People behind REHAU: Carolin Muss

15.01.2021

"You can only be a role model for your child if you look after yourself as a parent."

German-born Carolin, who has been living in Austria for 14 years, is a lighting architect and has been working at REHAU for just over a year and a half in the sales department for the lighting industry in Austria and Germany. The 38-year-old gives us an insight into how she balances her career and being a mom, how contact with customers has changed this year, and what positive conclusions she is able to draw from this challenging year.

1. Carolin, you are a qualified architect and lighting planner. What motivated you to pursue this field of work and what exactly does the job of a lighting planner entail?

What most excites me about the field of lighting is the versatility. The medium of light constantly surrounds us everywhere we go, and it influences us in conscious and unconscious ways.

Classic lighting planning involves creating the optimum lighting for people in a space. It is an incredibly wide field: it includes the lighting effect, simulations, architectural and constructive aspects, as well as the design of the lighting fixtures and systems. Over the past few years, my focus has been on product management and marketing. However, design has always been a great passion of mine.

Many of my colleagues have taken a range of different training paths to get here, but for me it was a straightforward matter of studying architecture followed by a master’s degree in lighting design.

2. What exactly does your job at REHAU involve?

At REHAU, I work as a sales engineer in field sales and acquire clients in the lighting industry to develop products with them. For example, REHAU developed the housing for a patented IP69 light for demanding and harsh environments which is resistant to chemicals and used in areas with high resistance requirements. The combination of housing technology and lighting technology works very well.

In addition, I occasionally contribute to cross-divisional strategic issues in which lighting and light quality are relevant topics. I particularly value these overarching exchanges.

3. You have been working in the Lighting Projects Sales division at REHAU for a year and a half. What made you decide to take a job in an industrial company and what excites you the most about it?

There were several reasons behind my step into the industry. After working at a start-up for a few years, I was looking for greater security at a stable company. At REHAU, you can achieve great things and work within a commercial market instead of “only” serving niche areas.

Flexibility of working hours and the ability to work remotely alongside field sales work provided great conditions. As a mother, I now have the perfect combination: I have flexibility with regard to where I work, and I can also step outside my comfort zone and further develop my skills through my sales work.

The icing on the cake is the outstanding team with their great expertise and professionalism, which provides a great opportunity to learn new things and utilize my strengths.

4. The coronavirus has changed many things. What has this meant for customer relationships, where direct contact is so important?

On the one hand, we’re naturally missing direct, personal exchanges as well as meetings and project discussions. I continue to miss that a lot.

On the other hand, communication has actually become a little more personal. Most people are suddenly working from home, and you end up showing more of your private life. Children can be seen during video conferences and you might hear a doorbell or a dog barking in the background. Exchanges become more authentic, and “how are you?” is no longer just an empty phrase.

I think we’re all happy to have the technical tools currently available to us. I can’t even begin to imagine living through a pandemic like this in the ’90s, without email, cell phones or video conferencing.

5. Children and a career – how do you manage to keep a good balance, what advice would you give to women who don’t want to forgo either one, and how does REHAU support you in fulfilling this "double role"?

I think it has a lot to do with your internal convictions and it is a process. It took me a few years to achieve this balance and I even took a year out when my son was having problems starting school and needed my support.

It’s important to seek help and build a network either within or outside of your own family. Particularly during the years that I was a single parent, it was important for me to find ways to develop personally outside of my role as a mother. After all, you can only be a role model for your child if you look after yourself as a parent.

An understanding employer plays a key role here. I am really glad that REHAU offers the opportunity to work remotely, and did so even before Covid-19. It is also possible to coordinate client appointments and internal meetings to be compatible with childcare, or at least to arrange them in enough time to be able to organize care.

6. What do you do outside of work to balance out your job?

Over the last few years, I have established several valuable routines that I regularly practice. On the one hand, I gain a lot of energy through my family. We enjoy exploring nature and the mountains. However, I also need time to myself: I practice yoga, meditation or Tabata every day – I’ll gladly get up an hour earlier to do this.
Another important component of my daily routine is journaling. This helps me clarify things and tackle the day in a structured manner.

During the first lockdown, we got rid of the television, which created more space for other activities. I love art and design, and enjoy being creative myself.

Last but not least – healthy food. I have been a vegetarian for 25 years, and vegan since last fall. This provides my body with incredible strength and energy.

7. Carolin, we’re looking back on a remarkable and highly dynamic year. What has been your most important realization?

The stability and resilience of relationships you have built over the years become apparent in crisis situations like these. One thing I have learned about myself is that I am relatively adaptable and remain optimistic despite the uncertain situation. I work harder and look to the future.

I am incredibly excited for the first real meetings with clients and colleagues, and I am curious to see how shaking hands in greeting will feel.

Thank you very much for the interview, Carolin!