Next up in our Unlocking My Potential series is UP3’s Aleks Traeva, an Engagement Manager who has been at the company for two years. She works closely with a range of customers utilising the power of ServiceNow. In this blog she talks about why having the right attitude is more important than having a tech background, how UP3’s female leaders inspire her, and why you shouldn’t judge a dog by its inability to quack!
Attitude is more important than background
I don’t come from a tech background. My degree is in psychology, and through uni I had a very clear plan to become a clinical child psychologist. But after a bit of exposure to it, I quickly realised that it wasn’t for me. I had a lot of friends working in tech companies – doing different things, not in technical roles – and they suggested I give it a go. I went to a bootcamp course at a managed services provider and entered the industry that way.
This is why I'm a strong believer in the fact that you can have any sort of background to get into tech. As long as you have the right attitude, you can learn the job. You need to be open and adaptable, especially in my role as an Engagement Manager. You need to be willing to learn new stuff and be constantly challenged.
Learning about the corporate world starts with building relationships
When I first got into the tech sector, I really didn't know anything about the corporate world at all. Things like how procurement works, how sales works, how finance works. They were all new to me!
But I could learn from the people around me, and I built relationships with them and did just that. At the start I was like, oh my goodness, this is Chinese to me, I don't get how it all fits together! But through surrounding myself with SMEs and building on those relationships, you start understanding more and more each day. I’m lucky that this has continued at UP3, the people are great at sharing knowledge and have been happy to help and support me as new things crop up.
You don’t need to become a subject matter expert in everything straightaway, but you need some ground-level awareness to help you make the right decisions. The rest you learn through experience.
There are strengths to being an introvert
I’m very aware that I’m super introverted as a person. Lots of people worry about how this will hold them back. But I see it as being a strength as well. I’m super organised and I can focus and compartmentalise really well. I don’t need lots of input or attention from others to be able to do the job.
Of course, sometimes I have to give big presentations or do things outside of my comfort zone. But I’ve learnt how to “fake it till you make it”, just throwing myself into those situations and embrace a willingness to develop myself. I’ve come to understand that you don’t have to be certain about all aspects of the job every time. You need to learn as you go, and pushing yourself out of your shell is important. It’s how you improve.
There’s space for everyone
Tech can feel very overwhelming, just because of the scale of the sector. But I honestly believe there’s space for everyone in this industry. Every different background, every personality type – there’s always something you can bring to the table and make you valuable. So just make the leap and do it.
The tech sector can be daunting to work in too, especially for many younger women, because it’s still so male dominated. At past companies, before I joined UP3, I was often the only woman on the team. It’s great to see women operating in roles across the business at UP3, from senior leadership all the way to those just starting out. It’s inspiring. It gives you people to learn from and look up to, and it creates a different atmosphere across the company.
That’s carried over to my experience coming back from maternity leave too. I was anxious about the return to work, even though I’d kept in touch throughout. But everyone here has been incredibly helpful and understanding. There’s an awareness that we all have lives outside of work. And as long as the work gets done to our high standards, and you communicate your needs clearly with the team, having flexibility is not a problem.
What unlocking potential means to me
For me, unlocking potential starts with allowing people to be themselves and bring what they can bring to the table. There’s a saying that goes something like, you can’t expect a dog to quack. In other words, people have certain things they’re good at, and they need to be able to express that. You can’t box them in with expectations that don’t fit.
There’s more than one way to achieve a result, I believe. So, allowing people to do things in their own way is key. And that’s where you truly shine, because everybody is different. Everybody brings different things to the table. So just allowing people to do that, without micromanaging, I think is super important to fully unlocking a person’s potential.
A big thank you to Aleks for sharing her insights into building a successful and rewarding career. If you think you've got the right attitude and you're looking for your next opportunity, check out our current openings on our careers page.
