MPP 2019 Gaurav Ganti says that the Hertie School’s network was important for him to start his professional career.
Gaurav Ganti works as Decarbonisation Strategies Lead and Climate Policy Analyst at Climate Analytics, a non-profit organisation based in Berlin that supports science-based policy to prevent climate change and enables sustainable development. A mechanical engineer by training, he already worked as a student assistant with the policy team at Climate Analytics while still studying at the Hertie School. Currently, Gaurav leads the Decarbonisation Strategies work at the Climate Policy Team, providing scientific and policy relevant analyses on fossil-fuel phaseout requirements. This work includes the development of tools to synthesize and disseminate policy-relevant information to a variety of stakeholders. He also contributes to the methodology development and maintenance of the effort-sharing calculations as part of the Climate Action Tracker.
Tell us a bit more about your professional background and how you got to the point in your life where you are right now.
I graduated as a mechanical engineer with a focus on renewable system design. I applied to a couple of graduate schools with an aim to complement my technical knowledge with a better understanding of how to apply it in a policy-relevant context. I ultimately chose to study at the Hertie School! Once here, I started a student job with the Climate Policy Team at Climate Analytics alongside my studies and took up a full-time position with them after graduating.
What role does your knowledge of German play in your professional life?
Not much. Our working language is English.
What were the most important resources for your job hunt? Did you use the Hertie School’s network?
I found the student job on Hertie Connect and met my (future) supervisor at a professional perspectives event organised by the Hertie School.
How did you prepare for job interviews?
Pretty much by spending time with Anna from Career Services. She was very supportive and helpful in helping me understand how to approach interviews.
What advice would you give international students who are looking for a job in Berlin or Germany?
Try to take up extra work like a student job or a research position at the Hertie School. It is a very important way to get your foot in the door, and to showcase what you bring to the table to a future employer. It can also reduce the stress of having to look for a full-time position after graduating and is definitely a worthwhile investment!
In this series, our international Hertie School alumni speak about entering the German job market and share some advice on how to best go about job hunting.
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Views expressed by the author/interviewee may not necessarily reflect the views and values of the Hertie School.