Careers - FAQs
How long does it take to process an application?
You will receive prompt feedback on your application (within a maximum of one to two weeks). If we would like to invite you to an interview, we will give you a call to agree an appointment.
Where should I send my application?
Please send your application to our applications email address: career[at]cnc-communications.com. If you would like to send an application by post, please address it to Mareike Noll (Friedrichstraße 149, 10117 Berlin, Germany). Our HR team in Berlin processes all applications, irrespective of which CNC office you are interested in.
How far in advance should I apply for a position?
If you wish to take part in our Assessment Centre, please be aware that this currently takes place only once a year in autumn. You can also make applications for internships. However, applying for an internship between 3 and 6 months in advance will increase your chance of gaining a position in your preferred position and for your preferred dates. In principle, applicants can be taken on in any month (for both permanent positions and internships).
What do you look for in particular in a CNC application?
It is important that your application tells us clearly why you are interested in CNC, what your expectations are and what experience and skills you believe you can offer the company. We would also like to know what attracts you to the area of communications and why you are seeking a career in strategy consultancy. Your CV should be well arranged and have a clear-structure. When listing your previous professional positions or internships, you should emphasise which tasks and areas of responsibility you took on in each case.
How can I prepare for interviews or the Assessment Centre?
In the interviews, your contact partners will be concentrating on how you present yourself, your communication skills, team skills, level of commitment, self-motivation and problem-solving skills. Sometimes they may discuss case studies from our consultancy work. We also want to be able to see that you are enthusiastic about CNC and to talk about what experiences you have gathered so far that might be relevant to CNC. You should also prepare a few questions yourself and use the opportunity to find out more about CNC and our work.
Does CNC offer the opportunity to complete an internship abroad?
In principle, yes. However, for this you must have a fluent command of the country's language. Please send applications for internships abroad to: career[at]communications.com or Mareike Noll.
Does CNC supervise bachelors or masters dissertations?
In exceptional cases, yes. We offer this option mainly to former interns who have already got to know our company and who often have developed a subject for their bachelors or masters dissertation during their internship.
Which academic disciplines is CNC interested in?
Candidates from all academic disciplines may apply for internships as well as our permanent positions. Many of our consultants have studied economics, communication studies, journalism or politics but others have degrees in subjects such as physics, law and history. We value the diversity of our international team and the different perspectives this enables.
What influence can I have in the allocation of projects?
It is important for both interns and permanent consultants to develop a good network internally and to approach colleagues if they are interested in a certain project or issue. The right combination of competences and experience is the main deciding factor for establishing a project team. This ensures our best standards for meeting the client's needs. For this reason we also try to train our colleagues as broadly as possible at the start of their consultancy career and give them an insight into various communication disciplines. This allows the broadest possible scope for involvement in projects later on.
How can I gain international experience with CNC?
International cooperation plays a major role at CNC. We work on many cross-border communication issues and therefore support exchanges between the individual CNC offices. It is possible to go abroad with a particular project, or just to spend a few months working in another CNC office. In order to support the development of a new office, you can gain experience abroad as part of a one- or two-year posting and exploit your CNC expertise in a start-up situation at a new location.
What are the travel demands like for work on projects?
Unlike typical strategy consultancy, our consultants mostly work from their local office, usually on more than one project at a time. We are regularly on site with our clients for appointments, but do not have the usual "consultant's schedule" (Monday to Thursday on site with the client, Friday in the local office). A high degree of flexibility and an enjoyment of travel are certainly required, but you should not expect to be constantly posted in other cities.
