Chiara Hartmann moves completely calmly when it comes to taking photos with the photographer from the Basler Schulblatt. Without hesitation, she stands in front of an illuminated wall with outlines of leaves reminiscent of tropical areas or sits on the soft colorful stools in a seating area.
The 17-year-old knows the studio space on the ground floor of the Manor department store group headquarters well. She has already done a few photo shoots and video shoots. However, the roles are reversed: Normally she is the one who stands behind the camera, operates the technology, checks the lighting conditions, coordinates appointments and makes sure that no one walks through the picture.
Chiara Hartmann is in her second year of training as a media specialist (EFZ) in Manor’s corporate communications department. “I was lucky when I was looking for an apprenticeship, Manor was my favorite,” says the apprentice, looking back. She appreciates the size of the company, with 7,500 employees across Switzerland, and its diversity: “I was very shy at the beginning, but you learn at work that you have to approach people, even if they work at a much higher level than you. Without openness and good communication you won’t get anywhere.”
A broad-based training
The aspiring media specialist works primarily in the company’s internal communications. She plays on the screens at headquarters, designs and writes articles for an app for Manor employees and the intranet, thinks about the form and content of videos, creates scripts and creates multimedia content, records business messages with management members and employees, designs graphics and Presentations, creates posters for dialogue platforms, prepares images for media releases, scours the media review for test results that may be of interest to specialist departments, or does administration for internal events.
1. Chiara’s calm demeanor during photo shoots: How did she develop this confidence? Do her skills as a photographer help her in front of the camera?
2. Working at Manor: What attracted Chiara to the company? How has her experience been so far? What challenges did she face as a shy person in her initial stages of communication?
3. Media specialist role: Can you describe the daily routine of a media specialist at Manor? What skills are most important for someone in this position?
4. Internal communications: What are some of the most sensitive or important messages that have been conveyed through internal communication channels? How does Manor ensure that these messages reach all employees effectively?
5. Multimedia content creation: What kinds of multimedia content does Manor produce? How does Chiara ensure that the content resonates with different age groups and departments within the company?
6. Administration: What are some of the most interesting events that Chiara has been a part of planning or organizing? How does she manage the logistics of such events?
7. Future plans: What does Chiara hope to achieve in her apprenticeship at Manor? Is there a particular area of interest she would like to specialize in?
