Christina Gerdes

Name: Christina Gerdes
Age: 27
Nationality: German
Company: Universal Robots A/S
Title/education: Marketing Project Specialist / MSc Economics and Business Administration - Strategy and Organization

I ended up in Denmark because

I started my MSc studies in Economics and Business Administration specializing in Strategy and Organization at the University of Southern Denmark in Odense in September 2018. During this time, I was seeking work experience in the Danish market and was very fortunate to get a student assistant job with the market leader in collaborative robotics. Ever since I started working for Universal Robots A/S in October 2018, it has been a very pleasant experience and I constantly have been empowered by the company. Based on these very good experiences, I decided to stay and am now employed permanently as a Marketing Project Specialist at UR.

What surprises me most about working in Denmark is

I am amazed about the low hierarchies and the ability to prove my skills and constantly grow. It’s the right balance between high levels of productivity and expertise but also emphasizing work-life balance and personal values. This combination allows me to thrive in my job as well as feeling like the company and colleagues are having my back.

My Danish colleagues are

Simply amazing! I really enjoy how connected I feel to my Danish colleagues. They are very smart and productive but at the same time fun to work with. If you want to get integrated fast, make sure to offer your colleagues some licorice. Danes simply love their Danish sweets.

Life in Denmark is

Very “hyggeligt”. Denmark has been rated one of the happiest countries in the world several times. Based on my 2 ½ years’ experience in Denmark, I think the “hygge” culture is a major reason why Danes are so satisfied. There is no direct translation to “hygge” but it translates into spending quality time with loved ones and simply enjoying the small things in life.

I would recommend anybody moving to Denmark to

Learn Danish. Even though almost everyone is fluent in English, I’d recommend you to learn Danish because it helps to socialize with Danes. They always appreciate it if you’re trying to speak Danish and it’s a great ice breaker. Also, make sure to buy a raincoat. The Danish weather can be quite unpredictable at times.