Maximilian Bauer

What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Ansbach University of Applied Sciences?

A feeling of belonging and great encounters: I met my closest friends during my Bachelor's degree programme and those are correspondingly formative, positive memories for me. We are still in contact today, we exchange ideas and that would not have been possible without Ansbach University of Applied Sciences.

What was the best experience at Ansbach University of Applied Sciences that you remember?
There were many wonderful moments: generally the carefree student days, being together on campus, but also a certain pretty cool party evening on the Master's programme.

You can't have studied in Ansbach without...
... having seen a rabbit or the camera king Alexander Erb once on campus. Not necessarily at the same time, but you can't get past them.

What motivations determined your choice of degree programme and career?
A desire for creativity, strategy work and a combination of analytics and precise deductions. Journalism and PR work always share curiosity and the privilege of being able to delve into new, often unknown subject areas.

Why did you choose Ansbach University of Applied Sciences?
Ansbach University of Applied Sciences offers a sound and technically well-equipped education in media, journalism, PR and corporate communications. At the time, I wanted to specialise in departmental journalism, and fortunately I was able to study it here.

What influence did studying at Ansbach University of Applied Sciences have on your life? Is there anything that you particularly remember?
My professional activities parallel to my studies helped me a lot to put my theoretical knowledge to the test in practice. A lot of the content from the degree programme only proved to be logical and directly useful when applied. In addition, many close friendships were formed during my studies, as well as contacts with many fellow students who are now working in a wide range of industries and positions.

What did you take away from your studies for your professional future?
The professional foundation, a feel for media trends and important subject areas as well as a certain entrepreneurial mindset that the lecturers, who often come from the private sector, encourage. I also found the theoretical subjects in the Master's programme to be very useful in order to better understand the economic context of, for example, marketing and PR as well as organisational structures. However, the professional practice parallel to my studies made a big difference for me. It's simply different when you've worked in a matrix organisation than when it's only shown once in a lecture. The advantages and disadvantages are then known from practical work experience.

If you could study again today, would you do anything differently?
I would go abroad and take this experience with me as far as possible. The degree programme simply offers unique opportunities for this and it's not easy to find them in this form later on.

Looking back on your time at university, what advice would you give (prospective) students?
Parallel professional activity is definitely a plus point for later applications and can help to not only tick off theoretical knowledge, but to apply it. There are many exciting opportunities to work as a freelance editor in parallel to, for example, departmental journalism. You can also gain exciting experience in corporate communications or agencies. I would also think straight away about where I might want to go later: Content creator or PR strategy? You can already aim for this and try it out in internships or part-time jobs.

To what extent do you still feel connected to the university today? Do you still have contacts with fellow students?
There is still a close circle from the Bachelor's programme that keeps in touch. Of course, that becomes less with work and other commitments, but these friends are still important to me. There are many shared memories.

What were the most important stages in your career?
The path from journalism to PR has changed a lot of things for me in a positive way. I feel more comfortable as a corporate communicator in terms of strategic thinking, but of course I still value journalism as an important pillar of our democratic society. Nevertheless, this was a very relevant realisation for me: journalism also has dependencies and is not flawlessly neutral. There are publishing interests, advertising customers and political levels. Accordingly, I found the change a pleasant one. I like the entrepreneurial perspective. Nevertheless, the principles of journalism must be upheld: Quality assurance, a commitment to truth and treating the media with respect.

What do you particularly like about your current job?
As a PR specialist, just like a journalist, you are constantly immersed in new subject areas. These have to be understood and penetrated, and then packaged in a way that is appropriate for the target group and has an impact via the right channels. This is fun, leaves room for creativity and requires working with lots of people. This day-to-day work is varied and therefore rarely boring. In addition, the media landscape is constantly evolving and digitalising and it is exciting to find the right channel for every story.

What are the three most important skills in your day-to-day work?
I think that, in addition to technical skills, soft skills are also fundamental as a PR manager and communicator: You need an empathetic curiosity to understand different stakeholder groups, be able to categorise topics and then communicate them to the relevant target groups in the right way.
Expertise is relevant: It is important to stay on top of the rapidly changing communications industry. Digital media are constantly changing, algorithms are evolving and the interpretative sovereignty of various channels is in flux from year to year. It's important to keep your finger on the pulse in order to utilise these trends strategically.
And finally, I would say solid communication skills that can only be honed in practice. A diplomatic approach is also required, especially between many different perspectives. How can I take the interests of management into account without undermining the authority of a specialist department? The most important thing here remains: Talk to the people in charge - everyone has understandable reasons for fears, anxieties or even resistance. The more open and empathetic the dialogue is, the less wastage there will be.

In your opinion, how do you make a good career start in your industry (entry routes, application tips)?
Practical experience is relevant for starting a career - so internships are a must, otherwise a traineeship or a trainee position after graduation can help. I found working parallel to my studies to be very instructive because the theoretical content can be tested directly in practice. It also helps you to realise what direction you want to take in your future career. And it is also much easier to start a career if you have the relevant practical references. This is often a key factor for HR and recruiting and routinises working methods.

What career tips do you have for students and young graduates?
I consider transparency and honesty to be the fundamental basis for a good career start. Be honest about your goals, interests and pursue activities that really interest you. You will then achieve much better results. Passion and enjoyment make the difference in the quality of work. If you don't like a job or a voluntary internship experience doesn't help you, then make use of your probationary period, for example, to look for something more suitable. But of course it's also clear that sometimes an apprenticeship doesn't mean you'll be able to set up a PR strategy or conduct board interviews. There is no shame in baking small buns and it provides a solid foundation of professional skills.
In short: enjoy what you do, then it will be much easier for you to do great work.