This fall, 9 ambitious graduates leap into the Visma Management Trainee program with only a slight idea of what’s in store. During one intense year, each of them will complete five projects in different parts of Northern Europe. Here you can read about the fresh trainees and their first month as Visma employees at the Skøyen headquarters in Oslo.
Interested in starting your career with us at Visma? We are always looking for new talents, so visit our career pages for more information.
Here are the Management Trainees for 2018
Jacob Nyman, Norway
Academic background
MSc in Industrial Economics and Technology Management and MSc in Computer Science, both from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
What is your first project about?
My first project revolves around customer support offered to users of Visma products. My current department, Business Operations, strives for operational excellence on behalf of Visma business units in the SMB division.
As a major initiative for inspiring excellent and cost-efficient service to all Visma customers, the department provides an approach to customer support that is based on internally developed software.
By conducting a benchmark study and looking into the future of customer support, my task is to advice Business Operations on how to further develop this set of support tools.
How is it really to work at Visma?
It is a lot to take in! Visma Group consists of many different business units operating in different countries in ever-changing technological markets. This implies many different people constantly working hard to perform in dynamic business environments. I don’t think anyone can feel bored in such a setting. I love it.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
I speak both Norwegian and Swedish (and a tiny bit of Finnish) since my mother is Norwegian and my father is a Swedish-speaking Finn. This is truly a superpower in all trainee settings, both social and professional!
Julia Hakanpää, Finland
Academic background
MSc in Economics and Business Administration from Aalto University School of Business, Helsinki, with exchange studies at HEC Montreal, Canada. I majored in Management and International Business and minored in Computer Science.
BSc in Economics and Business Administration from Aalto University School of business, with exchange studies at Singapore Management University, Singapore.
What is your first project about?
My first project is at Visma Collectors, where I focus on Visma’s debt collection services. I am developing a web portal used by the debtors, which requires analysing and planning the functionalities of the portal according to legal requirements and the clients’ needs.
I will also be designing the overall layout of the site down to the smallest details, which will be then implemented to the portal. This means I get to practice my programming skills.
How is it really to work at Visma?
I feel that I have been given a lot of freedom to manage my project and time at work in general. The atmosphere at Visma is relaxed, and right from the start, there is a large network of people willing to help you with any questions you have.
Also, the fact that you have been given a lot of responsibility right from the beginning definitely motivates you to do your best.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
Traveling is extremely close to my heart and having lived in multiple different countries, I am super interested in learning about other cultures. My goal is to master all the Scandinavian ones after the trainee year.
Read more: My first two months as a Management Trainee.
Mikkel Johan Boye Ahlgren, Norway
Academic background
Master’s degree in Industrial Economics and Technology Management from NTNU, Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Business Administration from NHH.
What is your first project about?
My project is a Mergers & Acquisitions case, where we aim to formulate a short-list of potential targets for acquisition. We analyse companies that make Talent Management or Workforce Management systems, to potentially integrate into Visma’s suite of HR systems.
What’s particularly interesting about this project is foremost that acquiring companies is a field that Visma is really good at, which offers a high learning potential.
I also like the thought that within a year’s time, Visma might have acquired a company from my short list.
How is it really to work at Visma?
I admire the flexibility of working in Visma. What really matters is the quality of your delivery.
This means that unless you have something scheduled, you may take a long weekend and work in those hours later. I took a day off last Friday and went grouse hunting in Nord-Trøndelag.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
I like to hunt and light campfires. This way I got other trainees to believe that there may be Norwegian mountain alligators lurking in nearby creeks.
Anna Normark, Sweden
Academic background
Master of Science in Information Technology Engineering from Uppsala University, Sweden.
What is your first project about?
In my first project, I’m working with customer experience (CX). CX is used all over Visma and I am testing new tools which can be used in language processing on feedback we receive from our customers. Apart from testing new tools I’m also mapping the use of feedback-data in different parts of Visma.
My goal is to create a new dashboard with better data and remove the step of someone having to read all the feedback and categorising the subject in order to send it to the right people.
How is it really to work at Visma?
In Visma, you get to learn something new almost every day since we are working with new technology and also get to lead projects for our own.
We also take our time to eat lunch or to grab a Swedish fika together during work days, which creates many new connections at the office.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
I have a passion for dancing, which I have been doing since I was 6 years old.
Also read: The Management Trainees of 2019 are here!
Eirik Mofoss, Norway
Academic background
MSc in Industrial Economics and Technology Management from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), with an exchange year to the Technical University of Munich (TUM), in Germany.
What is your first project about?
My first project is within data analytics and visualisation. My task is to investigate data from several of the business units in Visma’s SMB and Commerce Solutions divisions, by combining different data sources and creating dynamic, real-time dashboards.
