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Diana Schnetgöke

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Changing course to become a digital expert

Ever since her first experience with digital solutions, Rositsa was so inspired by future digital prospects that she made the great personal commitment to change careers after finishing a degree in English studies and become a digital consultant in the Public unit at T-Systems.

Young woman with many open umbrellas in the background

For me, Scrum Master means: training, supporting/moderating, coaching and removing obstacles.

What brought you to Deutsche Telekom and T-Systems?

Rositsa: I entered as an intern in Global Mobility unit in 2019. After that, I was so fascinated by the Deutsche Telekom Group that I took the chance to start a permanent position as a digital consultant in the Public unit at T-Systems after my first professional job as an IT Consultant at a different company.

What aspects of your internship really inspired you about Deutsche Telekom and T-Systems and made you want to join the team permanently?

Rositsa: From my very first day as an intern, I was entrusted with challenging tasks. I had the opportunity to experience a wide range of roles and always felt like part of the team. My former manager always made the effort to include me, to challenge me, and to support me, so I could keep progressing. Back then and again now, my colleagues were so open and helpful that it was easy for me to settle in and I felt myself right at home. Whatever challenges the job threw at me and no matter how stressful it became, we always were there to help each other out – that’s exactly how it is today too. 

Give a short description of your work and tasks. 

Rositsa: I’m employed as a digital consultant in the Public unit and am currently working on public procurement procedure with a competitive dialogue in which we are developing a prototypes with Pega. I’m acting as a scrum master within this project and am also responsible for requirements management. It’s really exciting and challenging and I have the opportunity to put my skills to very good use.

A digitally rendered skyline of a large city

With our support, the public sector follows the megatrend of digitization.

Some might say that IT consulting for authorities is boring, drawn-out, and hardly innovative. What do you think?

Rositsa: Public administration is quite varied and there is a great need for digitalization and IT innovations. T-Systems’ Public unit covers many exciting topics so it never gets boring. The authorities require plenty of innovative solutions in order to fulfill the challenges of digitalization. It often feels like I’m part of the crew on the Starship Enterprise, out exploring a new world and overcoming many challenges while discovering new things. 

To what extent do you think your personal background makes you good at your job?

Rositsa: Since I have a migrant background and have now been living in Germany for ten years, I have become familiar with public administration in numerous situations and have also gained experience of the different procedures. As a Bulgarian with a master’s in English studies, I have a better understanding of intercultural concerns. This helps me in my requirements management work and in my role as a scrum master, since I work together with an offshore team for my project.

Digitalization is making rapid advances. You come from an entirely different academic background, making you a “career-changer”. How have you adapted to IT and digitalization?

Rositsa: Digitalization caught up with me back when I was doing my first bachelor’s degree from 2007-2011 and simultaneously working as an English teacher. Digital whiteboards had to be installed and set up. I found it all interesting and made sure to get to grips with the technology. Later on, it became clear that the digital transformation is an issue affecting the whole world. I wanted to keep up. During my second bachelor’s in business studies, I took another step in the direction of digitalization. I was just fascinated by the challenge presented by the technologies required for information processing, the application of technology, and the development of digital business processes which must all work together in harmony to make a company successful. 

Further development and “carving out a career” is a big issue for both recent graduates and experts alike. Where do you see yourself in five years: as an expert or a manager?

Rositsa: I already have a number of years of professional experience in other fields and am on the way to establishing myself by completing further training and expert certifications (digital consulting). The Group in general, but also my own unit in particular, has a wide offering, from open expert sessions and talent management to systematic development programs

In future, I also hope to take on key roles in management, however. I would like to be responsible for the company’s entire success and hope I’ll have the chance to pursue a career as a manager. The development and establishment of business units is something I really care about.

What would you like to tell students who are currently considering how to start their careers after graduation?

Rositsa: It’s important for students to start thinking about their strengths and interests as soon as possible, preferably before they even graduate. Targeted internships are a good way to find that out. You can only really become good at something if you enjoy the topic and have fun doing the job. No matter what your career or profession, you always have to be ready to see the good in it and sometimes even accept the negative aspects and just keep going to achieve your goals.

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