Community, Confidence, and Career Growth: Alice’s Hilti Journey

Written by the Hilti GB/Northern Europe employer brand team – sharing real stories and insights into life, culture and careers at Hilti.

 

When Alice joined Hilti straight out of university on a graduate scheme, she wasn’t sure what to expect. With an undergraduate degree in Classics, a master’s in International Business, and no construction or sales background, she stepped into the industry with curiosity – and a lot of nerves. Two and a half years later, Alice has grown through multiple roles, tackled challenges she never imagined herself doing, and found a community that continues to lift her up.

Today, as a Project Account Manager in central London, Alice reflects on her journey, the people who supported her, and the culture that makes Hilti a place where she wants to build her future.

 

Starting Out: From Uni to the Construction World

Alice joined Hilti at the end of 2023 through the Graduate Programme. Over two years, she rotated across sales through the Building Construction team in Swindon and Gloucester before moving to the Civil South team covering Reading, Buckinghamshire, and surrounding areas. In January 2026, she stepped into her current role in the Projects team in central London.

Despite having no construction experience, she quickly found that her educational background had prepared her more than she realised:

“I did a lot of group assignments at university, so I was really used to working collaboratively. Collaboration has been such a massive part of every role I’ve had at Hilti – whether it’s solving issues on site for customers, organising demos, or working closely with account managers and regional managers.”

 

Learning, Training & Growing in Confidence

Stepping into a technical, customer-facing role in construction was daunting – but Hilti’s support transformed that experience.

Alice recalls the four‑week WIN  – a four-week training programme, aimed to give new joiners in sales all the knowledge they need about Hilti, our sales approach, the trade they’ll work in, and much more – as “huge” for building her foundation in both construction knowledge and sales skills. From trade-specific insights to monthly calls covering account development and objection handling, she felt equipped from day one.

She also leaned into ongoing coaching from her leaders who have joined her on customer visits to support her development:

“Field rides with managers have been invaluable. Seeing how they handle objections and high-value opportunities has really shaped how I approach my customers.”

On top of formal training, Alice made full use of digital learning resources, including Udemy courses on Excel, email writing, and pitching. These upskilling moments helped her both professionally and personally.

And the support didn’t stop there: “I’ve moved a lot since joining Hilti, and they have always supported me – even giving an additional day off for moving house. When you join, you’re given so much responsibility and trust. That’s massively helped my confidence.”

Why Hilti is a Great Place to Work

When asked what makes Hilti special, Alice doesn’t hesitate:

“The people. There are so many good role models here, and the culture of supporting each other is amazing.”

She also highlights the benefits – health insurance, the Benefits Box platform, the pension scheme, and company car – as meaningful perks. But something newer has had a particularly personal impact: the Hilti Women Together Network.

Through it, Alice has had the chance to meet women she wouldn’t normally interact with day-to-day and to share experiences across different teams and departments.

She appreciates having a space where women can connect, learn from each other, and see the wider picture of how others work across the business.

 

What Makes Hilti a Great Place for Women

Alice has listened to the experiences of women across the organisation, and one theme stands out: flexibility.

“I’ve heard so many women talk about flexible working options, like moving to four-day weeks after having kids. It’s encouraging to know Hilti is open to working styles that support people’s personal lives.”

She also appreciates how the company opens conversations that are often considered taboo, such as menopause or women’s health, creating space for open dialogue.

 

First Impressions vs. Reality

Coming in, Alice assumed everyone would be deeply experienced in construction – and that she might be one of very few women.

She was pleasantly surprised on both counts:

“People here come from such different careers and backgrounds. Hilti looks more at your morals and character than your experience – because you can always be coached.”

Her graduate cohort even had more women than men, and every team she’s been part of has felt balanced, supportive, and collaborative.

 

Partnering with Customers on Site

No two customers are the same, and that’s what Alice loves about Hilti’s partnership model.

Hilti tailors its support – with every customer our approach is consultative and focuses on exactly what they need – no less.

“Because we have a direct selling model, we can actually go to sites and face issues with customers. It’s unique – not many companies can do that.”

In its Lead 2030 strategy, Hilti promises to be its customers’ best partner for productivity, safety, and sustainability, and Alice plays an active role in supporting customers with data, demos, and expertise to help fulfil this promise.

The Power of a Supportive Team

Alice has experienced a strong team culture at every step. In her current team, she’s been on a structured onboarding plan, doing daily joint customer visits to learn from colleagues and receiving support with her own customers and projects.

She recently completed her first pull test for a customer, and her team joined her to ensure everything went smoothly.

Her previous team was just as supportive, despite being spread across the country.

“We were really dotted around – Poole, Essex, Crawley – but we always made the effort to meet when needed. And on Teams, no question was ever a stupid question.”

In London, her new team meets weekly in person for a Monday morning coffee at Pret.

 

Advice That Shaped Her

Alice shares the piece of advice that’s stuck with her the most since joining Hilti:

“Be confident in your abilities. The industry has stereotypes, especially for women, but don’t let that put you off. Go full steam ahead. You bring skills to the room that others may not.”

 

Encouraging the Next Generation

If a friend was graduating or considering a move into construction, Alice would tell them:

 

“Hilti is an amazing organisation. There isn’t a specific type of person you have to be. They accept people from all backgrounds. Just try it – it’s a great industry.”

 

Three Words to Describe Hilti’s Culture

After a little thought, Alice sums it up simply:

Caring. Collaborative. Diverse.

 

Ready to kick‑start your own journey?

Check out our graduate offerings and stay tuned for new openings across the business. When you're ready to take the next step, head over to our Careers Website to apply.