Working abroad has opened up new opportunities for personal and professional growth. It has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and one of the most exciting times of my life.

Tell us about your educational background and past work experience. 
Honestly speaking, it had been a long but very exciting and valuable educational journey, at first, I completed a bachelor program with a focus on public administration and economics. Right after I joined a master program with a focus on international affairs and global economy. During that time, it became clear to me that I would like to expand my business knowledge by completing a semester abroad at Munich Business School – this is where Germany wrapped me around its finger! Long story short, I did not come back home and decided to obtain a full second master’s degree at the same academic institution, a part of which was a semester abroad at an American university UCLA where I studied finance related subjects with a particular deep dive into investment management.

Talking about the previous professional experience, while doing my studies in Germany, I had completed several internships with the industry market leaders mostly focusing on fintech, corporate finance, IT technologies and last but not least investment/asset management. The latter revealed and grew into a high interest which subsequently transformed into my duty at Deloitte. 

How did you hear about Deloitte? And what drew you to the company?Actually, I was looking into career opportunities at Deloitte already for a few years before I settled in Germany. But the first encounter with Deloitte corporate culture, which raised my genuine interest, was at the recruiting event, organized by Deloitte in the Munich office. While breaking down some of the suggested business cases, I realized that it would be a good match but before sending my application, it would be important to empower my skills with additional master’s in business administration and go through several internships to get insights and knowledge into the Investment Management industry as well as to obtain required practical working skills. Shortly after my graduation, I applied for the consultant position in the Investment Management team, in which after the assessment I was offered to join and contribute to the growing business of Deloitte. Now, as a part of a big international team, I am consulting a big global asset management company. 

Germany is known for being very bureaucratic. When coming from a foreign country, what factors are important to keep in mind?
Germany is a very attractive country for expats. In order to receive the Aufenthaltstitel (a working permit, similar to the Green Card in the US), a candidate should have an academic degree, preferably up to the master level as well as a signed working contract. 

As for personal requirements, a candidate should be open to learn German, be open-minded and communicative in general. After working for almost a year, I would amend that list with being ambitious, dedicated and committed to the team. One should definetly strive to outperform the achievements of yesterday.

Starting over in a foreign country can be demanding, both personally and professionally. What kind of challenges did you face and how did you overcome them?
Starting over in a new country is definetly not easy but for sure it’s worth it. Personally, I would outline three challenges: finding accommodation, language barrier and making new friends.

The Munich housing market is quite pumped and finding a good place to stay might be very bumpy, especially for an expat. However, I was lucky with the real estate agency which supported me all the way.

Frankly speaking, German is not an easy-to-learn language but with persistency, dedication, and patient friends one can definetly excel at a reasonable time. As for me, my friends, family, and Deloitte colleges have been a great support. I always know that my team got my back, and I am not scared to make grammar mistakes and learn from them.

Making friends was the most exciting challenge for me. Just a couple of weeks after my arrival to Germany, I realized that there are not enough evenings in a week to follow up with new friends. Deloitte and especially our team supports networking by organizing many events where one can gain valuable professional as well as private friendships. 

Do you think that working in a foreign country contributes to personal growth?
Absolutely! New business culture, new people, many opportunities for networking and exploring new horizons. Deloitte organizes events where industry professionals share their opinion on the current trends and developments, from which one can definetly learn something new and then contribute to the ongoing and future engagements.

How would you rate your time in Germany so far? What do you appreciate and what do you miss?
It’s been one of the most joyful and exciting times in my life. This stay-abroad experience opens new dimensions for private/professional life. I appreciate the opportunity to work with smart and open-minded people in a congenial environment. The professionalism and efficient working style of my colleagues are making a very significant add-on to my already existing professional experience. When I think of what I miss, my family and the beautiful nature in my home-country come to my mind.

Is there any German cliché that you have found to be true?
Oktoberfest, Dirndl and Lederhosen are the epitome of German culture. I was amazed by the atmosphere, and I always look forward to that almost 200-year-old celebration with a lot of traditional food and good beer. On top of that, the love to cars and rules is something that turned out to be really true.

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