Paula Cojan began her Stefanini journey three years ago, when she joined our Application Delivery Center (ADC) as an intern. Since then, Paula has picked up an array of technical and soft skills as she’s grown into her role as a software developer. We caught up with Paula to discuss the opportunities she’s enjoyed at Stefanini, both in terms of skills she’s developed and the relationships she’s built across the business.
Over the next couple of months, our <Stories in brackets> series will spotlight our ADC colleagues, giving them the space to share their career journey and learnings.
Paula’s story is the first in this new series, which will showcase the stories behind the lines of code and paint a picture of what life at Stefanini involves.
Why did you choose to join Stefanini?
I instinctively felt that Stefanini would be a good fit for me and a great place to begin my career, and I only became more certain in my decision as I progressed within my role, finding great opportunities to build my skills and develop excellent relationships with the people in my team and in the office.
I knew that my first job could potentially shape my career going forward so it was an important decision, but one I could make confidently based on what I knew about Stefanini and the diversity and dynamism of the business that I’d seen showcased on Stefanini social media channels.
How have you evolved professionally within the company so far?
My evolution at Stefanini began with an internship, during which the entire team worked for the same project at that time. This was followed by a specific project from an external client, where I acquired a lot of technical and soft skills.
During the internship period, certain colleagues acted as my mentors, which really contributed to my own personal and professional development.
The fact that the internship program meant working for an actual real-world client project was a huge advantage – the trust that Stefanini placed in me was a really important part of my development here.
What are the most important things that you have learned here?
I’ve learned a great deal about how to work collaboratively in a tight-knit team, with sense of responsibility and professionalism. Both from a technical and soft skills perspective, I’ve been fortunate to learn a huge amount as I’ve moved from being an intern to a software developer.
What do you like most about working at Stefanini?
Other than the opportunity to learn a huge amount, it’s the people I work with. While everything is virtual at the moment, we’ve made sure there’s still a chance to enjoy a morning coffee with the team. The company culture here is really special and allows us to build great relationships with colleagues.
What advice would you give to a new Stefanini employee?
I’d definitely encourage any new starters to do what they can to get involved and become part of their teams within their first few days.
There’s a really supportive environment at Stefanini, so anyone new should never be afraid to interact with their team or with other departments across the business. I was always provided with all the support and information I needed, whether dealing with my immediate team or interacting with colleagues in other departments, such as the HR team.
What advice would you give to other Stefanini colleagues when it comes to building a success story here?
I think everyone can have a success story at Stefanini, because it’s simply that kind of company. Employees are valued here and the business is always looking at new ways to create a great workplace and provide additional opportunities for people to evolve and grow their skills.
People should have the courage to speak up when they have an idea, because I’ve found that everyone is listened to here and we recognize that a good idea can come from anywhere. If you have thoughts on how we can work smarter or new initiatives we could pursue, you’ll only be encouraged to share these.
Want to be our next success story? At Stefanini, we’re always interested in hearing from talented candidates across all levels of experience. You can browse our current EMEA vacancies, here.
