Intro to the graduate
I am Oliver, the Global Operations Graduate of the 2023 batch at Demant, and I recently completed my MSc. Supply Chain Management from CBS. Currently, my first rotation is in Direct Strategic Procurement at HQ in the outskirts of CPH where I primarily work on future product launches in the Project Management Team as well as cost-reduction initiatives and supplier-base optimizations.
How did you end up at the Demant Graduate Programme?
I knew that I wanted a career that mattered where our collective work had an important impact on millions of people and I could develop personally and professionally, so Demant’s Graduate Programme was an ideal opportunity. So, I was quite selective amongst the different Graduate Programmes, but my interest for Demant’s Programme initially started via Graduateship followed by my own research on Demant and the possibilities within this programme. After my own research, it became clear that Demant offered what I was looking for and therefore I ended up applying.
What attracted you to Demant as an employer?
Demant was attractive to me since it allowed me to be in the interplay of making valuable and meaningful contributions while working in a diverse and inclusive work environment with international opportunities. Given the Global Footprint of Demant’s Supply Chain it now enables me to pursue local and global opportunities while ensuring work-life balance which attracted me further to Demant as an employer.
What has been the highlight of being a graduate at Demant so far?
The highlight of being a graduate at Demant so far has, firstly, been the responsibility from day one. To me, it has been a key highlight since it underscores trust towards your competencies and what is also expected from you in this programme. Secondly, the on-boarding process has been very good and eased the transition into a new global company, ensured a thorough understanding of Demant activities and made it feel that the choice of this programme was the right choice. Third, the flat organizational structure has created opportunities to talk directly with senior management while building an extensive network across departments/functions globally.
What has surprised you the most about working at Demant?
The flat organizational structure was very surprising to me and how important internal networking is. Demant encourage you to utilize the flat organizational structure and expand your network. To highlight, as a Graduate you are encouraged to book VPs/Directors to introduce yourself and to be introduced to various functions related to your track. In my opinion, this is very valuable for career aspirations in Demant and leads to better understanding of Demant and possible opportunities in the future but also helps in day-to-day cross-departmental work.
Given the Global Footprint of Demant’s Supply Chain it now enables me to pursue local and global opportunities while ensuring work-life balance which attracted me further to Demant as an employer
Biggest challenge as a graduate so far?
For me, working within global supply chains and global operations delivering complex hearing aids around the world entailed a steep learning-curve due to scale and information/product-complexity. In relation, reaching out to the right stakeholders on projects in such a large organization as Demant has also been challenging as well as understanding the cross-departmental dynamics and requirements in delivering products but has greatly been guided by my good colleagues. Further, it has also been a challenge to accept the fact that I only know a fraction of global processes and it simply just takes time to obtain the knowledge of your coworkers. So even though sometimes it has been quite challenging, it is also these moments in which I develop personally and professionally.
Advice to other applicants?
Be yourself! This is probably my single-best advice. In my opinion, you must understand why you want to work at Demant while being curious and humble. Don’t just apply for the sake of applying. Align on what’s offered and what you will gain from this.
Put in the effort in the preparation and formulation of a proper application – be yourself in this process, be honest and humble. That’s what, to my experience, makes you an interesting candidate.
How do you see your future with Demant?
I see myself building a career at Demant – I enjoy what I do with endless opportunities while helping millions of peoples worldwide, which is very important to me, and which is why I see and want my career to unfold at Demant onwards.
