"Many of the products I work with have already sparked my interest as a child"

Jan Mausberg – Consultant – RWTH Aachen (2024)

What do you like most about your job as a consultant and work at Avencore?

What I particularly love about my work as a consultant at Avencore is the variety. No two days are the same, and you are constantly confronted with new technical and conceptual challenges. The constant need to rethink and explore new topics is a key source of motivation for me.

This is reflected in my work with a wide range of products and industries, which I find fascinating. Many of the products I work with have already sparked my interest as a child and impressed me again during my studies because of their technical complexity. Being able to work on these topics myself today feels special.

The diversity of my work is also visible in the variety of projects I work on, ranging from space applications to specialized vehicles, such as fire trucks. I get to know not only different products but also very different production environments and people. Despite the high level of specialization within client teams, creating tangible value as an external consultant is exactly what I enjoy most about working at Avencore.

What do you think makes a good consultant?

For me, consulting is very clearly a people business. A good consultant asks the right questions and brings in new perspectives without losing the relationship with the client.

The most important thing is to take all stakeholders along and clearly explain why certain decisions or changes make sense. In my view, true value is created when strong technical expertise is combined with a genuine understanding of people.

What was your experience starting and developing at Avencore?

On my very first day, I attended my first client meeting, and by the second week I had been onboarded onto an additional project in parallel. This early trust gave me a strong sense of orientation right from the start.

In the following weeks, my development progressed quickly: increasing responsibility, independently leading meetings, participating in steering committee meetings, as well as moderating and facilitating workshops. You can take on responsibility very early on, but the pace is something you define together with your supervisor.

Thanks to the wide variety of projects, I was able to further develop not only my technical understanding of projects, subject-matter expertise, and soft skills. For example, I developed my skills in workshop facilitation, working with diverse stakeholders, and building adaptability and flexibility.

What advice would you give students about starting a career in consulting?

My advice would be to not rush through your studies as quickly as possible, but to consciously look beyond your field of study. Get involved in student organizations, spend a semester abroad, or try out different working student roles. These experiences will help you develop a much clearer sense of what truly suits you and what doesn’t.

It’s important to approach new topics with a healthy dose of curiosity. The insights and experiences you gain from different fields are extremely valuable. Not only from a technical perspective, but especially when it comes to soft skills and how you interact with people and clients.