Hi Despoina, tell us a little about yourself and what brought you to CERN?

My name is Despoina, I originally come from Chios, a beautiful Greek Island and when I was 18 I moved to Athens for my Bachelor studies. In the last year of my studies at the Athens University of Economics and Business and after having spent an exchange semester in France, I was looking for an internship abroad. And this is how CERN happened for me!

Can you tell us some more about your experience here?

During my internship at CERN, I worked in the Talent Acquisition Group in the Human Resources Department. There I was closely working in the student recruitment team, a team that coordinates the Technical, Administrative & Summer Student programmes at CERN. One of the team’s most important role is actually to be there for the students, from the moment they are selected for a programme until the moment their internship ends. We want the students to have a great CERN experience and to end their internship with simply a smile!

What has working at CERN been like for you?

CERN gives you the opportunity to grow, not only professionally but also personally. Meeting interesting people that come from different countries, diverse academic backgrounds and just listening to their stories is amazing! There are so many ways to socialize and to meet people, CERN just makes it easy for you to adapt quickly! Also it gives you the opportunity to learn a new language since English & French are the two official languages. And of course another positive aspect is the area itself. You get the opportunity to travel and explore the region, swim in the lakes in Switzerland during summertime, enjoy the snowy days in the wintertime....Literally there are so many things you can do after-work and during the weekends!

What are your key ‘take aways’ and what advice would you give potential applicants?

Working at CERN is a great opportunity, for meeting inspiring people, for learning new skills, for professional and personal growth. For those who consider applying for a programme at CERN my advice would be to definitely apply!

Interested in joining CERN as a student? Check out our student programmes on http://careers.cern/students​ and take part