German & Business Management Personal Statement Example

My interest in Business stems from listening to my father practising his presentations for work. Having studied it at GCSE/A Level, I know I want to pursue a career in Business, probably International Business. My fascination with German started when 2 exchange students stayed with my brother at our house and gave me a story book (Die Bremer Stadtmusikanten) as a gift.

I jumped at the chance to study it in Year 7, I have a flare for it and I really enjoy it. I believe a broad-based Business/Management degree will enable me to build on my existing knowledge and to decide what to specialise in as I learn more.

My ideal outcome would be to use my German skills in the field of Business; Germany is one of the UK’s biggest trading partners, despite this, fewer people now learn or speak German, which I think will differentiate me.

The chance of a year abroad at university/on placement really appeals to me as it will improve my language skills. It will also allow me to experience the culture, to develop as a person and to have fun, all at the same time.

In the 4 years I have studied Business, I have been able to experience/appreciate different aspects of Business. I found HR Management particularly interesting, for example when I had to compare Sainsbury’s approach to recruitment and retention to Lidl’s.

I have become better at asking relevant questions like “what are the potential options?” and “what will the impact of each be?”, and better at evaluation. I enjoyed taking part in Cranfield’s “Business Challenge”, where I was team leader. The event gave me exposure to the principles of running a business. It also introduced me to leadership and the challenge of getting agreement within a team.

I am looking forward to learning more about what great leaders do to get people behind them. In German, I think I have made all-round improvements in the last year. I was particularly proud of the ‘A’ I got in my oral where I had to discuss global warming and the environment. In March, I went to Luebeck on my first trip to Germany.

I was nervous to begin with but my confidence grew as I realised people actually understood me. A number of locals even congratulated me on the quality of my German. I also went to Warsaw in August; the person I stayed with did not speak English so I spoke to him in German.

This improved my ability to think on my feet and increased my vocabulary. I believe that not being afraid to make mistakes and conversing with native speakers are the best ways to become fluent. One of the things I most want to improve is my grammar, I also want to develop my business vocabulary; I believe the year abroad will help me to do this. I have also studied Law and History.

In History, I enjoyed learning about the Bolsheviks and how they, like the Nazis, used propaganda to win support and seize power. I believe the skills these subjects have taught me will help me to be more analytical in Business/Management and will give me a good reference point for studying German culture and history. I have a wide range of interests outside school.

I have played for a local football team for 8 years; we won our first major trophy last season. I have been an FA-qualified referee for 3 years and have twice been invited to Beds FA’s School of Excellence. Refereeing has improved my ability to work under pressure, make quick, decisive decisions and to have the conviction to uphold them.

I am a keen traveller and have visited historical sites like Chichen Itza and the Warsaw ghetto. I also enjoy music/ live bands, cinema and the gym, which I find very relaxing.

In summary, I am passionate about the subjects I will study. I believe my degree will help me to build on the knowledge I already have and to decide what to specialise in. It will also equip me with skills that will be invaluable throughout my life.

The university experience will help me to mature, make lifelong friends and to fulfil the potential I know I have.