We want to share Luisa Spann's experience during her two-month internship in Spain.
What city-country and department are you from?
In Germany, I am participating in the internship program called "International@bakertilly," where I have the great opportunity to explore two business lines: Audit & Advisory and Tax Services at the national office in Dortmund, Germany. Through this program, I was able to experience the working culture abroad at the international office in Madrid.
Before coming to Madrid, I did my first internship in the field of auditing, which also took place in Madrid. Now that I am back in Germany, I am working in the Tax department.
How long did your experience last?
I had the opportunity to stay in Madrid for two months, May and June, which is possibly the best time of year to visit Madrid. When I arrived in Madrid on May 1st, I was amazed by the beauty of the city and the welcoming atmosphere of its people. Madrid is a very beautiful city, and I’m so glad I chose to stay there.
What was it like working in another Baker Tilly office?
My time at the Madrid office was very educational and rewarding, as I had the chance to broaden my horizons both professionally and personally. I was surprised by how similar the work in Spain was to my previous experiences in Germany. We used the same software, and the precision of the work in Spain was excellent.
From my perspective, the working papers in Spain were even slightly more structured than those in Germany, which surprised me. Overall, I’d say there weren’t major differences between the two countries. I truly felt like I was working for the same company.
The only thing I struggled with in Spain was how late we had lunch. In Germany, it’s normal to eat around 12 PM, but in Madrid, we didn’t eat until after 2 PM.
Why did you want to have this experience?
In an increasingly globalized world, I believe it’s very important for young professionals to gain international experience. I chose Spain because I’ve always liked the country and the Spanish mindset. I wanted to get to know the culture, people, and work life in Spain better.
Staying and working in Madrid for two months gave me the chance to experience it firsthand. Learning more about auditing expanded my understanding of the sector and the work of an auditor. I really value the honest feedback from my colleagues, as my experience in Spain helped me build a perspective for my future career.
How was your experience? What was your team like? What did you visit?
As I mentioned, I really enjoyed the warm and welcoming atmosphere of the audit team in Madrid. Everyone helped me as much as they could and made a great effort to give me an honest and broad insight into their work.
Even though there was sometimes a language barrier, my colleagues always tried to explain everything as clearly as possible and even helped me improve my Spanish. Lunch breaks were always a great opportunity to connect with everyone, as we always spent them together as a team. And having coffee together after lunch was the perfect way to start the second half of the day!
What would you highlight most about this experience? Would you encourage others to take advantage of these secondments?
I would definitely encourage everyone who has the chance to work abroad for a while to do so. The opportunity to work in another country, meet new people, and experience a completely new culture is absolutely worth it. Looking back on my time in Madrid, I can say I am very grateful for all the experiences I had, and I will always have fond memories of this period.
