.
Name: Pauline Zweihaus
Degree: BSc, Business Administration, 2023
Position, Company: Supply Chain Management Cooridinator, Tchibo GmbH
What WAS THE BEST THING ABOUT YOUR PROGRAM?
For the beginning of my educational journey the diversity of the BSc Business Administration was very attractive to me. The different paths and the opportunity to select my “course menu” was the perfect way to shape my schedule in a way that it suited my career goals. Due to internships and my working student job, I knew that I wanted to work in logistics and matched my course selection accordingly with a focus on sustainability and supply chain management. Now, after graduation, I am working in the B2B logistics department of Tchibo GmbH and optimize a complex supply chain process. The theoretical knowledge from the Bachelor program and my work experience enable me to enhance operational efficiency and contribute to the overall success of the team.
LOOKING BACK, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD RECOMMEND TO YOUNG STUDENTS DURING UNIVERSITY YEARS?
Don’t underestimate the value of networking. Ask for recommendations from your professors, classmates, and stay in contact with industry professionals as it can open doors to future opportunities.
Looking back, I can only encourage you to use semester breaks for internships and invest your free time in a working student job. It’s a huge benefit to learn what you like and dislike in the corporate world. You can match your expectations from class with real-life examples and learn a lot before applying for a full-time job. Non-permanent job experiences are like a free trial at the gym before you decide if you want to become a member.
HOW DID KLU HELP YOU GET THERE?
University years are the perfect time for personal development during extracurricular activities. During my time at KLU I was leading a student initiative that organized regular events with companies from different industries. This was a great way for me to foster connections across the business network and ask questions that prepared me for the corporate life. My participation also helped me to develop soft skills, like teamwork, leadership, and communication, which are highly valued by employers.
In addition to the student initiative, I really liked the “KLU Bulletin” that students receive from Career Services. It’s an email with regular updates on current job offers from leading companies, where you can apply for working student jobs or internships.
On top of that, KLU events on campus generally lead to a lot of great network opportunities. In my case, the event called Career Connect was very beneficial for my career. During a round of speed pitches I got to know Alida Tiemann (KLU Alumna, MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management, 2013), who is the Head of Supply Chain Management B2B from Tchibo. Later, I contacted Alida via LinkedIn when I was looking for a full-time job. Now, a few months later I am a member of her team, and we work together on exciting projects. This reflects the power of making connections and utilizing the amazing Alumni network at KLU.