In the fourth of our Unlocking My Potential series, we hear from Kat Finn, who moved from working in an architecture firm to become a Managed Service Consultant at UP3. In this interview, she tells us about how she made that career switch, and why unlocking potential is about the personal as well as the professional. Read on for her advice on how to stay inspired with your work and career.
Keep learning every day
I previously worked at an architectural firm, creating technical drawings and compiling planning applications for client projects. I worked my way up fairly quickly to Senior Technical Consultant and was managing quite large projects. I learnt so much in architecture and thoroughly loved it, but felt that it was time to mix things up a little – I needed a change.
A friend then introduced me to ServiceNow - instantly, its functionality blew my mind. I sat at my laptop from morning until night, day after day, working toward becoming a ServiceNow Certified System Administrator, soaking up as much knowledge as I could. The ServiceNow platform is so complex, vast and varied, so there is always something new to learn. This is especially true since every company’s ServiceNow instance is unique and every task I am given is never the same as the previous. There is never a monotonous day at UP3, in the world of ServiceNow.
Don’t stop pushing
When I first applied to UP3 in autumn 2023, they didn’t have a role for me; I wasn’t experienced enough just yet. I was disappointed because I had been really drawn to the company and the people throughout the whole interview process.
So, I emailed UP3 to ask if I could spend a day in their office and shadow someone. UP3 kindly agreed. I then booked my ServiceNow Certified System Administrator exam for the night before my shadowing day - hoping that if I passed it would show how much learning I had independently completed and my determination – and I did pass! The day that I spent in the office was simply amazing - I was surrounded by warm, dedicated, intelligent and fun people - I had even more fire in my stomach, that desire to work for UP3.
Immediately after the shadowing experience, I was offered an interview with Ruth (UP3 co-founder) for in a few days’ time. Ruth was very complimentary about my attitude and determination, and much to my surprise and delight, offered me a job. So, if you want to break into a new career, including one with ServiceNow, don’t give up, even if you get set back - never stop pushing!
Helping clients comes in many guises
A key element of my role is requirement gathering prior to commencing any tasks – getting on calls with clients, if needs be, and understanding what they’re trying to achieve.
Then, once I've got all of my ducks in a row in terms of requirements, it's time to move on to the technical side of things. I really love the satisfaction of resolving the tasks that I am given, ensuring that the software is doing what the customers want it to, making their lives easier. There’s a real sense of achievement when you do that. Sometimes it can be challenging, but that just makes it even more satisfying when you resolve the issue. I have daily "Yessssss" moments, in my job - I love it!
Get inspired by your team – and yourself
As with any career in life, you have to try your utmost and learn as much as you can yourself, and from your peers. Your colleagues will always be your best teachers. Which is why I’m so lucky to be in such an amazing team at UP3 – I honestly couldn’t hope to work with a better group of people.
We have weekly team meetings with our management team and part of those meetings are focussed on which ServiceNow certifications we’re working towards, so we keep encouraging each other to learn and grow.
You also have to draw inspiration from yourself – that desire to progress has to come from inside. You can’t expect to get things handed to you on a plate - Dream, Believe, Achieve!
What unlocking potential means to me
I love looking back at where I’ve come from eight months ago - I have learnt so much at UP3. For me, unlocking potential is about professional development but it’s also about personal fulfilment too. It’s important to acknowledge that a career has to give you the rewards to help you achieve your personal goals too. This role is unlocking potential in so many areas of my life, and I just want that to continue.
Thank you so much to Kat for sharing her career journey, and providing such valuable advice on how to get the most satisfaction out of your career. If you're looking to take the next step in a career that inspires you, take a look at the opportunities open on our careers page.