These dashboards are to be used as tools for identifying growth opportunities and new strategies by top management. Also, as Visma is now entering the financial sector, I will work on a value estimation model for debt cases and predicting their resolvance grade.
How is it really to work at Visma?
One experienced Management Director here told me that in order to enjoy working for Visma, you should enjoy frequent changes and a dynamic environment.
Visma grows fast, continuously acquires new businesses, sells off old ones and does restructuring. Personally I find this exciting.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
I am actively engaged in politics, a vegetarian and an effective altruist. Also, I love to do endurance training and sports, but not to watch it on TV.
Viktoria Hæsken, Norway
Academic background
MSc in Economics and Business Administration from NHH, major in Finance and a double minor in Energy and Computer Science. My Bachelor’s degree is in Economics and Business Administration from Lillehammer University College.
What is your first project about?
My first project is to develop a template of an annual report for Visma Advantage. The task is to design and shape the report, which will include statistical data from previous years, and debates on the future market trends Norwegian companies will be facing in the coming years.
The goal is to enhance the sales and to illustrate the financial advantages of being a customer.
How is it really to work at Visma?
The best part of Visma is perhaps the way everyone respects you and listens to you, even as a trainee. I believe few other corporations have an equal amount of respect for their newly educated employees.
Everyone is open, wants to listen to what you have to say, and are willing to pause everything to assist you. In addition, one should not hide the fact that the working environment in Visma is incredibly friendly and social.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
Instead of counting down days to the summer holidays, my countdown is towards the winter season. If I could decide, I probably would have moved the long summer vacation to the winter months.
Read more: The journey ahead for this year’s Management Trainees.
Alexander Geisler, Denmark
Academic background
MSc in International Marketing and Management, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
Exchange Semester, Fudan University – School of Management, China
BSc in International Business, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark
What is your first project about?
My first project is based on a Bain & Company study, which identified 40 values having an impact on B2B buyer behaviour.
Using that study as inspiration, my job is to identify which values are having the largest impact on Visma eAccounting customers’ decision when selecting a particular accounting system.
The project involves customer surveys, benchmarking analysis, sentiment analysis, data analytics, and generating visual insights in Tableau. It is an extremely interesting project, as the findings will be highly relevant for the business at large.
How is it really to work at Visma?
When working at Visma you quickly find out, that not only working together in a professional setting is important, but also being together socially is highly prioritised. For my part, this has been reflected in the company soccer tournament, after work quiz night, and monthly Friday bar, just to mention a few.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
I’m Danish, and I guess that explains it all 😉
Rebecca Oskarsson, Sweden
Academic background
Master of Science Engineering in Information Technology from Uppsala University, Sweden.
What is your first project about?
My first project is about automating the incident handling process at Visma Product Unit. This includes collecting and structuring data from occurred incidents in some of Visma’s cloud-based services and integrating new functionality in tools used in the incident process.
I get to program a lot, mostly backend and learn how the maintenance of Visma software works.
The people in need of the automated functionality are very engaged and involved in the whole project and you can see that it will make a difference in their everyday work.
How it is to really work at Visma?
To work at Visma is to care about your work-life balance. Visma knows that we perform better at work if we have time to recover – you are not expected to work overtime. Leaving room in your life for friends, family, exercise, hobbies or whatever you like to do to recharge.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
My passion for horses! When I’m not at work you’ll most likely (read always) find me in the stable with my two Icelandic horses.
Also read: Fighting malnutrition in East-Africa.
Jo Hvoslef, Norway
Academic background
MSc in Economics and Business Administration from Norwegian School of Economics (NHH) with a major in Business Analysis and Performance Management, and a minor in Strategy and Management.
Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from BI Norwegian Business School with an exchange semester to University of California, Berkeley.
What is your first project about?
My first project is at Tripletex, a cloud-based accounting software company, which Visma bought summer 2016.
At Tripletex, my goal is to deliver a comprehensive competitor analysis of the relevant competitors in the Norwegian accounting software market and develop a framework for future analysis.
This will conceivably provide a greater decision-making base for the management for future strategic choices in a rapidly changing accounting software market.
How is it really to work at Visma?
So far, working at Visma have been remarkably great because of the people and the fact that you’re given a lot of responsibility in your project, already the first Monday after your introduction week. For me, this combination has made working as a Management Trainee a great experience so far.
How are you different from the other Management Trainees?
I have had a side hustle for the last six years, which has been to sell thousands of breathalysers through my online store primarily to the Norwegian market.
We will keep you updated on what we are doing throughout the year, follow us here on the Visma blog, on our Facebook Trainee page and Instagram!
Want to learn more about what it is like to work at Visma? Visit our career pages.
