Joel Wahlstedt – CMO Business Trainee

What made you apply for the trainee role at Telenor Sweden?
– Telenor’s high market presence really made this role appealing to me, together with the telco industry in large, which is fast-paced and ranges through almost every industry. I also discovered this program through various student events where I got the chance to talk to both previous trainees as well as other employees. They described Telenor as a human and empowering company which I can truly emphasize now that I have started working here!

Give a brief summary of your role, what is it about?
– I’m following our Business CMO, Ulrika Steg. We in the business division are responsible for the B2B (Business to Business) segment, which includes everything from selling mobile subscription to a one-person company, to selling complex solutions to the biggest companies in Sweden!

– On an average day, typical activities could be the following: Following Ulrika on super interesting meetings, coordinating and administrating meetings, and analyzing reports and producing presentations for other leaders in the Business division. But I’m also involved in several projects which gives me an exceptional overview of the whole business organization which I’m really enjoying.

What is the best thing about being a trainee at Telenor?
– That is a tough question because I can mention a lot of things! One thing is that you get to follow such experienced leaders for a whole year and be able to attend a lot of meetings no other newly graduated person could attend to. But you also get the chance to pick and choose projects you are interested in, which makes this year very flexible and a lot up to you how you want it to be.

What is your biggest challenge so far as a trainee?
– My biggest challenge has been to really understand the telco market, and especially the B2B market. What are the drivers? What does the B2B-customers value? These are questions that I wrestle with every day, and they are also non-static and changing quickly because of the fast-paced market we work within.

What career opportunities, short term and long term can you see that the trainee program can give you?
– The trainee-program gives you the opportunity to explore what you think is interesting in Telenor. You also get a large network for free with the previous trainees, and they are always there if you need any advice. You also get the chance to work with such inspiring and motivated people during your year which makes it hard to imagine working anywhere else!

What makes Telenor a good employer? Give examples.
– Telenor is a caring company regarding its employees. There is an empowering attitude in the company and if you show that you have the drive and the competence, the leaders are not afraid of giving you their trust. We also have a healthy and sustainable attitude towards work-life balance. For example, we have a lot of activities you can attend to which are organized by Telenor such as floorball, choir, a lot of different exercises and much more.

What would you say to someone considering applying for trainee next year?
– The competence, drive and willingness to develop among the people working here was something that hit me when I started here, and that is something I really enjoy. To get the chance to work right in the middle of such a fast-paced market together with great co-workers and to have this ability to control your schedule makes this an opportunity, I don’t think a lot of people can refuse. And our Business division is on a really interesting journey with a lot of cool projects and activities coming up, so choose Business!