mondelēz international business services (mbs): starting out costa rica

 

Thinking of joining Mondelēz International Business Services (MBS)? Wondering what those first few days will be like? Want to make sure you’re prepared and start out strong?

You’ve come to the right place.

In the first of a series of articles on starting out at MBS, we reveal the initial impressions and overall experiences of three people who have recently joined our MBS Human Resources team in Costa Rica.

alvaro
calvo
hr service desk supervisor

Getting involved early

People talk about getting involved from Day One, but I was getting involved before I even started. A few weeks before my first day Mondelēz International invited me to a special recruitment event for people who were interested in joining. It was really nice to be part of. I spoke to the candidates about what I knew of MDLZ and how excited I was to be joining. Even better, there were lots of really senior people from the business there, so I got to network with them over lunch and dinner. And all before my first day!

First week

The first week was awesome. I was really impressed by how organized everything was, especially because there were so many different activities. The biggest thing that stood out was how much it felt like family. Everyone was so warm and welcoming. I got the feeling this wasn’t just a job at a company. It was like having another home.

The on-boarding process was really in-depth. We got to speak to senior leaders from the business during round-table discussions and one-to-one meetings. We’d ask any questions we had about how the company works and what was expected of us.

True collaboration

I think the biggest surprise for me so far has been the collaborative environment. If you need any help from anyone, they’re there for you. People appreciate all the things you can give, and they’re willing to guide and support you from an operational standpoint. It couldn’t be more different from my last workplace!

Open to change

It helps to go in with an open mind and be flexible. If you’re willing to adapt, you’ll have a real advantage. No one expects you to have all the answers from the start, but if you’re willing to learn and evolve and embrace new ideas and ways of doing things, you can make a real difference here.

Favorite Product?

It’s got to be Cadbury Dairy Milk Fruit and Nut. Delicious!

denisse
barboza
workforce administration specialist

Initial attraction

I was first attracted to Mondelēz International because of the brands. I didn’t actually know the name Mondelēz International, but I knew Gallito, which is a really popular brand of chocolate here in Costa Rica. So when I saw that MBS were opening an HR function, I started looking into the company and realized all the different brands they had.

Induction

The first few days were really exciting. There must have been around 30-40 people at my induction. We had a VP from MBS speak to us, as well as another senior leader from the global MBS business. Plus the main leader here in Costa Rica.

They showed us what the culture is all about and all the different ways we could grow with the business. They also gave us a real understanding of the impact the company has globally, which made me realize that I was part of something big.

A sense of belonging

I felt like a MDLZ employee from the day I arrived. That’s the great thing about the culture. You feel like it’s your company. The way they explained our roles made us feel important too. They likened MBS to being the heart of a wider organization. And they said that if the heart doesn’t work, the rest of the body doesn’t work either.

One big family

I was surprised by how open the workplace is. The leaders don’t have separate offices. Instead, they’re sitting right next to you. It makes it feel like you’re part of a huge family. It’s kind of hard to explain. You can read about the feeling on a piece of paper or a website, but you can’t truly understand it until you’re here.

Favorite Product?

That's easy. Toblerone.

felix
solano
recruiter - integrated supply chain

A professional approach

I had about a month between receiving my job offer and showing up to work for the first time. During that period HR sent me welcome emails, PowerPoint presentations about the company and paperwork I needed to fill out before starting. I quickly realized that Mondelēz International had a very professional way of doing things, which I found incredibly reassuring.

Induction

During my first week I had an induction with around 45-50 people. We were given an overview of the company and they talked about our aims as a business. We learned how new MDLZ is to the market, the different acquisitions we’ve made and all of the brands we make. We also watched videos about the company and met with managers from the global MBS team.

 

Settling in

The whole leadership team really made us feel welcome. They all came to the training room and introduced themselves. They told us their success stories and gave us advice on how we could be successful ourselves. It was great to hear. It was also great to hear how much importance they place on developing people within the company. It makes you realize just how far you can go at MDLZ if you’re willing to put the effort in.

Success depends on you

There are people all over this company who are willing to help you. And there are lots of opportunities in every part of our business. But how far you go completely depends on you. MDLZ will give you the opportunities, but you need to take ownership and make the most of them.

Work/life balance

Even though I work hard and I’m at the office a lot, I’m still able to have a life outside of work. I’m a drummer and I have a reggae band. We practice a few times a week. In fact, we opened a show recently for Joss Stone. It was an amazing experience! So while having a career is important to me, being able to do my own thing outside of work is equally important.

Favorite product?

Chips Ahoy! Can't beat 'em